Still Searching

Hi

I am still here! Wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has emailed me recently, adding more information and branches to my tree, and I hope yours!

Things I am working on at the moment are William Murrell - STILL !!!! The Douglass brances of my tree to try to find a link with the ancestors of someone who emailed me. The Taylors, still looking for some information on Frederick b 1873. It seems I had the wrong second marriage for Frederick in my tree after receiving the marriage certificate! Not bad going it's the first duff certificate I've spent out on since beginning researching the family tree. So if anyone has a Frederick Taylor, marrying a Mary Jane Carter nee Derbyshire in their tree, I have a copy of the certificate if you want to drop me an email. The marriage was 28th September 1928 in Sunderland Register Office, Frederick was a farm servant living at 27 West Sunniside, Sunderland. Mary a widow living at 50 Henry Street East. Frederick's father was Edward Taylor a wood carver and Mary's Anthony John Derbyshire a Fireman (seagoing), witnesses were Ernest Taylor and E A Taylor.

Bits and bobs

I've finally found some time to get going on the family tree again, although at the moment I'm not really sure which part yo look at, so for the time being I'm just looking at bits and bobs as they come up, or whatever takes my fancy at the time.

I am so looking forward to the 1911 census LOL it's going to hopefully answer quite a few questions!

I've managed to decipher some information on the Boyd's thanks to the great people at Rootschat, and have found some information on the Hunt branch.

I've been watching the new Heir Hunters program on the BBC before the Olympics wiped it off the morning line up, and am looking forward to seeing all the new series of Who Do You Think You Are, last weeks was brill!!

I think perhaps they have given me the kick up the bum to start looking again, tho sometimes a break can be a good thing to give yourself a rest and come back with fresh eyes!!

Murrell Murrell Murrell Murrell

.....still looking for that piece of information to prove or disprove that Bethnal Green William Murrell is my Great Great Grandfather.

Not Much Doing......

....in the genealogy way at the moment, it's been a pretty busy time here so I've not had much of a chance to get stuck in, plus I think I might have burnt out a bit going 100 miles a hour with the latest McDonnell discovery LOL

So I'm recharging my batteries and thought I'd leave this one with you!

Top Tip for BMD Searches

I am a member of a few Rootsweb genealogy lists and have found them to be very helpful in the past. This message came through a few days ago and I wish I'd known it sooner, it would probably be very helpful with quite a few of my ancestors.

I've asked permission to post it up here along with a link to Roy's Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History which is well worth a read.

Anyway, less of me waffling and onto the helpful information.......

I imagine quite a lot of listers will already know this but on the off-chance
that not everyone does, here's a useful little tip for when you are
searching at the FreeBMD website for the entries of births, marriages
and deaths of relatives, etc. This is particularly useful for those running
one-name studies but it can also work for ordinary family historians if they
want to identify possible relatives with an unusual surname where it was
used as a middle name, i.e. possibly the name of a mother or
grandparent, etc.

If you enter nothing at all in the surname field but enter in the first name
field a surname with a + sign in front of it, this produces entries in which
the name was used either as a forename or a middle name. To give you
an example.....

Entering just "Stockdill" in the first name field produces only ONE entry,
for a child called Stockdill Middlebrook registered in 1896 at Dewsbury.
But if I enter "+Stockdill" in the first name field, nothing in the surname
field and choose All Types, this produces NINE other entries for births,
marriages and deaths where Stockdill was given as a middle name. I can
then identify all of these as being either relatives of mine or linked to my
one-name study.

Remember, it's important to put the plus sign before the name and the
more unusual the surname the better the chance you have of finding the
entries. Looking for people with Smith as a middle name will not be very
helpful!

I hope this helps some of the people who end up here looking for information on "how to"

Elizabeth Ann McDonnell (nee Ayre)

Proof of a sort that I was right in connecting Elizabeth Ayre and Ann Ayre - even her children seem confused as to what she was called. Her two sons who emigrated to Victoria, Australia have listed her as Elizabeth, and Ann on their death certificates, well I'm sure they didn't persoanlly, but it does confirm what I thought that she used both on a regular basis and was know as either in life as on certificates.

