This page has been reconstructed (Sept 2024)

This page will contain information about George Patton, his wife Jane and their family. It details the lives of his children Hugh Ferguson Patton (i), Sarah Patton and her descendants and their third child, Robert Patton and his descendants.

There are a lot of people and a lot of information so I have split the information over two pages instead. The lives and the descendants of 5 of Hugh Ferguson Patton’s (i) children are on the second page instead.

I might also move the information on Sarah Perry’s family to that page later.

This is the story of the family and descendants of George Patton of 150 Corporation Street in Belfast. Try as I may I have not found any photographs of the street from the Victorian period to show what George’s home looked like.

George died, aged around 59, in 1875. His death was reported in brief in the Newry Reporter of 7th September:

George’s age could be accurate or it could be wrong by 10 years or more. George had written no will, ironically. His wife, Jane, had died in 1872, apparently aged 63. If the ages are accurate it would mean she was several years older than her husband. George presumably wrote the newspaper insertion of her death and her age may be more reliable than his.

October 2024: George Patton and Jane Clotworthy or McAuley were granted a licence to marry in 1835 by the Diocese of Down, Connor and Dromore. This does not give a big clue to their location as it essentially includes Counties Antrim, Down and Belfast. Nonetheless, it does seem to confirm Jane’s maiden name. It is likely that had already been married and widowed when she married George.

The map below gives some idea of the location of his home:

Corporation Street now lacks houses and comprises carparks, warehouses and modern industrial buildings and wasteland. I have not been able to find photographs of the houses which once stood there.

Street Directories show his occupancy at 150 Corporation Street but the first entry came before a lot more houses had been built, presumably, as it gives a very different number (30). This was in 1852.

George had been an accountant and house agent before moving into law writing as a clerk. Below is a newspaper advert bearing his name. It is not for a house but for a ship for sale:

It comes from the Northern Whig of 8th November 1842. George is mentioned in the Ulster Banner of 3rd February 1863, in an account of a meeting of Belfast Town Council the day before. The Finance Committee noted payment to 5 named men for their work preparing the Rate Books. The last named was George Patton, paid £1-9 shillings for his trouble. He was the least well paid member of the team.

George Patton’s death record:

Jane Patton died on September 28th 1872 at their home at Corporation Street, as shown below. The death certificate shows that the lingering illness was heart disease. George himself died of apoplexy at the City Workhouse. This is not necessarily an indication of poverty or abandonment.

I have not been able to locate the wedding record for George and Jane so have no knowledge of her maiden name. It might have been Ferguson since the name Ferguson is carried down into future generations but this is speculation. Perhaps at some point it will be possible to trawl through church records on microfilm at PRONI to pinpoint more information about the family.

Another mystery is where they are buried. Jane was apparently buried at the New Burying Ground, presumably in Belfast. Shankill, Friar’s Bush and Clifton Street cemeteries were all long established. Milltown and the City Cemetery were two Victorian cemeteries opened not many years prior. Milltown seems to have been the preserve of Roman Catholics and is still controlled by the RC Church, I believe. Its records are not accessible online.

Belfast City Cemetery’s records are accessible online yet several searches have failed to locate the grave of either Patton whereas even those buried in pauper’s graves are recorded. If the grave record could be found it opens the possibility of locating children who had died earlier or parents of one of the couple.

Generation VII: Family of George Patton and his wife Jane.

1. Hugh Ferguson Patton (i)
2. Robert Patton
3. Sarah Patton

Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) died in 1914 but his birth was not recorded on official state records as it was well before 1864 when this became a legal obligation. If (as seems likely) George and Jane were Presbyterian there is a good chance that the birth could be uncovered at some stage.

Nonetheless, we know a fair bit about this man. He was married first to a Sarah Perry, with whom he had at least 6 children. After her death he married again, this time to an Anna Maria Dunn. This second marriage bore no children.

Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) married Sarah Perry on 9th June 1854 at Berry St Church in Belfast. The church, at the side entrance to Castlecourt Shopping Centre, still exists but is closed. Notice was carried in the Belfast Mercury newspaper. Note that Perry is spelt as PIRRIE in the report but this was not how it was spelt on the state record. The ceremony was conducted by the famous or infamous street preacher, Reverend Hugh Hanna, known as Roaring Hugh Hanna.

