Need to know the county in Ireland

[Linda Sue]

My great-great grandfather was born in Ireland about 1828. His father's name was David Cunningham and he was a journeyman stone mason. James went by ship to England and settled in Deptford, Kent. I don't know when he arrived to England. He married Ellen Brown in 1861 in Greenwich and lived in Deptford, Kent. Ellen was also born in Ireland, about 1841. James Cunningham's oldest son James was born in 1864 in Deptford. I have been having so much trouble trying to find out the birth place and county where James Cunningham sr. was born. At times, he was a dock worker and a painter. Ellen's father was Michael Brown and he was deceased when his daughter Ellen married in 1861. On an old census, it appeared that Ellen's mother Mary Brown was living with her daughter and son-in-law in Deptford, Kent.

[christanel]

As starting point
1871 RG10 piece 751 folio 54 page 10
Peter Street Deptford
Jas Cunningham 43 dock labourer Ireland
Ellen Cunningham 30 wife Ireland
Margaret Cunningham 8 Deptford
James Cunningham 6 Deptford
David Cunningham 2 Deptford
William Cunningham 4 months Deptford
Mary Brown 58 mother-in-law Ireland
Michael Harrington 31 dockyard labourer Ireland

Christina

[Linda Sue]

Christina
I am interested in what county in Ireland that James Cunningham sr. was born or came from before he came to England. Thanks.

[Elwyn Soutter]

The censuses for Ireland for the years when the family were living there have by and large been destroyed. Statutory birth registration only starred in Ireland in 1864, so you will struggle to find the family from Irish records without more information.

Do you know what precise denomination they were?

Have you searched all the English censuses from to see if any includes a more precise place of birth than “Ireland”? Sometimes you get a town or county, especially in later years.

Usual guidance in this situation is to exhaust all possible sources in the UK and elsewhere to try and narrow the search. Poor law records, obituaries, gravestones etc may all reveal a place of birth.

Most people went to England to get work, and tended to move when they were old enough to start work. Since David was born around 1828, then he probably left when, or after, he was about 17 or 18, so say 1845 onwards. Have you found him in the 1851 English census? If not, then he probably arrived after that.

[peanut]

Hi

I found this it could be a long shot but may be worth looking at if all else fails, it is from the 1851 census Ireland, its not like our census not as much details, when i read it i thought lord there is a lot of people living in this house but it is one of 15 houses in
Larne, (Larne Upper Glenarm, Antrim)

Cunningham David age 56 Male Head of the family
Cunningham Elizabeth age 52 Female Wife
Cunningham James age 26 Male son
Cunningham Isabella age 20 Female Daughter

Peanut

[Elwyn Soutter]

Just be aware that 99% of the 1851 Irish census was destroyed. A fragment of Co Antrim has survived, so whilst this could perhaps be your David, the vast majority of the census is lost and so don’t rush to assume it must be yours because there are no others that fit.

[peanut]

Hi
I also found this

Isabella Cunningham married in 1854 in Lurgan Antrim

Registration District Lurgan
Registered Year 1854
Volume 7
Page 626

it gives a choice of 4 possible husbands
Thomas Hall
George Carvel
William Gadis
James Allen

This year 1854 falls in the Irish marriage years so you can actually buy the certificate direct from Ireland, we know her father is David it would give you his occupation if they match up with James father David you could be on a winner

Peanut

[Linda Sue]

It was James Cunningham (David's son) who was born in 1828. David probably was born around 1795. I haven't paid for subscriptions to search (makes it harder depending on the free searches). I appreciate what you had to say. Thank you.

[Linda Sue]

It was James Cunningham who was born in 1828---not his father David. I don't have any paid subscriptions so it makes it harder to gather information with free searches at times. Thanks for what you said.

[Linda Sue]

Thank you for this information.
Linda Sue