Louis McDonnell / Louis Park

I am wondering if Louis might be a McDonnell family name somewhere back along the line, or someone closely connected to the McDonnell's.

I have a Louis Desmond McDonnell birth registered in 1909, Sculcoated, he married Ellen Parker in 1933 in Sculcoates.

In 1902 Mary Ann McDonnell and John Park had a son called Louis Walter Park - who I'd guess married Louisa A Pickup in 1930 in Hull.

Perhaps it's co-incidence???? Perhaps there's more to it I'm going to discover at a later date!

SJ's Marriage Witness Index

14 November 1819 - Marriage of William Palfrey and Mary Babb at the Church by Banns - Witnesses - George Babb & Elizabeth Haddon

16 April 1853 - Marriage of William Ayre and Mary Ann Teal at the Register Office, Sculcoates, Kingston Upon Hull - Witnesses - Charles Clapperon (?) and Jane Hildblood(?)

18th January 1870 - Marriage of Jonathan Fowler and Ellen Burn at the Parish Church, All Saints, Monkwearmouth - Witnesses - John Fowler & Margaret Ann Ramshaw.

24th March 1874 - Marriage of Peter McDonnell and (Elizabeth) Ann Ayre at the Catholic Chapel (? Unreadable) in the District of Sculcoates in the County of Kingston Upon Hull - Witnesses - Michael Fox & Mary Ann Fox.

8th July 1883 - Marriage of William Stemp and Caroline Palmer at the Church in the Parish of St James, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex - Witnesses - Alfred Weaver & Harriot Weaver.

1st January 1896 - Marriage of Margaret Georgina Coutts and WIlliam Murrell at The Cathedral int he Parish of St Nicholas, Newcastle - Witnesses - Thomas Colley & Frances Coutts

12th June 1903 - Marriage of Edward McDonnell and Alice Dixon at the Parish Church, in the Parish of Drypool in the County of Kingston Upon Hull - Witnesses - Arthur McDonnell, Harvy Dixon, Jane Elizabeth Spencer & Sarah Jane Longster.

8th August 1905 - Marriage of Peter McDonnell and Nellie Littlewood Brooks at the Brunswick Chapel, Holdness Road in the District of Sculcoates in they County of Kingston Upon Hull - Witnesses - William McDonnell and Alice Maud Brooks

15th June 1912 - Marriage of William James Stemp and Linda Mary Palfrey at St Martine, Kensal Rise in the Parish of Willesden in the County of Middlesex - Witnesses - Arthur John Stemp, George William Palfrey, Lydia Louise Palfrey & Daisy Harriet Stemp.

23rd December 1916 - Marriage of Frederick George Boyd and Hilda Murdy at the Register Office in the district of Sunderland - Witnesses - B Storey & E W Harrison.

17th January 1942 - Marriage of William Pedgrift and Alice McDonnell (formerly Dixon) at the register office in the county borough of Kingston Upon Hull - Witnesses - JL Hammond & O Hammond.

WooooHoooooMcDonnells!!

Ok so the certificate came, and it does indeed prove that it was indeed my Great Grand Uncle Peter McDonnell who married Nellie Brooks. Peter then emigrated to Australia with his son Charles, and I now am in contact with my 2nd Cousins 1x removed - I swear I'd never be able to work that our without my family tree software which tells me how I'm related to everyone!! Anyway, it's been a really exciting and busy week or so finding out about the McDonnell's from Aus.

What I wasn't really expecting was to find other McDonnell's there too, well thanks to above mentioned cousins we have found that not only Peter and Charles emigrated, but Peters brother William and his wife Frances Marian (Turner) ended up there too!

What I wouldn't have thought of in a million years was that Edward, my elusive Great Granddad would be found there too, but he was. There's work still needed to track him down, but safe to say he enlisted in the Australian Army in 1915 - all be it briefly.

McDonnell's Forward - Pt3

Most excellent news!!!!

