Highlighting my Mulholland ancestors from County Antrim, Ireland and those that immigrated to Los Angeles and Long Beach California, United States; and Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Monday 11 November 2013

... 1901 & 1911 Census of Ireland


Joseph Cecil, John, Eliza Ann & William Geoffrey Mulholland, circa 1921

In October 1997, I obtained a copy of my Great Grandfather's death certificate, it revealed that John Mulholland died on 1 December, 1951 at the age of 79. His parents were Robert Mulholland and Nancy Pertey (this was a name that was going to give me trouble for quite some time)...he was born and married to Elizabeth McWilliam, in Randlestoun, Northern Ireland (Randlestoun turned out to be Randalstown). It also revealed that John was a widower, which confirmed what I had understood from the stories my father told me, Dad had never mentioned his grandmother, and had always referred to his Grandfather as Puppy Mul. He would remember Puppy Mul and Uncle Geoff visiting when he was a child in Fairfield. Dad would say that he and his brother Paddy, would walk up to meet their grandfather and uncle when the train was due from the city. Puppy Mul and Uncle Geoff would bring a big bag of oranges for Dad's family when they would visit. The death certificate also revealed that William G 53 living and one male deceased (Dad's  father) were his only issue. Some years later I would find that there was also an infant female that had died young.

I don't recall exactly when I found this, but some time between December 2007 and June 2009 the Census of Ireland for 1901 & 1911 was made available online.

The 1901 Census of Ireland, household Form A


Residents of a house 57 in Beech Street (Cromac, Antrim)

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligionBirthplaceOccupationLiteracyIrish LanguageMarital StatusSpecified Illnesses
MulhollandJohn28MaleHead of FamilyChurch of IrilandAntrimBootmakerRead and write-Married-
MulhollandJoseph Cecil3MaleSonChurch of IrilandBelfast---Not Married-
MulhollandWilliam Geoffery1MaleSonChurch of IrilandBelfast---Not Married-
MulhollandLizzie29FemaleWifeChurch of IrilandAntrimHousewifeRead and write-Married-
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000331294/

The 1911 Census of Ireland, household Form A

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ormeau/Rosebury_Road/217042/

Residents of a house 43 in Rosebury Road (Ormeau, Down)

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligionBirthplaceOccupationLiteracyIrish LanguageMarital StatusSpecified IllnessesYears MarriedChildren BornChildren Living
MulhollandJohn38MaleHead of FamilyChurch of IrelandCo AntrimBoot MakerRead and write-Married-1532
MulhollandEliza Ann40FemaleWifeChurch of IrelandCo Antrim-Read and write-Married-1532
MulhollandJoseph Cecil13MaleSonChurch of IrelandCo AntrimScholarRead and write-Single----
MulhollandWilliam Geoffrey11MaleSonChurch of IrelandCo AntrimScholarRead and write-Single----
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002172531/


It turned out that John was one of  fourteen children. According to the 1911 Census of Ireland, household Form A, my Great Great Grandparents Robert and Nancy Mulholland, had been married 46 years; nine of their fourteen children were still alive, and one of their daughters Julia was also recorded on the census form with them.

The 1911 Census of Ireland, household Form A

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Ormeau/Glendower_Street/227229/

Residents of a house 6 in Glendower Street (Ormeau, Down)

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligionBirthplaceOccupationLiteracyIrish LanguageMarital StatusSpecified IllnessesYears MarriedChildren BornChildren Living
MulhollandRobert68MaleHead of FamilyChurch of IrelandCo Antrim-Read and write-Married----
MulhollandNancy64FemaleWifeChurch of IrelandCo Antrim-Read-Married-46149
MulhollandJulia28FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo Antrim-Read and write-Single----
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002197386/

The marriage clue in the census enabled me to find an entry in the Irish marriage index on the Familysearch website, and some time later I located a marriage entry on the Rootsireland website, and I also managed to obtain a transcribed copy of the marriage certificate -

On 18 May, 1864, Robert Mulholland, aged 21 years, a labourer, of Aughaboy, Drummaul, son of John Mulholland, a labourer, married Nancy O'Neill, aged 18 years, of Ballytresna, Drummaul, daughter of James O'Neill, a shoemaker, in the Ballymena Registry Office. The marriage was witnessed by Eliza Macartney and Andrew Lamont.

Aughaboy and Ballytresna were Townlands, located in close proximity to Ballymena and Randalstown.

I have managed to find the names of ten of Robert and Nancy's children, the other four are out there somewhere, but locating their children's birth records was not as easy as one would expect. It seems that Nancy was known under various different names, and as I would find later, when each of her children passed on, the record of their mother's name would also vary. Six of the children were found in the 1901 Census living with Robert and Nancy -

The 1901 Census of Ireland, household Form A

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Shankhill/Snugville/949868/

Residents of a house 48 in Snugville (Shankhill, Antrim)

SurnameForenameAgeSexRelation to headReligionBirthplaceOccupationLiteracyIrish LanguageMarital StatusSpecified Illnesses
MulhollandMaria25FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo AntrimLinen Yarn WinderRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandJoannah12FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo AntrimScholarRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandMary Agnes21FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo AntrimLinen Yarn WinderRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandEllen30FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo AntrimLinen Yarn WinderRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandJulia14FemaleDaughterChurch of IrelandCo AntrimLinen Yarn WinderRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandRobert58MaleHead of FamilyChurch of IrelandCo AntrimRetired Linen LapperRead and write-Married-
MulhollandJames17MaleSonChurch of IrelandCo AntrimCropping Machine WorkerRead and write-Not Married-
MulhollandNancy54FemaleWifeChurch of IrelandCo Antrim-Read-Married-