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Margaret Deighan, Coast Guard widow
mwright
At a brick wall with my gggps William Thomas Wright and Elizabeth Deighan.

They married 1868 St Patrick's RC Belfast, minimal info but his father Thomas, her father Bernard. No civil record found. Unsure if they had been married in a civil ceremony previously or in another religion or another place. No record found.

It seems he converted as he was bapd the same day. Age given at bapt was 32 (1836), father Thomas, mother Anne Bridget.

At the birth of their presumed first child later that year (1868), Thomas is listed as a pensioner, same on street directories and at the baptisms of their two other children. Present at the birth first child was a Margaret Deighan.

WTW died before the 1901 census, and it lists ED's birthplace as Antrim but it's unlikely she filled it out herself. She died a couple of years later.at age 52 but I have a feeling she was older.

A search for a Margaret Deighan death produced the following:

Margaret Deighan aged 82 d 17 Jan 1882 in Drumbanagher, Armagh, Coastguard's widow, William Wright, Drumbanagher, present at death.

Could this William be my gggf even though it says Drumbanagher and not Belfast?

Is it possible WTW was also a pensioner from the Coast Guard? Any way for me to find out?

So, if Margaret was mother to Elizabeth then the Coast Guardsman would have been Bernard Deighan born prior to 1800.

Appreciate any assistance. Apologize for length.
 
crimea1854
Hi and welcome to the Forum.

I'm not sure I can throw any light on William Thomas Wright, but since it was not uncommon for the daughters of Coastguards to marry younger CG's working at the same station as their fathers, I thought I would trace Bernard Deighan's service to see if this was the case here, but without any success. That said you could double check the following CG record refs. all available as free downloads from the National Archives website to see if I missed him..

Bernard Deighan entered the CG service in 1821 aged 25, at the time of his entry he was a widower with three children (ADM 175/99 pdf 28). He does give a place of birth in Co.Antrim, but I could not make it out, perhaps you will have more luck - (Ardcleniss ?).

On 25 May he was transferred from the Preventative. Station (Coast Guard) at Kilkee to Doolen (ADM 175/15 pdf 321), then on 31 June 1830 he was moved to N. Isle of Arran. (ADM 175/16 pdf 219 & 397). then 10 Oct 1834 to Point of Garron (ADM 175/16 pdf 211).

In Nov 1845 it was a transfer to Cloghy (ADM 175/18 pdf 346) and finally on 8 Dec 1854 to Roddens from where he was pensioned on 31 Oct 1858 (ADM 175/19 pdfs 408 & 402).

I hope the above is of interest and provides other avenues of research.

Regards

Martin
Edited by crimea1854 on 07/05/2022 06:18
 
mwright
I could kiss you Martin!! Never could have done it myself. I credited yourself and this site on my public family tree. Again, thank you.

Merged on 07/05/2022 17:56:21:
Hey again! May have found a connection between Bernard Deighan and William Wright but am having a difficult time figuring out a direct way to show you the info unless you have ancestry.co.uk.

So in a roundabout way...

Good chance this is BD's son:

Name: Bernard Deighan or Deigham
Birth Date: 17 Nov 1842
Birth Place: Cuthindall Anbum (Cushendall, Antrim)
Service Number: 19553A
Reference: ADM 139/596/19553
URL: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7908097

He is found onboard Fisgard in 1861, along with a Wm Wright.

Are you able to access the record showing him on the Fisgard which is under 'UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939'? And if so, would you be so kind as to interpret the info about Wm Wright if you can?

Thanks again.
Edited by mwright on 07/05/2022 17:56
 
crimea1854
I looked at Bernard's Service record, but was unable to connect him to William, do you have another service or census record that makes this connection?

However, I did find Bernard's service record interesting. This shows that prior to signing on at 18 into the Royal Navy he had prior service. This was on HMS Ajax, then the CG ship in Kingstown where he served as a Boy 2nd & 1st class on the Revenue Cruisers Badger and Chance. So like you I'm inclined to think that he was Bernard Snrs. son because of this CG connection.

I don't know if you have access to Find my Past ( I no longer have a subscription), but there was a Merchant Seamans Ticket issued to a Bernard Deighan in 1847 that I suspect is your man. Despite the name these tickets were also issued to men in the RN and CG service and can contain some quite useful information.

Martin
 
mwright
Hello again!

I have Ancestry but may do a short term Find My Past .

I have been searching for 10 years. No census data, no baptismal or birth records, no marriage records other than William Wright and Elizabeth Deighan.

I've cross-matched the sponsors at and witnesses with Deighans in all Ireland and Scotland on pay sites (wouldn't have Wrights, he converted). The name Deighan can be said softly like Deehan and Dean or hard like Deehan, Deakin and Deehan, the latter ofttimes transcribed as Dugan.

It wasn't until the civil records were opened to the public that I saw Margaret Deighan present at the birth of their first child.

There is a death record from the same parish for a Bernard Deighan married labourer aged 90 in 1876, debility long time, different towns. I feel it's possible this may be him but cannot be certain yet. Others connecting him to their family dismiss this idea.

Were you able to glean any info on the William Wight on the Fisgard? Service number?

Thanks
 
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