Charles McDonnell born 1906 belongs to Peter McDonnell and Nellie Brooks and I have been really lucky to get in contact with Charles family and am now awaiting Peter and Nellie's marriage certificate to fit the final peice of the jigsaw and confirm that Peter McDonnell who married Nellie Brooks is definitely the same Peter who is my Edward's brother....if that makes sense :o)

Anyway, certificate on order, *awaits postie*

McDonnell's Forward - Pt2

Despite trawling Genes Reunited and Ancestry to see if I can find anyone with any of the unplaced McDonnell children from here the only thing I can find is a possible for Charles McDonnell, who may (or may not) have moved to Australia and died on 23 Jan 1984 in Bullaburra, New South Wales, Australia. Unfortunately the contact details for the person who owns the tree dont' appear to be working :o(

If anyone lands here who has any information on Charles McDonnell born 28th May 1906 in Yorkshire (the birth date fits with the registration quarter of the Charles I'm looking for) drop me a mail, or leave me a comment, I'd love to find out more!

[Edit/Update - I now think it might actually have been either been me being stupid, or my computer as the message on Ancestry now seems to have gone through - I've sent another as I don't think I'd put a proper message on the one which did go through. Anyway I'd still love to hear from anyone with info on the McDonnells, and if you get here via my message on Ancestry connect, sorry if you ended up with lots of messages, and thanks for reading :o) ]

Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum

Following on from this post I received a lovely reply from the RHRM, unfortunatley they haven't got any information, it was a really nice reply though :o)

Bugger!!!

Where to go next to try to find something on Edward McDonnell.........I'll have to have a think on that one LOL

Tracing The McDonnell's Forward

Having come to another standstill with the McDonnell line going back I thought I'd have a look at them going forward to see what I could find out.

Untill the 1911 census is released, or I win the lottery and can afford to buy certificates willy nilly, then this remains speculation, an educated guess at most. If you recognise any of the names here and would like to get in touch, that would be fab, my email address is top right of this page!

Here's what I have so far.......

Peter McDonnell
Parents: Michael McDonnell & ???? Mother [Possibly Mary, born in Ireland abt 1811]
Birth: abt 1842
Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Death: [Possibly 1910, but this gives a birth year of abt 1846 - aged 64, registered in Sculcoates, 9d 116]


Elizabeth Ann Ayre
Parents: William Ayre & Mary Ann Teal
Birth: 1854
Sculcoates Hull Yorkshire
Death: 14 Aug 1897
Drypool Kingston Upon Hull Yorkshire England

Marriage — 1874 in Sculcoates, Yorkshire, East Riding, England [Elizabeth using the name Ann to marry]

Children


Mary Ann McDonnell Born abt 1876 in Hull Yorkshire England
Mary Ann married John William Park in 1896. They maried at St Andrew (Drypool)Hull. On the 1901 census the McDonnell children are living with Mary and John in Sculcoates. Mary and John had 10 children between 1897 and 1916. This I have evidence of, firstly the 1901 census, and secondly I have been in contact with Park descendants on Genes Reunited.

Here's where I start getting all detective and start putting things together with what I can find. Births, marriages and deaths from Yorkshire BMD, Free BMD and Ancestry.co.uk.

William McDonnell Born abt 1880 in Hull Yorkshire England
In 1907 I have a marriage between William McDonnell and Frances Marian Turner. The marriage was at Holderness Road Methodist Church in Hull.

Peter McDonnell Born abt 1882 in Hull Yorkshire England
In 1905 I have a marriage between Peter McDonnell and Nellie Littlewood Brooks. The marriage was at Holderness Road Methodist Church in Hull.


In Q3 of 1914 I have the birth of a John McDonnell in Hull, mothers maiden surname is Brooks. 9d 524.

Edward McDonnell Born 30 August 1883 in Myton, Kingston Upon Hull, Hull, England
In 1905 Edward married Alice Dixon, at St Andrew (Drypool) Hull.


In 1910 Alice gave birth to Lawrence H McDonnell in Sculcoates. Died 1998

Arthur McDonnell Born abt 1885 in Hull Yorkshire England
In 1905 I have a marriage between Arthur McDonnell and Jane E Spencer. The marriage was at St Andrew (Drypool)Hull.


I have the following births with mothers maiden surname Spencer in the Sculcoates area.


