THE TRAYNOR FAMILY
In 1860
The Traynors arrive from Ireland
The
only evidence to connect the Traynors with a County in Ireland is where Michael
Traynor of Clarendon South Bank declares Armagh as the place of his birth in the Census of 1881. The only
other connection comes from the family rhyme recited by Mary
Gainford - perhaps in a jocular rebuke to her husband, Michael - and handed
down to their grandchildren was : -
From
Carrickmacross to Crossmaglen
There
are more rogues than honest men
Crossmaglen is almost a border town in County Armagh Northern Ireland about 10 miles away from Carrickmacross, which lies in the Southern part of Ireland in County Monaghan.
1861
Census Records for 2 Stindson Cottages M'bro
Patrick Durkin Head
mar 36 Labourer
Ireland
Mary Durkin Wife
mar 32
Ireland
Maria Durkin Dau
14 Scholar
Ireland
Charles McCaddin Ldgr unm
28
Ireland
Arthur McNarny Ldgr
unm 29
Ireland
Thomas Traynor Ldgr unm 19
Lab in Ironwrks Ireland
1861
Census Records for 5 Temperance St
M'bro
Lawrence Trainer Lodger
36
Labourer in Ironwrks Ireland
is recorded living in the home of the Gittens family
1861
Census Records for 7 Garbutt
St Middlesbrough
Peter
Matthews
Head
35 Lab
Steam Navigation Co Ireland
Julya Matthews
Wfe 35
Ireland
Matthews Son 18 Labourer Ireland
Patrick Matthews
son 16
Labourer
Ireland
James Matthews son
13
Ireland
Bridget Matthews dau
10
Ireland
Mary A Matthews
dau 6
Durham
Daniel McQuilquin mar 23
Labourer Ironworks
Ireland
Mary McQuilquin mar
20
Labourer Ironworks Ireland
James McQuilquin unm 27
Labourer Ironworks Ireland
Thomas Finn
29 Labourer Ironworks Ireland
1865
Marriage
of Catherine Trainer M'bro & Patrick Lynch M'bro
Jun 20 Father - Michael Trainer : Father Martin Lynch
Witnesses - Peter McNally and Ellen McKenna
I am assuming that Catherine was a sister to Thomas - and
came over with him and the rest of the family - I vaguely recall a Catherine
Trainer living near Thomas in later years.
Nov 6 MARRIAGE OF THOMAS TRAINER & BRIDGET McQUILQUIN
Thomas Trainer of full age Labourer at Packet Wharf of Mason St M'bro
son of Michael Trainer
- a Farm Labourer - married
Bridget McQuilquin aged 23 yrs of Mason St M'bro
daughter of James McQuilquin - a Farm Labourer
in St Mary's Catholic Chapel , Stockton District : Priest
A. Burn
Signed : X
The mark of Thomas Trainer and
X The mark of Bridget McQuilquin
Witnesses - Michael McCaffry and Ann McCann
Fathers not recorded as
deceased
1868
Port Clarence
During this year Thomas Trainer and his new
wife Bridget
were living in Port Clarence as the census records state that Patrick their eldest child was born
there.
Perhaps the R.C
church for this area would confirm the baptism .[
1869 Back to Middlesbrough
April Birth of Mary Trainer - marries a Walls of Marsh Rd
daughter of Thomas Trainer and Bridget McQuilquin
April Baptised in the Cathedral
Godparents - Michael Trainer
and
Bridget Matthews.
Michael Trainer could either be Thomas's father or his
brother.
Bridget Matthews could be a relative of the Matthews family householders in Garbutt Street . There is a Bridget Matthews aged 10 yrs in the census of 1861-living in the house
with the McQuilquins
and eight years
later she would be
18 years old .
1870 Birth
of Thomas Trainer -
remains a bachelor - dies in Consett Co Durham
son of Thomas Trainer and Bridget McQuilken
Baptised in St Mary's Chapel Middlesbrough.
Godparents:- Michael Donnily and Elizabeth
Murphy.
Nov 22 Marriage
of Laurence Trainer Mbro to Bridget Duffy Mbro
Father- Michael Trainer : Father - Peter Duffy
Witnesses - Patrick Price and Mary Dooley
I assume that Laurence is another emigrant brother from
the Traynor family . A Lawrence Traynor is a godfather to Owen Traynor - son
of Michael in West Hartlepool in 1875 with a Bridget Traynor- obviously his
wife of 5 years - Bridget Duffy. The priest over there just spells differently.
1871
Census
records for
27 Princess St South Bank
NAME REL AGE OCCUPATION PLACE OF BIRTH
THOMAS TRAINER HEAD
30 YRS LABOURER IRELAND
BRIDGET
"
WIFE 30 YRS
IRELAND
PATRICK
"
SON
3 YRS
PORT CLARENCE
MARY
"
DAU 2 YRS
THOMAS
"
SON
4mths
ESTHER WILKINSON M.I.L.
68 YRS
WIDOW IRELAND
It is interesting to find a mother-in law called Esther Wilkinson aged 68 yrs living in the house at South Bank
in 1871- either she remarried a WILKINSON after her
husband James
McQuilquin died or the census-taker
wrote Wilkinson instead of McQuilquin.
Remember there is no mention of a James McQuilquin being
dead
six years earlier .
I wonder if the records of Esther Wilkinson's death is
in the South Bank St Peter's Records or the registry office or even her marriage
?- although this would give us very little information regarding her own origins.
***********
In the next section we meet Thomas Trainer's brother Michael who was living in West Hartlepool in 1871.
