Dowds of Belfast

[Jackia]

This family (inlaws) is a mystery, my husbands father grew up in a home called Nazareth House.
It ias no longer there believe it is now the site of an old folks home, he spent an unhappy time there and did not like to talk about it.
He came to Birmingham in the 40's and worked on the railway during the war as he had poor eye sight.
If any one else is tracing this family I would be interseted to know welcome

 

[gimpy]

I am looking for Dowds from Belfast.. I see a message from Jackia from 2007!

My grandmother was Maggie Dowds.

Any info would be great!

 

[Jackia]

Thank you for your interest

Maggie Dowds ( my mother in law ) her maiden name was Mckernan and she married Charles Malachy Dowds in Birmingham.

She had a 1/2 sister named Catherine (Cassie) is this the same Maggie do you think.

Maggie grew up near the dock side in Belfast, other names linked with this family are Tracy, Mullen,Mcliddy

The Mckernan family had a Shoe Makers in Belfast and were very well known.

If you think we are searching the same tree please let me know,the Mckernan family lived for a while in Philidelphia (NY) but went back to Belfast.

Jacqueline

 

[davelambert271]

Hi
I don't know if it's of interest, but Nazereth House was the name given to a chain of childrens care homes. The one in Belfast seems to have been quite a place, If you Google 'Nazereth House Belfast', or click on the link below, there are quite a few results.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=na...7HPEB_en&redir_esc=&ei=2eSVTYjqKYmJhQfIm5njCA

dave

 

[gimpy]

Re: Dowds of Belfast - and Shaws

Hi again Jackia and Dave

I guess I should have given more detail of my Maggie Dowds - she would be my grandmother and she was born a LONG time ago .. I think about 1887. My father was born in 1911. Maggie Dowds is a maiden name.. all that I know. Probably lived in the docks area of Belfast. I have one address of Molyneux St and that may be in a different area of Belfast.. She was Church of Ireland.

I know that she had a wooden leg! At least she had one at age 24 when she gave birth to my father.

My father was raised by the Shaw family. James Shaw and Mary (Hamilton) Shaw. Any info on that family would be great as well. They lived on Hazelnut. (Shankill?)

My father's early life started poorly but turned around in Canada but he would not discuss his life in Ireland. He was 18 when he came to Canada in 1930.

Thanks for any help..

 

[davelambert271]

Hi
Could this be your Shaw family
1911 Irish
1 Hazelnut St Clifton Antrim
Shaw James 47 Male Head of Family Church of Ireland Co Down Coachman Read and write English Married - 27yrs 12 children 9 living
Shaw Mary Ann 45 Female Wife Church of Ireland Co Down - Read and write English Married -
Shaw James 26 Male Son Church of Ireland Co Down Shop Assistant Tailor's Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw Alfred 18 Male Son Church of Ireland Co Down Printers Labourer Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw John 16 Male Son Church of Ireland Co Down Printers Labourer Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw Miriam Edith 11 Female Daughter Church of Ireland Belfast City Scholar Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw Dora Alice 9 Female Daughter Church of Ireland Belfast City Scholar Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw Joseph 8 Male Son Church of Ireland Belfast City Scholar Read and write English Single - - - -
Shaw William 5 Male Son Church of Ireland Belfast City - Cannot read English Single - - - -
Shaw Walter 3 Male Son Church of Ireland Belfast City - Cannot read English Single - - - -
Pepper James 20 Male Boarder Church of Ireland Co Down Leather Merchants Assistant Read and write English Single - - - -

dave

 

[gimpy]

Yes Dave this is exactly my Shaw family! The Shaw family that raised my father because they lived on Hazelnut and I found that address in my father's Canadian army book!

I wish I could link up with some of their family .. wouldn't that be wonderful.

I also wish I could connect the dot between Maggie Dowds and the Shaws.. maybe they were foster parents .. even though they have a whack of kids themselves. They must have been wonderful people because my father said while he was growing up, he never heard a raised voice in the house.

Thank you for these names Dave.

 

[davelambert271]

Hi Gimpy
Is your father George Dowds, born 1904 Belfast?

dave

 

[gimpy]

Hi Dave

My father's name was Herbert Dowds, born 1911 Belfast - in July..

Do you have any information on George Dowd's mother? A lady in Australia had been looking for a George Dowds.. not sure if it is the same George Dowds.

You are very helpful - thank you very much..

 

[davelambert271]

Hi
If you click on this link, you can have a play around with the search details. Bear in mind you can also select 1901 or 1911
Pity your father was not born a few months earlier as he would have been on the census
dave

http://www.census.nationalarchives....&marriageYears=&childrenBorn=&childrenLiving=

 

[gimpy]

Dave I will look over these George Dowds.. Apparently this woman from Australia's grandfather was raised in a boy's school of some sort... bad experience. I'll send the list to her. Not sure if he is one of them or not.

So the 1921 census is the next census .. that won't be released forever. If I was in Ireland, can I search the 1921 census or is that off limits to the public?

It would be interesting to see where my father lived at 10 years of age.. whether Dowds or Shaw..

Thanks again, gimpy..

 

[Elwyn]

There was no census in Ireland in 1921 due to civil disorder. The next was 1926 which is currently closed to the public both in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. The Irish Government have legislation prepared to release their portion fairly soon. Not sure what the UK Government's position is on releasing the Northern Ireland 1926 census. (And there are some rumours that it was damaged by German bombing of Belfast in the Second World War. Don't know how accurate that is).

 

[gimpy]

Elwyn - so I am to understand there is no 1921 northern Ireland census - only 1926.

I cannot come to Ireland and search the 1926 census for Belfast?

Thanks for your reply..

Gimpy