Births Mar 1913 Henrietta McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 421
Births Mar 1914 Annie McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 417 [Married Herbert Stark 1935 St Andrew (Drypool) Hull]
Births Jun 1915 Arthur McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 367 [Married Irene Dickinson 1939 Holderness Road Methodist Church Hull]
Births Jun 1916 Leonard McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 381
Births Sep 1917 Charles McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 291 Died 1917 Sculcoates 9d 207 - Age 0
Births Sep 1917 Florence McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 291 Died 1919 Sculcoates 9d 301 - Age 1
Births Sep 1919 Lawrence McDonnell Sculcoates 9d 307 [Married Phyllis E Smawfield 1956 Hull Register Offices Hull]


This leaves a few McDonnell births in the Sculcoates/Hull area to find homes for.


I believe Edward and Alice had another son, but I am not sure when, or of the name. I think Arthur and Jane look as though they have done their fair share of populating the area between 1913 and 1919, but maybe there are more between their marriage in 1905 and 1913 - If all the Spencer McDonnell children above are theirs.


Anyway, unaccounted for children at this stage are the following......


Charles McDonnell - Q2 1906 Sculcoates 9d 227
Albert Edward McDonnell - Q3 1906 Sculcoates 9d 196 [Married Emily C Booth 1929 St Philips (Bilton Grange) Hull]
Henry Albert McDonnell - Q1 1907 Sculcoates 9d 186 [Married Nellie Tait 1930 Sculcoates Register Offices Hull?]
Louis Desmond McDonnell - Q1 1909 Sculcoates 9d 193 [Married Ellen Parker 1933 St Andrew (Drypool) Hull]
Lily McDonnell - Q2 1909 Sculcoates 9d 198 [Married Frank Stainforth 1933 St Andrew (Drypool) Hull]
Robert William - Q3 1909 Sculcoates 9d 209

If anyone knows where these children belong I'd love to hear from you, even if it's not to any of the above McDonnell parents, at least I can cross them off my possible list.

Elizabeth Ann McDonnell (nee Ayre) Death Part 2

I now, thanks to the lovely people on Rootschat have more information on the address where Elizabeth died.

20 Fredrick's Terrace, Normabell Street, Drypool, Hull, Yorkshire.

In 1892 it had four houses.

In 1933 Fredericks Terrace was between 41 & 43 Nornabell Street.

It was rebuilt after WWII so although Normabell Street is still there, Fredrick's Terrace has gone.

Elizabeth Ann McDonnell (nee Ayre) Death

Woot !!!!

:o)

I received the certificate today and it is the right one, confirmed by her occupation being noted as "wife of Peter McDonnell - Dock Labourer" (how times have changed LOL) and the informant being James Woods, brother in law (and husband of Elizabeth's sister Roeshannah Ayre)

She died on 14 August 1897 in Dryppol, from Acute Hepatitis. I'm off to pester Rootschat for some more information.

McDonnell's

Happy New Year :o)

I've started off with another go at finding the McDonnell's

Still no sign of Peter McDonnell born abt 1842's birth being registered. I have a Peter O'Donnell who is a possibility, and a death of a Peter McDonnell in 1910, but the birth year is 1846 for him.

Still unable to locate them on the 1901 census so I decided to come at it from a different angle.

I have found a death registered for Elizabeth Ann McDonald (not the first time it's been mis spelt LOL) This was registered in 1897 and her age was 43, giving a birth year of 1854.....it's looking good!!!! I've yet to order a duff certificate, this could be the first LOL I'll just have to wait and see what it says. Hopefully it might give me a bit more to go on if it proves to be the right one. It would also explain why Edward and his siblings were living with their older sister and her husband in 1901.

Possible for Peter, on his own on the 1901 census lodging in the Three Crown's Lodging House in Chruch Street, Sculcoates. Year of birth doesn't match, but I'm told some people weren't adverse to telling a porky or two on the censuses LOL

I have also found a pension record on Ancestry for an Edward McDonnell, firstly in the Hampshire Regiment, then the Labour Corps - from where he was pensioned off. There aren't really many details on the pension papers, apart from the fact the age matches, but someone on Rootschat suggested that I contact the Hampshire Regiment Museum I have emailed them with all the information I have on Edward hoping they might have something in their records with his next of kin, or at least date of birth.

That's it for now....*awaits latest certificate*