The 1901 census reveals that there are only 17 people carrying the Stanley name living in County Roscommon. The population at that time was 102,000, only 40% of what it had been prior to the Great Famine of the late 1840s. They group into just four families. (There is also a Governess, born in Cork,…
All posts in Geography
Kilbride to Canada
In my efforts to understand more about my Roscommon ancestors, I have looked at Parish records. There are many gaps. It is not possible to track people from birth to marriage to death. Kilbride Parish Church, at Four Mile House, features in my family’s records. I have found another family with the Stanley name on…
DNA: the magic bullet?
Posted on Author Keith StanleyPosted in Brighton, Direct line, Geography, Ireland, North America, Unresolved questions
I was given a DNA testing kit as a Christmas present (2018). The results were pretty much as expected. I received a list of people with whom I share some DNA in descending order of overlap. The closest matches suggest that we might be fourth cousins. This means that we share a great, great, great…
The death of Bridget, and more on Thomas
Having located a record for the death of Thomas (b 1873, d 1908), I looked for the record for Bridget. It was not hard to find. https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1909/05468/4530647.pdf Bridget, from Rockfield, the widow of a labourer, died in the workhouse in March 1909. She was 70, making her date of birth around 1839. She died of…
Thomas Stanley (b 1873)
Posted on Author Keith StanleyPosted in Direct line, Geography, Ireland, North America, Possible relations
Thomas seemed to disappear after his birth. He is not recorded on the 1901 Irish census. There is no good match for him in England either. This made me suspect that he had emigrated. I spent a lot of time scanning passenger lists. Hours were spent on the census returns in the USA. In June…
Irish Petty Sessions
In order to access all possible records, it would be necessary to take out a lot of subscriptions to a great number of websites. The cost will exceed £500 per annum. I have switched providers more than once. All of the major providers are adding to their collections. If you have not looked at a…
Death of John Stanley (b 1825)
There are some surprising records online these days. You can look at dog licenses. A dog license had to be renewed every year. This provides some way of tracking people. The normal caveat applies: absence of information does not imply information about absence, merely that information may have disappeared. Some court records have been published.…
The Great Famine
In almost every country in the world, there are events that are central to the collective memory. Examples include the release from prison of Nelson Mandela (1990), the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (1997), the attack on Pearl Harbour (1941) and the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989). These events act as a pivot…
They are all called John
Another researcher suggested that publishing a family tree would be helpful. This is a very sensible idea. But do I publish one tree or many? The picture shows what appears to be multiple trees. However, there is an interconnected root system. In practice it is a single organism., covering over 100 acres. The challenge for…
Three maps
Overview Intermediate view Close up