The writing on the marriage certificate is difficult to read, with the occupation of Hugh and of his father in law hard to decypher. Sarah was a seamstress prior to her marriage but whether in a factory setting or at home we do not know. Her father’s name was Samuel but the mother’s name is not recorded, of course. What did Samuel Perry do? The first word is “coach” but the second word is hard to read. It does not seem to be driver or builder. Could it be framer?

Hugh Ferguson Patton was mentioned in the newspapers on several occasions, eg making family announcements such as the death of his daughter Adeline in 1892. It is interesting that he moved to the house beside his father’s old home.

He placed adverts on at least 3 occasions for apprentices or housemaids, eg

Unfortunately, this did not go well for one of his employees, a Thomas Leathem. Mr Leathem fell to his death in an industrial accident which became subject to court proceedings in order to establish whether his widow and children should receive compensation. The story was carried in the Belfast Newsletter of 17th May 1906. The issue for the court was whether two separate ladders constituted “scaffolding” but that loses sight of the real tragedy. The excerpt below emphasises a woman left to bring up a large family, many of a young age. Her case was successful, ultimately, with compensation ordered. One third of this was for Mr Leathem’s widow, two-thirds for the raising of his children.

On 15th Feb 1897 a happier story for Hugh Ferguson Patton emerged in the Newsletter regarding the modernisation of a York Street church, as shown below:

Hugh’s first wife Sarah Perry had died in April 1894. The notice shows that she was buried at Carnmoney but whether that was her family’s burying ground or Patton family burying ground is not clear. Sarah had been suffering from TB for 3 months and Hugh was present at her death. She was 57 years old.

Quite what their children made of events later is unknown to posterity but Hugh married again within a year, on 9th January 1895. His bride was Anna Maria Dunne, of 14 Mountcollyer Avenue. She was the daughter of a deceased sailmaker. Ages are generally not recorded on Irish marriage records but the 1901 census shows that there was a 13 year age difference.

Here is the family on the 1901 census:

Sarah Perry‘s family will be discussed at the bottom of this page.

Generation VIII. Children of Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) and Sarah Perry:

1. Adeline Victoria Patton 1862- 1892
2. Jane Clotworthy Patton bc 1863
3. William Perry Patton c1856-1933
4. Samuel Patton 1867-1918
5. Sarah Maria Patton 1871-1961
6. Hugh Ferguson Patton (ii) 1878-
7. Frederick Patton 1878-1952

Some of these were born between 1855 and 1863, occurring before civil registration. The years of birth are approximate. Jane Clotworthy Patton’s baptism index exists on Ulster Historical Foundation’s members-online access. She was baptised in August 1863. Perhaps the middle name Clotworthy was Hugh’s mother’s maiden name but this cannot be demonstrated for sure. Adeline was also certainly born in that period. There may be other children who died young or their marriages and deaths may await discovery among the official records. Church records, perhaps for Berry St Presbyterian Church, may tell us more.

Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) lived on at 148 Corporation Street with each wife until some time before the 1911 census. When that was taken they were living at House 23 Shore Road. There were no other residents and Hugh declared that he was a retired master house painter. Both were Methodists.

Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) died on the last day of December 1914. He left behind £460. This is worth around £56,000 in 2022.

Hugh’s second wife Anna Maria Dunne lived on at their Shore Road home until her own death. This was on 1st April 1923. She left behind £82-2-0.

Hugh and Sarah’s eldest child seems to have been Adeline Victoria Patton. Adeline was born around 1862 and died in 1892. Note that she was to be buried at the family burial ground at Carnmoney.

I have not uncovered much about the second daughter, Jane Clotworthy Patton. Jane was also born before civil registration. She married a compositor named William Henry McCormick on Christmas Eve 1886, as reported in the Ulster Echo. The marriage took place at Frederick St Methodist Church.

Sadly, William died at the age of 29 from Bright’s Disease. Bright’s Disease was a form of kidney disease. This was on 14th December 1888, so the couple had been married less than two years.

The McCormicks had a daughter in their short time together. This was at 56 Victoria Terrace on the Limestone Road. Although no name had been decided when the registration occurred, the girl did survive.

Jane and her daughter are on the 1901 census, living at 20 Oldpark Avenue.

