Mary Ann, Agnes and Samuel McGarvey

Continuing with the children of James and Mary Ann McGarvey...

Their seventh child Mary Ann was born on 18 April 1908. She was nicknamed Minnie or Min.

She is listed on the 1911 census with her family in Seaview Street.  Minnie married Samuel McCutcheon and had 2 children.

Min with her husband Sam, son Arthur and her parents James and Mary Ann

Both Sam and Min worked for the YMCA initially in Carrickfergus, then Barnard Castle and then the family moved to Croyden in Surrey.  Minnie died in 2003 at the age of 95.

Agnes McGarvey or Peggy was born in 1910 and is only 8 months old on the 1911 census in Seaview Street.

Agnes McGarvey 1911 census Seaview Street

Peggy McGarvey

Like her father, she worked in Jennymount Mill when she was young.
She married Frank Hagan and they had two sons.








Sadly Peggy was knocked down and killed outside the Grove Swimming Baths in 1967.  My mum will never forget this day because it was her 15th Birthday.

Driving past the Grove Baths Mid 1960s

Peggy and Frank are buried with her parents James and Mary Ann McGarvey in Carnmoney Cemetery.

Samuel McGarvey was the ninth born child of James and Mary Ann.  He was born on 13th July 1912 but died aged only 3 years and 8 months in 1916 from tuberculosis.

Burial Record Sam McGarvey 1916

He is buried with his Grandparents William John and Jane McGarvey in Belfast City Cemetery.  Unfortunately his gravestone can no longer be read.

Burial place of Samuel McGarvey aged 3

Three more children to go!

Cheers

Karen
twitter.com/classygenes

Joseph, Alfred and Robert McGarvey

Joe, Alfie and Bobby were the fourth, fifth and sixth born children of James and Mary Ann McGarvey.  I know very little about Joseph, a little more about Bobby, but Alfred was my Grandfather and so I know most about him.

Joseph McGarvey was born in 1903 and is listed on the 1911 census in Seaview Street with the rest of the family.  He lived in South Belfast with his wife May and had one child that I am aware of who emigrated to America in the Fifties.

Alfred Walker McGarvey (Alfie), my Grandfather, was born on 3 January 1905 in Bute Street.  He is aged 6 on the 1911 census with the family in Seaview Street. 

Alfred Walker McGarvey

Alfie married Margaret Moore McKeown (Madge) in St Anne's in 1928. 

Alfie and first wife Madge McKeown McGarvey, children Kathleen & Joan. Also Bobby McGarvey (middle right)

Together they had 5 children Kathleen, Joan, William, Samuel and Alfie.  Sadly Madge died when Alfie was only 15 months old. 

Margaret McKeown Grave invoice

Four years later Alfie Senior was remarried at St Peter's to Eva Thompson, my Grandmother.  This photo was taken on their wedding day,14th July 1947 outside Eva's family home in Distillery Street.

Alfie and second wife Eva Thompson McGarvey 1947

Alfie and Eva had one child, Isobel Faye McGarvey, my mother.  The family home was in Harrisburg Street on York Road, Belfast. 

Alfie and Eva McGarvey with my mother Faye, Harrisburg Street around 1969

Alfie died in 1972 and Eva in 1981 and have a tree in Roselawn.  Unfortunately I cannot remember either of them.

Eva McGarvey with me 1979

The sixth child Robert McFall McGarvey (Bobby) was born in 1907.  He is on the 1911 census with the family in Seaview Street.  He lived in Mountcollyer Street and was a painter. 
We think this photo is of Bobby although it may in fact be David.  Does anyone recognise him?

Bobby or David McGarvey?

He suffered ill health throughout his life and died aged only 32, on a bench in Alexandra Park while painting.  No cause of death is given on his death certificate.  He is buried in Belfast City Cemetery.

Six more children to follow!

Cheers

Karen
twitter.com/classygenes


  

Tommy, Elizabeth and Billy McGarvey

More details on the first three of the twelve children of my Great Grandparents James and Mary Ann McGarvey.

The eldest child was Thomas James McGarvey born in Belfast on 9th December 1897 and died around 1980. He is listed on both the 1901 and 1911 censuses with his parents in Bute Street and then in Seaview Street.  He remained in North Belfast living most of his life in Hillman Street. In 1911 he is listed on the census as a roller boy, probably in Jennymount Mill, at age 12. 

He married Florence and had at least 5 children, one of which was little Colin, who died when he was only 3 months old.  He is buried in the Public Ground in Belfast City Cemetery, and therefore has no known grave.     

Colin McGarvey burial record

Thomas fought in the First World War and his name is listed on the Presbyterian Rolls of Honour for Castleton. The family story is that he lied about his age on his enlistment documents, however I have been unable to confirm this.  I have various Medal Roll index cards but can't ascertain which one belongs to this Thomas McGarvey.   

