Genealogy - Forrest Family

[paul]

Hi Everybody

I am reasearching my family history of the Forrest family of Killaloe. I know that my Grandmother (Mary Forrest) and Great Grandparents (James and Mary Forrest) moved from Dublin to Scarriff/Killaloe area (Workhouse) in 1900. They eventually moved to Bow Lane off Carrigs Lane, Killaloe town, as I have the school records of my Grandmother who went to Killaloe Convent around 1910. My Great Grandfather known as Jimmy Forrest was a sheep herder in the town, the only other information I have is they both died in Ennis County Hospital 1936 and 1937.

I am looking for any information or pictures of the area at that time or if anybody knows any connection to the Forrest family.

Regards



Paul

[Paddy Casey]

Paul,

Take a look at the list of inhabitants of the Scariff workhouse in the 1901 census at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... 36_9_1.htm The workhouse census only lists the people by initials rather than full names but just scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will find

F. M. Roman Catholic Cannot Read 26 Female Travelling Dealer Able Married Co. Dublin
F. M. Roman Catholic Cannot Read 1 Female Not Married Co. Dublin Scariff

i.e. two females with initials FM (Mary Forrests ?), one aged 26 and the other 1 year old, both from Co.Dublin. There isn't a male JF who would fit (there are two male JFs) but maybe he wasn't in the workhouse on the day of the census.

Paddy

[paul]

Paddy

Having checked the South Dublin Union Workhouse records last week when I was in Dublin in the Archives, they entered Dublin Workhouse James Forrest was aged 30 and his wife Mary was aged 39 and my Grandmother was born April 1899. I know on the records he left the Workhouse in April 1899 presumably to go to Scarriff, Mary left with the child in May 1899. I did look at the Scarriff Workhouse records and have come to the same conclusion that with 2 M F initials and both from Dublin it has to be them, aged 26 is not right as she died in 1937 aged 74. I have checked all Births, Marriages and can only find their Death Certificates (Charles James Forrest) and Mary Forrest but on my Grandmothers Birth Certificate and her Marriage Certificate he dropped the Charles and just used James. Going by the surname Forrest and Caffrey I think they came from Dublin and the Workhouse must have sent them to County Clare approximately in 1900. I spoke to some people in Killaloe a few years ago and they remember him as Jimmy Forrest.

Thank you for the information has every little bit helps.

Regards



Paul

[Paddy Casey]

As you say, Paul, these are very likely to be yours.

The age error/difference/discrepancy of your GGM could, of course, be a simple clerical error (e.g. hearing-impaired clerk entering names in a register against the acoustic background of clamouring supplicants asking to be admitted to the workhouse) or she could have deliberately misstated her age for some reason. In the earlier descriptions of workhouse conditions there are examples of workhouse masters, having to work to constantly changing targets set by the workhouse committees (sounds like modern corporate life, right ?) and faced with a tumultuous mob of weak and starving people pleading to be admitted, applying ad hoc admission criteria. Maybe Mary's workhouse master called out that day that he was only admitting women under 30 so she said she was 26 years old rather than 36 or 38 or whatever her real age was.

I have found analogous cases when tracking Clare people who emigrated. One seems to have changed his age on a naturalisation application, another changed his age to become eligible for military service and a third changed his age possibly in connection with a payout on a retirement policy (these informations from the families concerned).

Paddy