Now let us explore the family of William Perry Patton (i), the son of Hugh Ferguson Patton (I) and Sarah Perry.

William Perry Patton (i) was born before civil registration began, unfortunately; probably in 1855-56 as indicated by two census records and the age given at death. He became a house painter, presumably understudying his father.

He married Isabella Freeman on 22nd June 1876. Interestingly, he and Isabella were both living at 50 Trafalgar Street in Belfast when they married. Her father was a labourer. Isabella could not write her name but William could.

The couple went on to have a large family, as outlined below. The 1901 census shows them living at house 54 Upper Meadow Street. However, the excellent Lennon Wylie website which makes accessible street directories shows that in 1901 Wm Patton, painter, lived at 139 Spamount Street. Presumably he moved in the course of the year. William’s stated age here was 46, indicating birth around 1855.

It was a large family. The three eldest daughters at home, Adeline (named after her aunt), Isabella and Jane were working as paper bag makers and son William Perry Patton (ii) was an apprentice joiner, rather than housepainter.

The 1911 census shows the couple with 4 children living at house 95 Corporation Street. It is important to remember that this is not the actual address as the enumerator chose his own route along each street: this was the 95th house he came to on that street. The three adult daughters at home were all working as seamstresses. All the family attended a Methodist church.

William said he was 55; this would make his birth around 1856.

William was a freemason, according to a record on Ancestry. I have no knowledge of this organisation but think that William left this particular lodge to join another one, perhaps as a result of a house move.

William Perry Patton (i) died on 23rd July 1933. He was buried at L1 61 at Belfast City Cemetery. I have not yet tried to locate the grave. Isabella succumbed the next year, on 19th May 1934. The stated age suggests his birth occurred around 1856. The address for William was 148 Corporation St, ie his father’s old address. When Isabella died next year her address was 28 Ambleside St. The grave is actually the grave of Isabella’s mother, Mary. The couple’s son George Frederick was buried in the same plot when he died after the war.

There seems to be no death notice for William but there was one for Isabella. A note at the end asked Australian papers to copy, indicating that she had relatives there. Whether these were Perry relatives or Patton is undetermined.

The family of William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman.

1. Sarah Patton, 1877-
2. William Perry Patton, 1879-
3. Adeline Victoria Patton, 1881-
4. Isabella Patton, 1883-
5. Jane Patton, 1885-1967
6. George Frederick Patton, 1888-1946
7. Florence Mary Patton, 1890-
8. Agnes McConnell Patton, 1893-

Sarah Patton was born on 31st January 1877 at 50 Trafalgar Street. She went on to marry Joseph John Beattie on 11th March 1899 at Frederick St Methodist Church. This was during the time that her parents were living at Spamount St. Note that the witnesses to the wedding were a William and Adeline or Adelina Patton, ie her brother and sister.

The Beatties had had ten children by the time of the 1911 census; at that time they were living at house 41 Ambleside St. I suspect that this is 28 Ambleside St where Sarah’s grandmother Isabella died in 1934 but there had also been a Beattie famiy at Ambleside St in 1901 so cannot be sure.

The census shows only 4 children but columns on the next page declare that they had had ten children born alive but only 4 were still living. I have located the births of 3 only on the free Irish government website and the index to one on the paid NI website (I haven’t paid to view it).

In 1901 Joseph Beattie was working as a lithographic painter but in 1911 he was pursuing a different course, his occupation being a cycle mechanic. This branch of the family is one to pursue in the future.

Family of Sarah Patton and Joseph John Beattie:

1. Sarah Beattie, born and died 28 August 1899
2. John Beattie, born c1904
3. Harriet Beattie, born c1905
4. Catherine Beattie, born c1906
5. Isabella Beattie, born 29th December 1906
6. Sarah Beattie, born and died 17th April 1909
7. William Beattie [probably], born 7th March 1908
8. Ellen Beattie, born c1911

This leaves two children unaccounted for. In 1901 the couple lived at 9 Burlington Street. Below is the death registration of Sarah Beattie who died at one hour of age. Her namesake sister had died in 1899 after only 15 minutes of life.

William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman’s second child was given the same name as his father. William Perry Patton (ii) was born on 13th May 1879. The Trafalgar St house was now occupied by another member of the Freeman family and William was living at 13 North Ann St (not 20 as on so many records).

