Hi I am looking for any information on my gtgtgrandmother Mary Ann McWhirter (1841-1889). On her marriage certificate to John Thompson (1836-1909) on 27 July 1858 at Brigh Meeting House, Parish of Ballyclog, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, it says she was born in Annaghmore. Her parents were Joseph McWhirter (1810) and Jane McWhirter and a brother George McWhirter (1830-1870) and possibly another brother William McWhirter. I have found reference to a John Thompson in the County Tyrone Householders' Index in 1860 for Moree, Parish of Desertcreat, which I believe is near to Annaghmore. I know the family moved from Ireland between 1863 (when their son George was born in Ireland) and 1865 (when their daughter Eliza Jane was born in England). George McWhirter (1830) also moved to England. I am hoping to visit Ireland in July, so I would be really grateful for any information to put 'meat on the bones'. Thank you. Carole
Saturday 12th Mar 2016, 01:38PM
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Carole,
You say that on the 1858 marriage certificate, Mary Ann’s place of birth is recorded as Annaghmore. Irish marriage certificates don’t record places of birth. What they record are the couples addresses at the date of the marriage. So Annaghmore is where she was living in 1858. She might have been born there too of course, but that’s just speculation.
There are several places in Tyrone called Annaghmore. Two are near to Brig. One is in the parish of Arboe, the other in Desertcreat. I checked both on the revaluation records but did not find a McWhirter household in either. That doesn’t mean Mary Ann wasn’t living there, just that she was staying with someone else and/or she only stayed briefly. She might have been working on a farm as a servant, for example.
http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm
Tradition was to marry in the bride’s church, so Brigh Meeting House would be the place to start to look for her baptism and that of her siblings. Their records start in 1837, so if she was born c 1841 you may find her. The records are not on-line anywhere so far as I am aware but there is a copy in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast.
You don’t say what Joseph McWhirter’s occupation was (as per the 1858 marriage certificate). Likewise for John Thompson or his (un-named) father. These matter a lot because it indicates the likelihood of finding them in the various sorts of records. Someone who was a farmer is likely to appear in Griffiths (assuming they were alive) but someone who was say a servant would not. Agricultural labourers/weavers (who formed a huge percentage of the population at that time) moved about all the time, often taking short term leases on small properties. They don’t always show up in the records, especially the householders records (which are for those with sufficient land to qualify for a vote). They can often be difficult to trace.
Since you are coming to Ireland, I’d recommend you search the Brigh baptism records in PRONI in Belfast as you first step in tracing Mary Jane’s family.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 12th Mar 2016, 03:07PM