Thomas Stanly 1807 -1887

DNA evidence suggests that I am not related to the Ballyglass Lower branch of the Stanley family. (James Stanley and Oliver Stanley are shown as living almost next door to each other on the Griffiths valuation records.) When I published the blog “Ballyglass Stanley”, https://www.roscommonstanley.me.uk/possible-relations/ballyglass-stanley/, I was contacted by another researcher. He was able to…

Boston Pilot

I am conscious that many of those emigrating from Roscommon ended up in America. For 90 years (from 1831 to 1921) a newspaper called the Boston Pilot published a ‘Missing Friends’ column. Photo: Boston Harbour in the mid 1800s Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_harbor_and_East_Boston_from_State_St._block,_by_Soule,_John_P.,_1827-1904.jpg (cropped) The database has over 40,000 records. (https://infowanted.bc.edu/search/ ) (now behind a paywall) Advertisements…

McCormack & Stanley

There were already nine (9) different people called John Stanley on this website when I started writing this post. I now introduce number ten! On 30th November 1882 John Stanley married Ellenor McCormack. John was a bachelor from Ballyglass. Ellenor was a spinster, also from Ballyglass. The wedding took place in Cloverhill Church. This church…

Boer War Concentration Camps

It is easy to identify ways in which the British authorities could have done a better job in the Boer War. Well it is with the wisdom of hindsight. Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, military leaders were slow to adapt to new tactics. The Boers knew that they could…

The small print

In October 1902, Patrick signed Army Form B217 for a short service enlistment. It was for a total of 12 years, part on active service and the rest on reserve. Question 1 asks for the recruit’s name. (Starting with the difficult ones!) Question 2 provided the key information about Patrick’s place of birth. Question 18…

2nd Eastern General Hospital

In September 1913, the staff and pupils of Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School took possession of new, purpose built premises on Dyke Road. In August 1914 they were forced to return to their old home. The building had been requisitioned. It became 2nd Eastern General Hospital. The building still exists. It is now a…

From Islands to America

On the post “Island Lower and Upper”, (https://www.roscommonstanley.me.uk/geography/island-lower-and-upper/ ) I referred to American records as providing answers to the question about what happened to the rest of the Stanley/Kenney line. (Bridget, Thomas, Mary and John) Bridget Stanley married William Simpson on 29th June 1887 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was born in Darnford, New York in…