William (ii) married Annie Dixon on 12th July 1905 at a York St church. He was working as a shipwright. Annie’s father was a boilermaker.

I have only had a quick look for a family. There is a different Patton altogether with a wife named Dixon but I did find one child to our couple. This was a son named Cedric, born on 29th July 1917 at 10 St Paul’s St in Belfast. Given that this was 12 years after the marriage I wonder if the couple lived outside Belfast for some time? This is supported by my inability to find them on the 1911 census.

William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman’s third child was Adeline Victoria. She was born on 22nd June 1881 at North Ann St, but at number 32. William was now described as a painter.

Adeline Victoria Patton married a James Boal. Again, I have not yet explored them further, not least because the marriage came when subsequent NI records would no longer be available to view on the Irish government website, the NI records would cost money to open and it is quite possible to pay for the wrong people’s records. The marriage occurred Jennymount St on 23rd November 1921. Adeline would have been 30 now.

The next child of William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman was Isabella Patton. Again, Mary Freeman registered the birth which also occurred at 32 North Ann St.

Isabella was a seamstress in a warehouse on the 1911 census. She married a pattern maker named Robert Kennedy. This was a registry office wedding on 30th September 1918. Robert was a widower living at 14 Hillman St.

They had a son, Robert, born on 24th March 1919 and a daughter named Jane who was born on 20th August 1920. By now the home address was 21 Grove St.

The fifth child of William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman was Jane Patton. Jane was born on 16th December 1885 at 32 North Ann Street. Once again it was Mary Freeman who registered the birth.

Jane was a paper bag maker in 1901, living with her family. She married Richard Robinson on 39th June 1907 at an Anglican church. The registration shows that she was now living at Upper Meadow Street. She was evidently known as Jeannie and was still working as a paper bag maker.

The Robinsons had 6 children:

1. Isabella Robinson, 1907-1987
2. George Robinson, 1909-
3. Florence Robinson, 1912-
4. Henry Freeman Robinson, 1914-2002
5. John Robinson, 1918-
6. William Taylor Robinson, 1920-

The birth registration for the first child, Isabella Robinson, shows that the family continued at 54 Upper Meadow Street. Also of interest is the name of the person registering the birth: Jeannie’s sister Sarah.

Here is the family on the 1911 census. It is interesting that Richard said all 4 could speak Gaelic to some degree. They were living at Grovefield Street.

Isabella Robinson married a Richard Hull and their grandchild shares 33cM DNA with my wife’s mother.

Henry Robinson married Martha Jane Kelly and their son shares 66cM DNA with my wife’s mother. A grandchild of Henry and Martha shares 51 cM DNA with her. Some of this information comes from three people on Ancestry but I presume as it deals with close family members that it is known to be accurate.

The next child of William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman was a boy named George Frederick Patton. He seems to have been known as George and was born on 3rd March 1888 at 32 North Ann St.

On the 1901 census he was living with his family and attending school. On the 1911 census George was 23 and no longer at home. I have found no trace of him, however, nor any sign of a death or marriage. However, a newspaper list linked to nominations for paliament does include the name George Patton of 148 Corporatioin Street. This was in the Belfast Newsletter of 21st May 1929 and there can be no doubt that it is the same man. I have not found evidence of his death, eg via a will, later.

The next child of William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Freeman was a girl named Florence Mary Patton. Florence was born in 1870 at 32 North Ann Street.

Florence went on to marry a William Greer. They had 3 children, Harold, William and Isabella. The marriage certificate spells his name clearly as Grier and that is how it is indexed but subsequent records spell the name Greer. Sister Isabella was the witness.

Florence and William Greer had three children that I have found. THey were born at 116 Upper Canning St. William was a rivetter.

By 1914 the family were living at 21 Gainsboro Drive. William was born on 28th December 1913.

The final child was a girl named Isabella Greer. She came along in February 1916. Note that Florence’s mother registered the birth.

At the time of the 1911 census William was living with his parents at Gainsborough Drive. They were in their 60s and it may be that the move to that street was connected to them dying and William taking the house.

Lastly, Agnes McConnell Patton was born in 1893 to William Perry Patton (i) and Isabella Perry. She was born on 3rd June at the 32 North Ann St home.

