Ardrossan Dock Workers

[Del 80]

As far as I know Sweet Caroline , Susannah's mother was Irish as well, I can't at the moment prove this, it does'nt help that there are no surviving census returns for Co. Down for 1891, and several decades before, but the search goes on. Regards Del.

[Del 80]

Just a quick update, I now have the death cert. for Susannah's brother, Joseph McDowell, on it he is given as a Harbour Foreman, and was from Ardrossan, so perhaps he found work for his relatives, and that is why they came over, speculation I know, but just maybe........ Regards Del.

[sweet caroline]

Hi Del 80 Don't know who registered his death .1901 Census has him born Ireland.

Sweet Caroline

[Del 80]

Hello All, Just been going through old posts, still not found the elusive Samuel Clarke,I did find his son, Hugh Joseph Clarke's Royal Navy records the other day, but of course they tell me nothing about Samuel. Penny Tray, is that book still available, tried local library down here, but they can't get it.Regards Del.

[Penny Tray]

Del,

I got 'Down the Bath Rocks' and 'In a Marmalade Saloon', both by Patrick O'Connor and based on his upbringing in Ardrossan, from Amazon Books - second hand. I think they are available at the moment. Ebay is somewhere else I've seen them.

I still think it a longshot but the point I was making was, that for Patrick, as a boy, to have known a Mr. Sam Clark, the latter must have lived in or around the Irish community in the bottom end of the town and adjacent, of course, to the harbour.

[Del 80]

Thanks Penny Tray, Yes you are right, bit of a long shot indeed, but my other half would like to read the book as a lot of her family came from Ardrossan, We had a brilliant book shop here, but it closed a few months ago, I'll have a look at Amazon, thank-you, Regards Del

[Del 80]

Hello,I now have the marriage certificate for Samuel Allan Clarke, son of the elusive Samuel Clarke, he married in 1916 at Ardrossan, to Jessie Boyce, on the cert. he is given as Samuel Allan Clark....with no e, his father is given as Samuel ALLAN Clark, again with no e, and is deceased, This is the first time I have seen his name spelt this way, and with the name Allan, his mothers maiden name, not sure if this helps, or confuses things. Samuel the younger was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Regards Del.

[Penny Tray]

Del,

That's interesting and I wonder if it shortens the odds on the Sam CLARK mentioned in Patrick O'Connor's book being the son?

Incidentally, Hughie is well connected to the Boyce's, so you may hear from him when Australia wakens up.

[Hughie]

Hello,I now have the marriage certificate for Samuel Allan Clarke, son of the elusive Samuel Clarke, he married in 1916 at Ardrossan, to Jessie Boyce,

Thanks for the heads-up PT.
Hi Del, Could you check on the certificate for the parents of Jessie Boyce. It could be the Jenny listed below from my Boyce family - note her mother was Jessie.

My Great grandfather on my mother's side was John BOYCE born in Ardrossan in 1869, and died December 31, 1904 in Ardrossan. He married (1) Margaret BOWIE April 03, 1891 in Ardrossan, daughter of James BOWIE and Agnes Robertson. He married (2) Jessie McCRACKEN April 02, 1892 in Ardrossan, daughter of James McCRACKEN and Isabella HOSE.

Children of John BOYCE and Jessie McCRACKEN were:
Jenny BOYCE, born Aft. 1891.
Alice BOYCE, born Aft. 1891.
George BOYCE, born Aft. 1891.
John BOYCE, born Aft. 1891.
Robert BOYCE, born June 06, 1893, Newton Ayr, Ayrshire; died August 06, 1918, Ayr, Ayrshire; married Rose Ann McGREGG, June 26, 1914, Saltcoats R.C. church.
Both my grandparents died in their early twenties. Having two children my mother Susan and her brother John. They were raised by Patrick Cunningham and his wife, Rose Ann's sister Susan McGregg.

[Del 80]

Hello Hughie, Just checked marriage certificate for Samuel Allan Clark & Jessie Boyce , this was in 1916, Her parents are given as John Boyce, dock labourer [deceased], and Jessie BLACKWOOD, previously BOYCE, m.s MCCRACKEN, does this tie-in with what you have? It is Samuel Allan Clark's father I am trying to find, Samuel Clarke, born in Ireland in 1865, married Ireland 1896, to Susannah McDowell. She and two sons are in Ardrossan in 1901, but no sign of Samuel senior, she re-married in 1912, and he is given as deceased, but I cannot find his death, either in Scotland or Ireland. Regards Del.

[sweet caroline]

Miss Sarah ALLAN . Down regd. Downpatrick; wife of Bernard Clarke' mother of male child b. 1865


sweet caroline
Edit-Name: Samuel Clarke
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1896
Registration district: Downpatrick
Volume: 1
Page: 745 (click to see others on page)
FHL Film Number: 101258

Name: Susannah Dowell
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1896
Registration district: Downpatrick
Volume: 1
Page: 745 (click to see others on page)
FHL Film Number: 101258

[Del 80]

Hi Sweet Caroline, Yes I'm pretty sure that's Samuel's mother, unfortunatly no census records for Co. Down survive for the years that would tell me more.I thought it would be easier to go forward rather than back, how wrong can you be!! Thanks, Regards Del.