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My great grandmother, Mary Brigid Curtin and her sister, Annie Curtin, left Irleland to travel to Australia  in the mid 1800s where they lived and worked before finally moving on to New Zealand where they settled and had families. Their father was Patrick Curtin and their Mother was Mary Bellet or Billet from the parish of Miltown Malbay. We know that Mary' s baptismal record says she was born in Lackamore (townland).  We can only find a James Billet as living there, maybe Mary' Bellet' s father? We would really appreciate knowing if Mary and Patrick's graves can be located, if the ship or even port that Mary Brigid  and her sister, Annie , left on could be identified, if there is a record of the other children ( we think there were 5 in total.) We know that  Mary Brigid was born around 1840.

kind regards, Maria McEntyre

Maria McEntyre

Sunday 22nd Dec 2013, 03:56PM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Maria,

    Pat Curtin and Mary Bellett lackamore, Moy

    Pat 24 Feb 1825, Michael 24 Sept 1937, Mary 27 June 1840, Ann 26 May 1844.

    I believe this is the family you are looking for.

    I have been doing some research into the Talty name and have a Mary Bellett married to Peter Talty in Toureen which is very near Lackamore and her townland of origin, she is listed as being the daughter of Patrick Bellett (Moymore) and her mother is listed as Bridget O Brien. Her birth year is 1832 and is more than likely a niece of Mary Bellett married to Pat Curtin. There was also another man called John Bellet married to Honor Burke who would be a contemporary of your Mary and Patrick Bellet(Bridget O Brien) from the Moy area. More than likely another brother of Mary. (Lackamore and Moymore are neighbouring townlands in the Moy area which is a sub parish of Miltown Malbay)

    In the 1823 tithes and applotments records, I would think that the record relevant to this family is the one for Patrick Bellett Moymore & Ballyfadine,Killaspuglonane. This would mean that Patrick is more than likely the father.

    Graves would more than likely be in Callura near Moy or Mughanna near Moy. Neither grave yard has been put up online so the next time i am passing i will give a look and see.

    The closest record for travel i could find is

    Mary CurtinAge:33Birth Year:abt 1845Ship Name:HighflyerPort of Departure:London, EnglandPort of Arrival:MaryboroughArrival Date:2 Dec 1878

    I hope this helps.

    Regards

    Brid

    Wednesday 5th Feb 2014, 03:11AM
  •  

    Dear Brid

    Thank you! This information is so interesting. I did not have Mary's shipping details so giving me the ship details to england is a great start and hopefully and I can follow the trail from there.

    I may come back to you once I make headway with what you have me

    Kind regards

     

    Maria

    Maria McEntyre

    Wednesday 5th Feb 2014, 04:33AM
  • Hi Brid

    My reseatch has the following children for Mary and Patrick: we think that the first Patrick died and hence the 2nd child was named Patrick

     Can you tell me what the Moy stands for?

     

    We know that a James Bellet (AKA as Billet) leased land in Lackmore in 1825 (Tith Apoltment books) and also elased some land woth Ryans and Devitts. So we hve made an assumption that James must have been Mary Bellet's father and that MAry and Patrick Curtin lived with them as all their children's baptismal records record Lackamore as place of residence.

     

    Thank you for information about the graves - will follw that up.

    Where did you get the shipping information from? I am wanting to see if MAry's sister, Annie was on that ship with her?

     

    Maria

    Maria McEntyre

    Wednesday 5th Feb 2014, 05:05AM
  • Hi Maria,

    Yes the renaming of a child with the same name as one who died shortly after birth was a common practice in those days. Infant mortality was very high as was maternal deaths at birth as there were no official midwives or GP's as we know them today. She must have been very physically strong as all the children were born around the famine years which were at their worst between 1843-47.

    Moy is the half parish of Miltown Malbay. Up to 1839 all townlands in the parish of Kilmurray Ibrikane, Kilfarboy (including Moy) and a good deal of the parishes between Miltown Malbay (main town in Kilfarboy) were part of the Kilfarboy parish. After this, Kilmurray Ibrikane seperated into a seperate parish and some of the townlands towards Ennistymon went out of Kilfarboy into the Ennistymon parish. This would include Balyfidane and Kilisboglinane and Moymore townlands mentioned in the last mail re Patrick Bellet of the Tithes and applotment. In 1855 there is a record of a death in the fever hospital in Moy More  (rampant contageous illness due to famine). Could possibly be a mother/aunt of Mary married to Patrick Curtin. (See Below)This is one of the reasons why the daunting prospect of emigration to Australia seemed attractive to many at the time.

    The meaning of Moy comes from the irish Maigh which refers to  a plain or flat area of ground.

    I have found the James Billett you refered to in the tithes and applotments and he is recorded as having 6 acre rented on his own and a share in 48 acres of Whites Mountain with Ryans and Devitts. The 6 acres would be used to produce potatoes and possibly feed a small amount of livestock and the shared acerage on Whites mountain was for turf/peat, the fuel used for households. With the small acerage it is likely that he was a new arrival in Lackamore and his acerage would have grown over time. To me this suggests that he may have migrated to the area from the short distance away ie Moymore possibly due to marriage. You are probably correct in assuming he was Marys father but i still think that Patrick previously mentioned was probably his brother and uncle of Mary. I say this as the name was only found in the Moy area and more so in the Ennistymon area. (My own proginitors were the Whites from there and neighbours of your Belletts)

    I got the travel record from ancestry but do not know if it fits with your Mary. It does not give the passenger manifest so can't confirm if Ann travelled with her. The only Ann i found was ATTACHED. You could try the Queensland state archives for passenger lists for both boats, perhaps they give more details.

    This could be of interest also, perhaps James travelled with the girls??

    The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) Saturday 13 February 1904 p 17 Advertising
    JAMES BELLET, age about 63 years, born at County Clare, Ireland, landed at Melbourne about forty-three years ago, last heard of at Queensland in 1893.?Your Cousin, BRIDGET ROLAND, would like to hear from you or your family. Address : Bridget Roland, care of Mrs. G. Hill, Railway Station. Hay, N.S.W.

    I wish you the best in your journey.

    Regards

    Brid

    BelletMargaret70FFever4 Nov 185029 Sept 1850

    Friday 7th Feb 2014, 11:41PM
  • I don't seem to be able to send an attachment on here. You can email me at taltybrid@gmail.com

    Friday 7th Feb 2014, 11:47PM

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