Stumped - Any Ideas

my_ancestors

So maybe I can't see the wood from the trees at this stage. Sorry long message but prefer to give as much details as I can

I can track my grandfather William Dunphy nearly year by year from the day he was married to the day he died at sea when his ship was torpedoed in 1942.

However I cannot seem to concrete down his birth or parents but left in limbo with a number of possibilities. 

What I know - 
(1) William's union stamps book has his birthplace as Ballyhack Wexford and DOB 1886.
(2) His death cert 22/09/1942 has his age as 62 which would have his DOB around 1880
(3) His voyages book has his birthplace as Ballyhack Wexford and DOB 1883.
(4) His Merchant Navy CR1/CR2 records has his birthplace as Ballyhack Wexford and DOB 1883 and name DUMPHY
(4) From his marriage certificate 26/02/1906 his father is named as John Dunphy living and a sailor. 

Orally (truth or fiction don't know) we would have heard (a) he gave wrong DOB to become a sailor because he was too young to join (b) His mother was a 'red headed protestant from ballyhack" so possibly a Catholic/Protestant marriage or no marriage re Ellen Dunphy link below!

What have I found

A William Dunphy born to an Ellen Dunphy Ballyhack (no father declared) 1881 yet his marriage cert mentions a father John Dunphy Sailor. Interestingly my aunt was an Ellen - coincidence maybe.

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1881/02825/2035784.pdf  ;

William Dunphy born to a John Dunphy Margaret McDonald Ballyhack in 1870 which seems maybe just a bit too early. However they also had a daughter Marcella and I have a first cousin Marcella on this side - coincidence I don't know or maybe possibly Williams relations along the line.

William Dunphy born to a James Dunphy Mary Tompkins (I think) in Ballyhack 1871 but father down as pedlar and not sailor. Again DOB seems too early 

A couple of other William Dunphy's but date range just seem to be far to old/young. So I am left stumped about his parents. 

Anybody any thoughts how I might make a definite connection for my William Dunphy to the right parents? Keep coming back to this man but not sure which piece fits the puzzle tree or am I missing a piece altogether.


Thanks in advance.

spurious

Outside the box, are any of the local National schools old enough to have had him as a pupil? Maybe their old registers are in a dusty cupboard somewhere.

pinkypinky

Have you contacted the church he got married in to ask what they recorded as his mother?
Catholic churches usually record the mother in this period, though civil registration didn't until 1956.

my_ancestors

Thanks for reply Spurious, PinkyPinky.

Will do a search for schools in area and see what comes up.

PinkyPinky do they record the mothers name in the marriage register? I have his marriage cert and only his & her father is recorded. If his mother is also recorded on the marriage register it may be my best point of contact once we are over this virus. I don't suppose these church recordings (married Waterford) are online anywhere?

Thanks

pinkypinky

There are always 2 copies of a marriage record which takes place in a church: one in the church and then the corresponding civil record, which is what you have.

As I said above, the church usually records the mother's name.

Link to the civil marriage on Irishgenealogy and I'll check to see if Rootsireland has the corresponding church version.

my_ancestors

Thank you.

crossman47

I just notice the marriage took place in Waterford and he was resident in Tramore so are you looking in the right place? As he was a sailor, he may not be recorded in 1911 Census but have you found his wife?

my_ancestors

Hi crossman47,

Yes he was married in Fenor church, near Tramore in Waterford. I can track them both from marriage onwards and I have my grandmothers family. Know he was from ballyhack wexford, just cant pin point his family and never much said or heard about his side of the family. The only thing my grandmother (his wife) said was his mother "was a red headed protestant from ballyhack". So suspect maybe marriage was frowned upon and/or no love lost between mother and daughter in law . My aunt was a red head so think the red hair is probably true !!

pinkypinky

Right, so the church copy is there but unfortunately the mother's name is not listed.
Now, this means one of 2 things and you'll have to contact the church directly.

1. The transcriber did not record it (I have seen cases of lazy work but this doesn't look it and it has a partial mother's name for the bride, Nicole)
2. It was not recorded at all.

It does also mention a dispensation but gives no detail, so you definitely want to get on to the church and ask them to look it all up.

my_ancestors

Thanks PinkyPinky, much appreciated. At least I have another avenue to investigate.