Agnes went on to marry a boilermaker named Andrew Scott Nelson on 18th April 1917 at Jennymount St Methodist Church. By this time her father had moved into his own late father’s house on Corporation St.

I have located three children to the couple in the next few years. Firstly, Winnifred Mary Nelson was born on Christmas Day 1917. The address looks like 161 Spamount St but I am unfamiliar with this name.

The second child was Lilian Nelson whose birth was on 12th July 1919.

The last birth that I have located was of Andrew William Nelson in 1920. Note that they were living at the old family home of 148 Corporation Street.

The fourth child of Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) and Sarah Perry was Sarah Patton.

Sarah was baptised on 16th July 1865. The baptismal record is plain on the Ulster Historical Foundation and the home address is given as 18 Douglas Street. Yet neither Irish or Northern Irish government records show her birth!

Sarah died on 5th February 1870 at the family home of 20 North Ann Street. It is noteworthy that Hugh Ferguson Patton signed himself Ferguson Patton, indicating that Ferguson was his given name.

Hugh Ferguson Patton (i) and Sarah Perry had several more children as listed above. These were Samuel Patton, Sarah Maria Patton, Emily Armstrong Patton, Hugh Ferguson Patton (ii) and Frederick Patton.

These people and their descendants are detailed on the next page of the website.

George Patton and Sarah Perry’s Other Children and their Families

Let us return to George Patton and his wife Sarah Perry. The marriage record held very little information. I engaged in a long search for other weddings between 1842 and after 1870 in the hope of finding siblings and further children for George and further information.

George Patton and Sarah Perry’s Daughter Sarah Patton

It took quite some time but I uncovered a daughter to George Patton and Sarah Perry named Sarah Patton and a son named Robert Patton. I also learned an address.

Firstly, Sarah Patton. Sarah married an Archibald McKibben on April 19th 1860 at the Prebyterian Meeting House on Donegall St in Belfast. Archibald was a steward, living at Garston St. His father was a farmer.

The McKibbens were to have 5 children as far as I have found. A boy was born on 19th May 1865. No name had been decided by the time of registration and it is possible that he died at a young age. The baby was born at Sarah’s parents house, 150 Corporation Street.

Statutory records show the death of a Robert, aged 0, in 1865, but this is not available to view other than as an index so it could be another child.

Mary Anderson McKibben was born on 15th December 1867 at 17 North Ann Street in Belfast.

Samuel Massy McKibben followed on 16th June 1870, born at 17 North Ann St. Father Archibald’s job was now defined as a ship’s steward.

Another child was born on 9th September 1874 at the same address. Again, it was unnamed but this time it was a girl.

Sarah McKibben was born at a different address, Orchard Street in Belfast, on 16th August 1880.

The little girl was born with some debility and died after two hours.

Sarah McKibben, the mother, did not outlive this loss long. She died on 9th October 1881 at 84 Bentinck Street. She had been ill for 10 months.

The Belfast City graveyard holds her remains at Grave O 299. The form shows the other occupants:

She was buried with members of her husband’s family rather than with him or their children.

As for her husband, Archibald is missing from the 1901 census in Ireland. He may have been at sea or in England. Archibald died on 8th February 1932 at the Union Infirmary but for some reason was not buried until June. This is unusual. I have found nothing in the newspapers about his death. Archibald was buried on public ground.

A crew list survives on Ancestry which tells us a little about him in 1873. Archibald had served as steward on a ship called the Electric which was registered at Liverpool. He was 35 then, so born around 1838. He joined the ship on 27th April, seemingly in Glasgow. Archibald was paid £5 per week. He was discharged at South Shields on 20th June.

Generation VIII Family of Sarah Patton and Archibald McKibben:

1. Boy McKibben, born 1865
2. Mary Anderon McKibben, born 1867
3. Samuel Massy McKibben, 1870-1923
4. Girl McKibben, born 1874
5. Sarah McKibben, 1880-1880

Mary Anderson McKibben married Richard Craig on 13th May 1893 at Fortwilliam Park Church. At least one was Presbyterian. Richard was an engineer living at 32 Moyla St. His father was also an engineer. Mary was living at 35 Benwell St in Belfast and had no job so presumably this was her parents’ home.

They had the following children.

