General Chat

Just wondering if anyone has any advice.

Trying to get a trail on my great, great granny and getting no-where!

From what we can see she had three children all born at different dates over 13 years. The Birth Certificates all have the same mothers name and the same work house as their birth location. No fathers name. Her name is listed as Mary Irvine, kids surnames all Irvine.

Can't find any marriages, deaths etc.

Mary Irvine
Can't find on any census
Only record that might match is 1911 death cert age 46

Isaac Irvine age 6 1911 census
Can't find any death / marriage / army certificate or census

John Robert Irvine age 19
1911 Census Labourer to Blacksmyth
100% think this is correct
Haven't searched for death record

Violet Irvine Age 16
1911 Census servant
Did Violet invent Father on Wedding Certificate from embarrassment
Father named as William Irvine
She 100% lied about her age!

Was Mary a spinster who went into workhouse to have babies? Or did she live in the workhouse? Does this explain gap of ten years between children?

Did Isaac go into workhouse age 6 if Mary died in 1911 & this why no record on 1911 census?
Was Isaac adopted and name changed?

Anybody any clue if there is something else we can look it?! Very close to giving up!

Can you give a location please?

Welcome to the boards.

I can't find any of the census records you mention in 1911.

Can you post the details please.

What country are the family from? I can't find the 1911 death you mention either.

Kath. x

My g grandmother went into the workhouse to have all her (10) children between 1902 and 1925 - because it provided a doctor for free!!!
She had a husband, who had a good job, (ship's steward) but she was very frugal :-D
As it happened, the Workhouse she went into had a hospital attached which, when the Workhouse closed, expanded to become Southampton General Hospital.

Also, she didn't actually marry my g grandfather until 1924 - when his first wife died.
She was apparently in an asylum, and spouses in asylums couldn't be divorced - that is, if you could afford a divorce.

However, she called herself Mrs P all the time they weren't married!!

Are you sure Mary Irvine didn't marry another Irvine?

For ref from OP's tree

Violet Irvine

Date of Birth: 1894

Place of Birth: Irvinestown, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Census Years1911FermanaghIrvinestownMoneykeeResidents of a house
Residents of a house 6 in Moneykee (Irvinestown, Fermanagh)

Surname Forename Age Sex Relation to head Religion

Johnston William 71 Male Head of Family Church of Ireland
Johnston William 26 Male Nephew Church of Ireland
Irvine Violet 16 Female Servant Church of Ireland

Wow thanks for the quick replies!

Rambling Rose, yes the workhouse was Irvinestown workhouse.

That 1911 census record we think is Mary Irvines daughter.

It just seems strange that we can't find any record of Mary Irvine in 1901 or 1911 census. This led me to wonder had she "lived" in the workhouse? Or is there a possibility she could have given a false name for the birth certs?

Can you post the census for Isaac please because i am not finding him?

We can't find Isaac on the census either but have a birth certificate.

We believe the below is the other son

Irvine John 19 Male Boarder Church of Ireland

Irvine John Back Street (Irvinestown Town) Irvinestown Fermanagh 19 M Irvinestown Labour to Blacksmith Church of Ireland Read and write

Even if she was a workhouse inmate she would still be recorded on the census if she there at the time

Still not coming up with anything definite. you mention Violet's marriage, how old did she day she was on that please, and who did she marry? ( just so that I can rule out a 1901 entry)

Sorry for the delay in replying I was on babysitting duties at the weekend!

Thanks Shirley for clearing that one up I wasn't sure if Workhouse in mates were on the census.

Rambling Rose she married on the 18th July 1934 to William John THompson (21)
She said she was 35 but we have a birth certificate for a Violet Irvine born to a Minnie Thompson on 25th October 1894. On the birth certificate it doesn't give a fathers name or Minnies Maiden name.

However on her marriage certificate she says her fathers name is a William Irvine occupation railway clerk.

I'm just baffled that we can't find any of them on the 1901 census then Violet pops up on the 1911 census as still being in the Irvingstown area.

I think we will probably be best going to the Public record office and looking at the workhouse records.

Thanks again.