Purcell:Belfast workhouses .....

[crayspond]

Hello everybody,

I am trying to track down the family roots of my granny Sarah Young [6.3.06 - 22.1.79]. My granny moved to Glasgow aged about 15 or 16 years in 1921/22. She always used to say she was orphaned as a child and she was 'brought up' in a convent or workhouse. She did not have good memories of the nuns!

Her father was Robert Young and with reference to the 1907 Belfast street directory, we have it confirmed that he lived at 41 Boyd St, Belfast. My granny's birth certificate also confirms this address.

I would be grateful for any information that anyone has on the following:-

-- any information on Robert Young, of 41 Boyd St

-- any information on my granny's mother, or her family, Mary Jane Cosgrove nee Bruce (I am unclear if they were married although her name appears on the birth certificate)

--any information on an Annie Purcell who was a neighbour who lived in 43 Boyd street. My granny subsequently married my grandfather John Purcell in Glasgow in 1924 and I am trying to find out if there is a connection (my mother was called Annie Purcell!)

--any information where I could find out records related to the convent or workhouse she was in - I would like to find out when she went in and the reasons.

Thanks for any help anyone can give me. I am based in Dubai so I am only doing this research via the internet.

Best wishes

Ian Reynolds (John Purcell Reynolds)

[Helen G]

Hi Ian,

I found these hope they help -

Record Type Civil Marriage
Date of Marriage 17 Jan 1885
Groom Name robert YOUNG
Bride Name mary COSGROVE
Church Belfast Roman Catholic Church
Parish Belfast Urban 11
Civil District Belfast
County Down


Record Type Civil Marriage
Date of Marriage 05 Mar 1888
Groom Name john BLEAKLY
Bride Name annie PURCELL
Church Christchurch Church of Ireland
Parish Shankill
Civil District Belfast
County Antrim


Record Type Civil Birth
Date of Birth 16 Dec 1870
Name Mary Jane BRUCE
Gender F
Fathers Name Richard BRUCE
Mothers Maiden Name Mary Ann MCKIBBIN
Civil District Belfast
Sub District Belfast No 4
County Antrim

Or
Record Type Civil Birth
Date of Birth 6 Jul 1869
Name Mary Jane BRUCE
Gender F
Fathers Name Alexander BRUCE
Mothers Maiden Name Mary Anne MCCALL
Civil District Belfast
Sub District Castlereagh
County Down

Regards
Helen

[pumps100]

Hi Helen,

Thanks very much for the excellent information on my Granny's parents. The Annie Purcell info is also very interesting as we can now establish an approximate age for her.

When my Granny (Sarah Young) came to Glasgow aged 15/16 in 1920/21 I am thinking that she stayed (in Finniston) with Annie Purcell who we assume was the original family neighbour in Belfast who had moved to Glasgow. She was a young girl and would not know anyone in Glasgow and we think this is likely.

Sarah Young married my grandfather John Purcell in Glasgow in 1924. He had signed up for WW1 aged 14 and stayed on after the war (until circa 1926). What we would like to establish was that was his mother the same Annie Purcell (Belfast neighbours to Sara's parents) who subsequently moved to Glasgow.

Regarding my Granny's time in the 'convent' or workhouse in Belfast as a young girl, we really don't know anything;it is shrouded in family mystery. She never really talked about it only to decry her 'harsh' treatment by the 'nuns' - there is a story there but we don't quite know what it is! We saw The Magdalen Laundry film a few years back and this sort of thing sort of fitted but with no corroborating info to support it.

My wife (Ailsa/Crayspond) is more knowledgable about these sort of things and she will try to follow the lead up via the Scotland thread/s re the Annie/John Purcell.

Any info on SARAH YOUNG via poorhouse records or convent in Belfast would be much appreciated (DOB 06.03.06). If I had to guess I am thinking about the period 1915 - 1920. I tried a while ago and could not come up with anything.

Thanks again. Best wishes from a rather boiling Dubai.

Ian Reynolds