Family of Mary Anderson McKibben and Richard Craig:

1. Sarah Elizabeth Craig, b1893
2. Robert Craig, b 1895
3. Richard Barton Craig, b 1897
4. John Francis Craig, b 1903
5. Alexander Craig, b 1910

The 1911 census showed the family living at house 108 Alexandra Park Avenue in North Belfast. THey had been there since at least 1901. All the family could read and write, non spoke Gaelic and the couple declared that all their children were still alive.

Richard Craig died in February 1948, leaving a will. The sum left was over £364. The will shows that the family had continued to live in North Belfast, though now at Serpentine Parade.

I have not located the death of Sarah Craig as yet. Her brother, Richard Barton Craig, died on 6th April 1963. His address was 57 Cranmore Gardens, Belfast. He is buried at C972 Dundonald. Also buried with him is Margaret M Craig. She died aged 85 on 6th January 1988 at the same address. I could not locate a Margaret Craig born to Richard Craig and Mary Anderson McKibben, however.

George Patton and Sarah Perry’s Son Robert Patton

George Patton and wife Sarah’s second son was Robert Patton. Robert married Martha Porter in July 1865. Robert was a sailor and Martha Porter’s father was a ship’s carpenter. Did they serve together on a ship or meet at dock works?

Robert was to die in 1907 and Martha in 1919. The couple had 10 children that I discovered. Robert did not leave a will. Among the births were three unnamed boys in 1868, 1871 and 1874 along with an unnamed girl in 1878.

On the 1901 census Robert and Martha were at house 45 Peters’ Hill, Belfast. With them were their daughter Victoria and her son Robert.

Robert’s death certificate below , copyright GRONI

This tells us that Robert was retired and a pensioner. It is possible that there are union records about him. Robert died at the workhouse, now the City Hospital, but his address is given as 6 Israel Street in Belfast. Also noteworthy is the married name of a daughter, Georgina McAleer.

Children of Robert Patton and Martha Porter:

1. Georgina Patton b1866
2. Boy b1868
3. Boy b1871
4. Martha Jane Patton, 1873-1873
5. Boy b1874
6. Victoria Patton, 1876-1945
7. Girl, b1878
8. Robert Patton born 1880
9. Martha Patton, 1883-1964
10. Alexander Mackay Patton, 1887-1895

The first child, Georgina Patton, married an Alexander Mackay on 29th July 1886.

Alexander was a sailor who became a First Mate. His certificate, below, is available on Ancestry. Perhaps he was a crewmate of her father.

The couple had no children. Alexander must have been older as he was described as retired when he died. The will index is below. This shows that they lived at 13 Derg St in Belfast. The John Lutton referred to is quite likely a relative of his wife.

The will is available to view. It runs to two pages and shows that Alexander had a lot of savings and was anxious that his wife be well protected.

Victoria Patton married John Bothwell on 4th November 1899. John was a saddler.

Victoria and John Bothwell went on to have ten children together. John had a change of career, becoming a fireman! In 1901 they were living at House 64 North Boundary St in Belfast. Victoria died in 1945.

The Bothwells in 1911.

John Bothwell lived on 20 years after his wife, dying on February 20th 1955, with his death notified in the Belfast Telegraph. The family were living at 22 North Boundary St. There were several insertions, indicating that he was well thought of. He was also a member of the RAOB.

Victoria and John Bothwell’s daughter Georgina worked at No 2 Spring Room at the New Northern Spinning Company. We know this from a sympathy notice printed at the time of her father’s death.

I have found no death notice for her mother Victoria. The Bothwell’s son, also John, was known as Jack. He possibly died on 22nd September 1983. I wish to verify this, however, as I know there was another family named Bothwell nearby.

Martha Patton was the daughter of Robert Patton and Martha Porter. Martha was born in 1883 and died on 16th January 1964. She married Edward Wynne. The wedding occurred on 8th June 1903. I think this was at the church which became the home of the Belfast Seaman’s Mission.

The couple had 5 children that I could locate, outlined below. As can be seen, several died young. I have not ascertained the fate of Robert Patton yet. The death notice for Martha is produced below. It indicates that the couple lived at Joanmount Park in Belfast.

