Please Help

pollywolly1 · Post by **pollywolly1** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:56 pm

Hi TS, i only started researching a few weeks ago and im not sure where to go next. I am researching my husbands family as my mum has researched my family, so my mums fault, she got me hooked, more so since i joined TS ( brill site)

I have found my husbands grandad, Private Fred Breen 40361 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers born 1883ish killed in action 1918 his wife was Selina not sure of maiden name, they lived at 1 Coach and Horses Cottage, Galgate, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. Where do i look for more about there life, i know he was a Hemp ropemaker at age 17 on the 1901 census.
His father was Samuel Breen born around 1860 he lived at 18 Galgate Barnard Castle, County Durham, wife name Deborah, not sure of maiden,
he worked as Hemp rope maker, cant find anything about Sam before the 1901 census, maybe looking in wrong place.
I started on his mothers side, Margaret Heron originally 10 Mc Dowell Drive, Dumfies, applied for birth cert dont know her parents names yet.
Both his parents passed away over 10 yrs ago, my husband was born when they where almost 50 (my God, i would have shot myself) they never discussed grandparents with him as they died early 1900s.
I know its a lot but if someone could point me in right direction, we would like to know a bit about there lives.
Thankyou so much
Pauline

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:07 pm

Here's what I found on Sam. It looks sort of sad at the beginning.

I don't know what happened to his parents. The OPR birth records from Castle Barnard don't cover his year of birth.

This looks like him in 1861:
Marketplace, Barnard Castle
Robert Harrison, head, 37, Hawking earthenware, born Cockfield, Durham
Jane Harrison, wife, 48, Hawking earthenware, born Shields, Northumberland
Samuel Brun, lodger, 2, Scholar, born Barnard Castle, Durham

1871
Teesdale Union Workhouse, Galgate St
(amongst many, many others on several pages...)
Samuel Breen, inmate, 12, Scholar, born Barnard Castle

1881
King St., Castle Barnard
Ann Henderson, head, widow, 72, takes lodgers, born Hurworth, Durham
John Jordinson, boarder, widower, 67, tailor, born Barnard Castle, Durham
Sam Breen, boarder, unm., 23, Roper, Barnard Castle, Durham

1891
8 Galgate, Castle Barnard
Samuel Breen, head, 33, Rope & Twine Maker (Master), born Barnard Castle, Durham
Deborah Breen, wife, 24, born Cotherston, Yorkshire
Fred, son, 7, born Barnard Castle, Durham

Not sure whether an English marriage certificate would list his parents? Too bad they weren't married in Scotland...

Regards,
Sarah

Post by **AnneM** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:35 pm

Hi

Afraid it would only give you his father. If you could find his birth however that would give you his mother's maiden name.

Anne

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:40 pm

Thanks, Anne. I wasn't sure about that.

Here's another piece to the puzzle:
From the FreeBMD Marriage Index, looks like he was married twice in Teesdale District, Durham First in the 4th quarter of 1882 Vol 10a p360 to Mary Ann Thompson
What happened to Mary Ann, I don't know, but then he marries again, same place, 4th quarter 1888 Vol10a p344 to Deborah Alderson
So Deborah is probably not Fred's mother. Hmmmm.

This may be Mary Ann in 1881, a servant in the house of the Erringtons
Galgate, Barnard Castle
Josep Errington, head, 46, landowner, born Barnard Castle, Durham
Barbara Errington, sister, 59, annuitant, born Brignal, Yorkshire
Mary A. Errington, niece, 25, born Brignal, Yorkshire
Frank York, nephew, 11, Scholar, born Mortham Yorkshire
John A York, hephew, 10, Scholar, born Mortham, Yorkshire
Mary A Thompson, serv. 21, General Serv Dom., born Morden, Durham

Now you have her birth place...

Post by **AnneM** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:49 pm

Can I offer you Sam Brookbanks Breen born in the last quarter of 1858 in Teesdale. Reference 10a 165. No guarantee it's him but the only likely candidate I could find. If you were feeling flush enough to get both the birth and marriage certificates you could cross reference the name of the fathers.

Anne

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:54 pm

That's got to be him, Anne! And I just found Mary Ann's death:

Mary Ann Breen
3rd quarter, 1886
Teesdale, Durham
Age at death 27
Vol 10a, page 123

So she must have been Fred's mother, if he was 7 in 1891.

Post by **AnneM** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 11:57 pm

My goodness,

Ancestry's taking a battering tonight. It's just a pity that English deaths give so little info. If that one was Scottish we'd be dancing in the aisles or isles as I typed first. Also a pity that one has to send off for the extract costing £8 or so.

Anne

Post by **SarahND** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:01 am

Yes, it is a pity... but at least we did make some progress. It's midnight now here in France, so I'll save the dancing in the Isles

until tomorrow!
Off to bed...
Night!
Sarah

Post by **AnneM** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:01 am

Since we're on the topic it seems from FreeBMD that Fred Breen married Selina Slater in the June Quarter of 1909 in Teesdale. Reference 10a 433.

Anne

Post by **AnneM** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 12:04 am

Night Sarah. It's only 11pm in Scotia but I have an earlyish start for a day's worth of work in Fraserburgh tomorrow.

Anne