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Patrick & Mary
My primary sources for all known details about Patrick Sullivan and his wife Mary are the 1861 and 1871 Censuses. Interestingly, Census information can cause as much confusion as it provides clarity. Information can be mis-spelled, mis-heard, scribbled illegibly, or the document can be so badly damaged due to the ravages of time that little useful information is available from it. The information required at the time was so much less than we would like to find now. One of my problems is that information from one census contradicts another census, and parish records contradict each other and the censuses! Most notably, I refer to the spelling of my great, great grandmother's surname, Mary Keeley. She has been named as Keeley, Kelleher, Kelliher, Gallagher, Keeliher and Geelor to name a few!
Their Story
In 1824, somewhere in County Cork, in the Republic of Ireland, a boy was born to one of many Mr. and Mrs. Sullivans. The father was possiby called Timothy, and the mother Elizabeth*, although this will probably never be known for sure. Some five or six years later, a girl was born in the same county, to a Mr. and Mrs. Keeley (or one of the numerous variations mentioned!). We can guess at their early circumstances, and their religious involvement in the Catholic Church, but what I can say is that by the time he was adult, Patrick could write, (at least his own name), but Mary could not. By 1850, they had met, courted and married, moved from Cork to Waterford, and were about to have their first child. How much their movements were influenced by family considerations, or by the effects of the Famine, or work, or aspirations, I can only guess, but whatever caused them to be in Waterford did not stop them from having their second child while they were there. In 1852, Elizabeth was born.
The next documented event in their lives is the birth of their third child, Patrick in Hulme, Manchester in 1854. Obviously their emigration from Ireland to England occurred after Elizabeth's birth, and before Patrick's. It is likely therefore that they crossed the water in 1853. By the Census of 1861, Patrick and Mary, and Timothy, Elizabeth and young Patrick had two more sisters, Mary Ann, born in 1857, and Catherine, born in 1860. Patrick was working as a journeyman Shoemaker, Mary as a Power Loom Weaver, Timothy, at the tender age of ten was working 'at a ropery' Elizabeth, at 9 was at school, as was young Patrick.
*Due to the Irish system of naming children
From the 1861 Census, Township of Hulme, Manchester
Address
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Name
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Rel. to Head
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Condition
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Age
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Sex
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Occupation
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Born
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74 Stott Street
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Patrick Sullivan
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Head
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Married
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37
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Male
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Journeyman Shoemaker
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Cork
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ditto
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Mary Sullivan
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Wife
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Married
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32
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Female
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Power Loom Weaver
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Cork
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ditto
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Timothy Sullivan
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Son
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Unmarried
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10
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Male
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At a Ropery
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Waterford
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ditto
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Elizabeth Sullivan
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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9
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Female
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Scholar
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Waterford
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ditto
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Patrick Sullivan
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Son
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Unmarried
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7
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Male
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Scholar
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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Mary Ann Sullivan
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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5
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Female
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-
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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Catherine Sullivan
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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8 months
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Female
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-
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Lancs. Manchester
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Census taken on the 7th and 8th April 1861
From the 1871 Census, Township of Hulme, Manchester
Address
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Name
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Rel. to Head
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Condition
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Age
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Sex
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Occupation
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Born
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2 Rice Court
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Patrick Sullivan
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Head
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Married
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44
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Male
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Shoe Maker
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Cork
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ditto
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Mary Sullivan
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Wife
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Married
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40
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Female
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Power Loom Weaver
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Cork
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ditto
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Timothy Sullivan
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Son
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Unmarried
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21
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Male
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Dyer
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Waterford
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ditto
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Elizabeth Sullivan
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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19
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Female
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?????? Maker
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Waterford
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ditto
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Patrick Sullivan
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Son
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Unmarried
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17
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Male
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Cloth Mill
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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Mary Ann Sullivan
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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14
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Female
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Card Room
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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Catherine
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Daughter
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Unmarried
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11
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Female
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-
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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John Cornelius
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Son
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Unmarried
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4
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Male
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-
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Lancs. Manchester
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ditto
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????? Hooley
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lodger
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???
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-
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-
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-
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Ireland
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Census taken on the 2nd and 3rd April 1871
As can be seen, the information is not entirely consistent. In 1861, Patrick was 37 years old. 10 years later, in 1871, he is shown as being 44! Obviously this can be cleared up by reference to other sources, such as Parish Records, or Birth/Death Certificates, if they exist or can be found. In this case, the first reference (1861 Census) is correct. Patrick eventually died in 1882 at the age of 58, according to his death certificate.
Church Records
I have copied the following details from the original St. Wilfred's R.C. Baptismal Registers which are kept at the Lancashire Record Office in Preston, North West England. I have no knowledge of Latin, and I hope my copying has been accurate. I am sure of the dates.
Mary Ann's Baptismal Entry
Die 14 Februarii 1856 nata et die 24 Februarii 1856 baptizata est
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MARIA HONORA SULLIVAN filia PATRICII et MARIA SULLIVAN (Olim Gulohar?) conjugum:
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a me LAWRENTIO CANONICA TOOLE
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Patrinus fuit GUL. STUART Matrina fuit CATHARINA HAUCK
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Catherine's Baptismal Entry
Address: 54 Stott Street
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Die 26 Julii 1860 nata et die 5 Augustii 1860 baptizata est
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CATHARINA TERESA SULLIVAN filia PATRICII et MARIA SULLIVAN (Olim Geelor) conjugum
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a me THOMA BILLINGTON
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Patrinus fuit JOANNES BURKE Matrina fuit MARIA DALTON
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John Cornelius's Baptismal Entry
Address: 2 Rice Court, Lord Street
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Die 15 Februarii 1867 nata et die 24 Februarii 1867 baptizata est
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JOANNES CORNELIUS SULLIVAN filia PATRICII et MARIA SULLIVAN (Olim Keeliher) conjugum
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a me LAWRENTIO CANONICA TOOLE
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Patrinus fuit GULIELMUS MARA Matrina fuit CATHARINA MARA
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There may be a connection between the next two entries and my family.
There may be a link to my family through Johanna or Cornelius Sullivan
When Born
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When Baptised
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Person Baptised
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Father
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Mother
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Godfather
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Godmother
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Minister
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Dec. 4 1854
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Dec. 10 1854
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Marianne Power
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Michael
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JOHANNA SULLIVAN
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CORNELIUS SULLIVAN
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CATHERINE MORRIS
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W. Dunderdale.
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This child was born some two and a half years earlier than the date of baptism, but was baptised on the same day as Mary Ann (above)
Die 5 Augustii 1853 et die 24 Februarii 1856 baptizata est
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CATHARINA SULLIVAN filia MICHAELIS et MARGARET SULLIVAN (Olim CRANE) conjugum:
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a me LAWRENTIO CANONICA TOOLE
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I failed to copy details of the godparents, not noticing a possible connection.
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