Marian

Marian--again my thanks for all your work on my behalf--you have ceratinly been very busy.Answers to your messages all in one here!

Wasn't sure if occupations would be listed or not.

Re births from IGI--yes--they are the ones I have. However, when I tried to find them--a few times--on IGI I couldn't and I think that there is only one IGI?I don't think that there is a separate one for Ireland? (Wonder where Gilbert & William were registered.)

Re Darragh/Dannoch--you have more experience than I have and Darroch & Dannoch do look more easy to mistake for each other,but I am fairly sure that Darragh is correct. I have a printed copy of the marriage record from Ancestry Ireland and that says Darragh

During the war, my father was stationed briefly,not too far from where I now live and he visited some "cousins" named Darroch some of whom who he said spelled the name differently--he told me this years later. I have just checked the telephone directory and there are Darraghs and Darrochs there--4 of the former--2 of the latter, amd I am debating about contacting them. Will try the census returns for the area too--also for Higgins

I have looked at the web site you mentioned and I think that I need more information before I can get a death cert for Gilbert Higgins. I don't know anything at all. other than he had left the army-but he could have died anywhere in Ireland or Scotland for that matter. I have tried Scotlands people a few times--again yesterday I know they--like other places-are adding to records all the time

I have contacted the Nat Archives too but again I need  more info than his name and age --I had hoped that these days his name/age & next of kin might have traced him

I checked with my older cousin re the date of Mary Higgin's birthday and I was right--it was the same day as Clara's and the year is approx correct as census returns say abt 1880--Clara was 1879 I know.If she was Clara Mary she may have been known as Mary

Re the Clara Mary Higgins marriage--I had thought it wouldn't be "ours" last year,but there was a mystery about a few years in Mary's life when she went away & returned with a baby----my father & aunt thought she was their sister as she was brought up with them and they were quite old before they knew she was their cousin and belonged to Mary.

She was  younger than my father who as born in 1908--and was illegitimate. My cousin who remembered our aunt (Hannah) , said that when she died--there was debate as to whether to register the death in her real name or in the same surname as my father which was how she was known.

If this is the same marriage, it could imply that after the event my aunt found it shouldn't have taken place. I have tried in England and Scotland for a few years to find a birth & death for Hannah, lady but have looked under Higgins & Ballantyne & maybe in the wrong country for the birth.

Again--my thanks Marian for all yuor help

Eileen