I don't want to publish any more recent information but if you think you may know a related McGarvey, please do get in touch. Names associated with this McGarvey line are Stringer, Levine and Gowdy.

The second eldest child of James and Mary Ann McGarvey was Elizabeth McGarvey born in 1900.  She is also listed with her parents in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses in Bute Street and Seaview Street.  She died aged 20 on 31st March and was buried in Belfast City Cemetery (Glenalina Extension).

Elizabeth McGarvey burial record

The third child was William John McGarvey or Billy as he was known.  He was born in 1901 and is aged only 3 months on the 1901 census in Bute Street.  Like the first two children, he is listed in the 1911 census in Seaview Street.  He married Kathleen Gordon Kinghorn on 18 January 1921 in St. Anne's Church, Belfast (now St Anne's Cathedral).

Kathleen Gordon Kinghorn

They had 3 children, James (Jim), Jean and Dorothy (Dolly).  The family also lived in Seaview Street where Dolly died when she was only 15 months old.

Dolly McGarvey burial record

She is buried in the City Cemetery with her Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Robert.  The family moved to Fortwilliam Crescent which is where I grew up.  While Great Uncle Billy had already died before I was born, Great Aunt Kathleen and her children Jim and Jean are the only McGarveys of the older generation that I remember clearly.  I know a little more about Aunt Kathleen's Kinghorn line which I will post at a future date.       

I will continue with the next three children of James and Mary Ann shortly.
Please get in touch if you think you're part of my family tree!

Cheers

Karen
twitter.com/classygenes

James and Mary Ann McGarvey

My Great Grandfather James McGarvey married Mary Ann Robinson on 29th January 1897 at Macrory Memorial Church when they were 23 and 21 years old.
(The original Macrory Memorial building was destroyed during World War II
https://sites.google.com/site/ww1belfastpresbyterians/home/macrory-memorial-congregation).

James and Mary Ann McGarvey

I have yet to come across a photograph of my Great Grandparents when they were younger.   

They are listed as living in Bute Street on the York Road in Belfast on the 1901 census.  Included are their first three children Thomas, Elizabeth and William.

1901 Census Bute Street

James is listed as a Yarn Bundler on the census.  We know that he worked in Jennymount Mill on the York Road which was not very far from where he lived in Bute Street.  The mill was saved from destruction a few years back and is now considered to be one of North Belfast's historic gems. 

Jennymount Mill

In 1911, the family had moved to 46 Seaview Street (which became Deacon Street at a later stage).  James and Mary Ann now had 8 children adding Joseph, Alfred, Robert, Mary Ann and Agnes to their family.  Mary Ann would go on to give birth to 4 more children, Samuel, Henry, Martha and David.  In 1911 James is still a Yarn Bundler at Jennymount Mill, but we know that he went on to become a Bundling Master.

1911 census Seaview Street

James signed the Ulster Covenant 100 years ago in 1912 while Mary Ann made 'her mark' on the Declaration.

     
James died in October 1951 and Mary Ann died almost exactly 16 years later in October 1967.  They are buried together in Carnmoney graveyard.   

Karen
twitter.com/classygenes

My Moneymore McGarveys

I have been researching various families for a few years and thought it was about time I started to reach out to other people and see if I have long lost family out there.  Despite not knowing my grandparents, my mother always told me the stories that her father told her, and I have always felt as if I did know them.  Stories ranged from the time the lion escaped from the Circus and was found in a kitchen across the street to how my Grandfather was a fire watcher during the war.  My McGarvey family are from Moneymore near Cookstown, a place I have never visited.  My Great Grandfather James McGarvey came to Belfast with his parents William and Jane McGarvey.  He remained in Belfast, marrying Mary Ann Robinson in 1897 and together they had 12 children.  The family home was in Seaview Street in North Belfast.  Eleven members of the family are photographed below: 

L to R: Minnie, Joe, Peggy, Martha, Great Grandmother Mary Ann, Tommy, Great Grandfather James, Bobby, Alfred (My Grandfather), Billy, Henry. David is missing and Elizabeth and Sam has already died.

So, if you knew or are related to any of these McGarvey's, let me know.  I'll be sharing what I know about the family and hope to find some long lost cousins!  Their full names are:  

• Thomas James (b1897)
• Elizabeth (b1900)
• William John (b1901)
• Joseph (b1903)
• Alfred Walker (b1905)
• Robert McFall (b1907)
• Mary Ann (Minnie) (b1908)
• Agnes (Peggy) (b1910)
• Samuel (b1912)
• Henry (Harry) (b1914)
• Martha (Mattie) (b1916)
• David (b1918)

Cheers

Karen
twitter.com/classygenes