Here is the 1911 census entry for the Wynne family. This shows that Edward Wynne was Roman Catholic and that the children were raised in his faith whilst Martha still professed to the Church of Ireland. It is interesting to note that Edward and his mother were born in Londonderry and that the couple’s son Robert was said to be born in County Mayo!

Family of Edward Wynne and Martha Patton:

1. Robert Wynne, born 1904
2. Boy Wynne 1905-1905
3. Isabella Wynne, born 1906
4. Victoria Wynne, 1908-1910
5. Edward Wynne, 1911-1918
6. Georgina Wynne, 1913-1917

Their daughter Isabella’s birth is shown below. They were living at Israel St at the time.

She went on to marry a man named William Shearer on September 8th 1924. Their son’s photo is below. He was born in December 1926 and attended Trinity College Dublin. Later he became dean of St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast and was known as the “black santa,” sitting out at night to raise awareness and money for the homeless of Belfast and other charities.

The last child of Robert Patton and Martha Porter was Alexander Mackay Patton. Presumably he was named after Alexander Mackay. Little Alexander died at the age of 8 of “decay of the bowels.”

Robert Patton and Martha Porter’s son Robert was living with his parents, sister Victoria and her son at 20 North Ann St in Belfast, as seen above, on the 1901 census.

He had been born in 1880. Robert married Elizabeth Hall. The 1911 census shows them living at Grove St in Belfast. This is actually in East Belfast, away from the usual haunts of the Patton family in North Belfast. Robert was a labourer. Interestingly, his wife said she could not read or write. The census also tells us that they had had three children but one had died. Elizabeth’s mother lived with them.

Their son William was born on 18th August 1903 at 22 Grove Street and John was born a few doors away at No 14. This was on Christmas Day 1905. I have not found the third child’s birth.

Sarah Perry’s Family

The writing on the Perry-Patton wedding certificate is appalling and the image quality is not good, either. As I despaired over these impediments I thought, could there be siblings who married and where the information is clearer?

Thus, I waded through the records of all Perry marriages in Belfast up to around 1875 and in the course of that had some success, locating two siblings.

Sarah Perry’s father Samuel was a coach guard. This is likely to have been on the railway line. Samuel’s wife was named Elizabeth. She died at Belfast workhouse on 8th February 1896, described as the widow of a coach guard and said to be aged 80. This would place her birth around 1815 – if accurate.

Elizabeth was buried on common ground at the City Cemetery, so there was not enough money or inclination to buy a grave. Her address at death was 51 Trafalgar Street in Belfast. Her death was registered by the mark of her daughter, Eliza Davidson of 151 Nelson Street.

Samuel and Elizabeth Perry had a daughter named Elizabeth who married a seaman named John McAuley of Corporation Street on 14th January 1860. Elizabeth’s address was North Ann Street. John’s father bore the same name and occupation.

John McAuley and Elizabeth Perry had four children whose births I have located, three of them named John as well.

These were John McAuley, born 7th November 1867

John McAuley, born 13th November 1868

John McAuley, born 4th April 1871

and Eliza McAuley, born 6th December 1873.

Samuel and Elizabeth Perry had a son named William who married an Eliza Guin on 19th September 1861 at St Anne’s Church in Belfast. He was said to be 28, therefore born around 1838. As with Sarah’s marriage record, the official thought it acceptable to write “Belfast” as the place of residence.

This William died on 2nd May 1876, a newspaper reporting that William Perry of 19 North Ann Street died. HIs wife Eliza inserted the death notice in several papers, noting that he was 45 and had been a faithful employee of the Post Office for 30 years. This would place his birth around 1831.

Logic tells me that Eliza Davidson must be the same Elizabeth who had married John McAuley and indeed I have found the death record of a seaman of that name who died but no sign of a marriage between her (under either surname) and a Davidson or Davison up to 1896.

He must have been well thought-of as two newspapers carried mention of the funeral itself. The Northern Whig on the 6th May carried this:

I have not been able to locate the death or burial of Samuel Perry. Presumably it was between the 1861 marriage and statutory records of deaths commencing in January 1864.

Find My Past’s newspaper records bear some information which may relate to the family. On 28th September 1858 there was a death notice for a Miss M Perry who died aged 23 at her brother’s residence on North Ann Street. No Christian name given! This is likely to be another sister to Sarah Perry though it could be an au