Winifred Roach b. 1831

Hi Anne. Winifred Roach's Baptism is recorded in Tuam Baptismal records for the 18th April 1831. Her parents are Michael Roach and Catherine Cleary. The sponsor is Margaret Roach.  Griffiths Valuation was a mid 19 Century survey of Irish land. The survey was carried out from 1848- 1864. See Griffiths Valuation- Ask About Ireland.  The Land Valuation records were printed in 1855 for Tuam Co Galway. There is a Michael Roche in Cloonfush a small townland a few miles from Tuam town. He is farming 21acres 2 roods and 21 perches of land.  He is paying £7.0.0  for the use of this land. The immediate Lessors of this property Christiana  O Dea. He is also listed as having a House Office and Garden. There is another Michael Roche in Keeloges outside of Tuam. He is living beside Bridget and Thomas Roche. Thomas Roche has 67 Acres 3 Roods and 11 perches. They are grouped together so are probably the same family sharing the land. 

. Our earliest  existing Irish Census from Tuam Co Galway is 1901 and 1911. It is difficult to say if the people mentioned are connected to Winifred but it might narrow the chances of finding them. There are Roches in other areas around Tuam in Griffiths Valuation, Ballygaddy Rd,   Kilcloghans,  Tirboy,  Tullynadaly, Galway Rd, High St, and Cloondarone.  The best solution for connecting with relatives of Winifred Roach is through D N A.  There is a website you can join if you get your D N A tested called Gedmatch. You can then join and look for matches in  Tuam P L U   D N A & Ancestry.  Regards Frances Kelly- Madden

Hi Frances,

Thank you so much for your informative reply.  I am unsure whether Winifred Roach/Roche was an orphan or if one or both parents were still alive when she was sent to Australia in 1848.  I believe the usual method was to collect the girls aged between 14 and 18 from the workhouses.  I am assuming that would be the Tuam workhouse and I believe that there are no surviving records of this workhouse.  When Winifred married in Australia she said her father was a tailor,  I would imagine that there would be little work for a tailor during the Great Famine and if he was still alive, maybe he did go to a family farm. Also on her marriage certificate she suddenly adds 2 additional Christian names (as did her daughter) and became Winifred Frances Lilburn Roach.  I have often wondered if the name Lilburn was a local town name near Tuam? 

It sounds like the sponsor Margaret Roach was a sister or mother of Michael’s  I have not been able find any other siblings of Winifred’s.  

I am unsure why you mentioned the Keegan family in Tuam.?

I have done my DNA with Ancestry.com with no luck in finding Irish relatives as yet.  Maybe the Gedmatch one you mentioned would be better.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply, it is not that easy researching from Down Under.

Kind regards

Ann

Frances

Thanks very much for getting in touch with Ann

Ann 

I posted your query on the FB private group for 'Tuam PLU DNA & Genealogy' . Frances is one of our active members there and is researching Earl Grey Assisted Emigrants from the area 

There are quite a number of people who have done an ANcestry DNA test in the area including a number of Roche families from just outside of Tuam Hopefully you will get a match with them - some have included a family tree attached to their DNA so you might find them by searching for 'Roche' in your matches 

Best of luck

Martin

Killascobe XO Parish Admin

Hi Ann re Winifred Roach.   There is a family tree on Ancestry DEYAN OSBORNE Family tree. Deyan_Osborne.  Your Winifred Roach is included in the tree. There are  two step brothers and two step sisters of Winifred in the tree. John, Catherine, Margaret and Richard. Have a look at it and see what you think. Sorry about the Keegans included, my mistake.

There was a James Cleary in Tonmoyle Tuam Co Galway in Griffiths Valuation. He has House and Land. and two seperate plots of land 7 acres .1 r.3 p. and 2 Acres1 r and 11p. Regards Frances Kelly-Madden.

Hi Frances,

Thanks again for your response.  I am aware of Dylan Osborne’s tree on Ancestry and she is a direct descendant of Winifred and Michael.  I can not verify her inclusion of Michael’s second marriage and her mention of Catharine Cleary dying in England in 1835 seems somewhat improbable but not impossible. She also says that Catherine and Michael married in Cork.  I will get in touch with her and see we can get our heads together and it will be an opportunity to say hello to a cousin.

Regards

Ann

Hi Ann 

As you have done a DNA test and, hopefully, uploaded to gedmatch joining the Tuam group https://www.facebook.com/groups/309867099437412/ will help see who your living relatives are in the area 

Martin