His information is in smaller print.
THE WEST HARTLEPOOL RECORDS
1871 Census
Records
of 22 John St West Hartlepool
Con
Gleeson Head m
27 Labourer
in Bond Yard Ireland
Helen
Gleeson
Wife m 28
Ireland
Michael son 4
Wst Hartlep'l
William son
3
"
Catherine dau
1
"
William
Gleeson
brthr 23
Labourer in Ironworks
Michael
Trainer
brdr u 26
Labourer in Ironworks Ireland
James
Donley brdr u
50 Labourer
in Shipyard Ireland
John
Murphy
brdr u 22 Labourer in Shipyard Ireland
So here is Michael Trainer a month before
his wedding to Mary Duff and
After checking the records of St Joseph's RC Church West
Hartlepool, only recently available to the public, I find confirmation
of the births of James Traynor in 1872 and of Catherine Traynor in 1873 and
later of an Owen Traynor in 1875- all born to a Michael Traynor and a Mary Duff.
This would suggest that Owen Traynor did not survive, since he is not on the
census of 1881 in Clarendon Street South Bank. He would have been 6 yrs old.
Here are the details :- St Joseph's
RC
Church West Hartlepool
1871 May 30th : Marriage of Michael Traynor of
California West Hartlepool
son of Michael Traynor
to Mary Duff of California
West Hartlepool
daughter of James Duff
Witnesses - William
Gleeson of John St
West Hartlepool and
Ann Duff of Middlegate West Hartlepool
Born April 2nd 1872 : Baptised April 28th
1872 in St Joseph's RC Church
James Traynor son of Michael Traynor and Mary Traynor formerly Duff
Godparents - Daniel Dolan and Catherine Duff
Born Dec 25th 1873 : Baptised Jan 25th 1874 in St Joseph's
Catherine Traynor daughter of Michael Traynor and Mary Duff of West Hartlepool
Godparents - Michael Gleeson and Mary Anne Lynch
Born Jan 27th 1875 : Baptised March 28th 1874 in St Joseph's
Owen Traynor son of Michael Traynor and Mary Duff
Godparents - Lawrence Traynor and Bridget Traynor
At first I thought that this Bridget Traynor was Bridget McQuilquin wife
of Thomas Traynor of Middlesbrough and an Aunt to Owen Traynor and my mother's
Grandmother?
She was 7 months pregnant
with my grandfather Michael at the time, and aged about 34 .
This could be a reason why the name Owen is remembered by my mother. BUT.....I later found that
Lawrence Traynor married a Bridget Duffy in 1870 in Middlesbrough and I have
to assume it is her.
1871
Census Records for
13 California West Hartlepool
David Dolan Head
m
34 Labourer
in Timberyard Ireland
Bridget Dolan Wife m
58
Ireland
Mary Duff dau
m 21 Husband in America Ireland
John T Duff grdson
3m
West Hartlepool
During my search at West Hartlepool Library and Cleveland
Archives Middlesbrough, I noticed that that the Traynor records led to other
names,such as Godparents and witnesses, which suggested that these names were
very close to the family -possibly relatives or friends which I could not completely
ignore. Remember Michael Traynor married Mary Duff.
Here are a list of associated family
names in Marriage Records :-
1872 Marriage of William Gleeson* son of Cornelius of West Hartlepool
to
Ann Duff** daughter of James and Bridget Duff( of West
Hartlepool
Witnesses - Bryan Hanley and Catherine Duff
* BEST MAN FOR MICHAEL TRAYNOR
** SISTER-IN-LAW
1873 Marriage
of Bernard Hanley Son of Matt to
Catherine Duff * dau of James
Witnesses - Bryan Hanley and Catherine Hanley of West Hartlepool
*SISTER-IN -LAW
1877 Marriage
of Dudley Hanley )son of Matt ( to
dau
of James and Bridget Duff
Witnesses - Bryan Hanley and Catherine Hanley of West Hartlepool
*SISTER-IN-LAW'S 2ND MARRIAGE?
***************
1872 Birth
of Catherine Traynor Kate - marries Lamb of Blackhill
daughter of Thomas and Bridget
Traynor
check records St Peters
In this year James Traynor is born to
Michael Traynor and Mary Duff in West Hartlepool.
1873 - 74
The electoral roll shows two Thomas
Trainers living in
Linthorpe Middlesbrough.
One living in 19 Florence Street
; the other in 122
Duncombe Street .
We can only speculate which was which-until evidence suggests
otherwise.
1875
May 6
??Birth of Michael Traynor
-
marries Mary Gainford in 1908
son of Thomas Traynor and Bridget McQuilquin
baptism not in St Mary's
Mbro records.
The latest info 23 January 2002 obtained from St Marys Index suggests that he was born on June 7th in Spencer Street and his baptism was June 9th.
His godparents were Patrick Lynch and Mary Ann Lynch nee Traynor
Address could be ascertained from Birth Certificate -
There is only one Thomas Trainer living in
91
Spencer Street Linthorpe.
1878
April
Birth of Margaret Trainer
of Nixon St M'bro
daughter of Thomas Trainer
and Bridget McQuilagher
Godparents
: John Dorsey & Sarah Campbell.
It seems very likely that this was a child of the family who did not survive.
1880 Birth of Bridget Ann Traynor - Annie - marries Harry McNeileY
Records to check
1881 Census Records: 12 Stansfield St Middlesbrough
Name
Rel Age
Occupation Place of Birth
Thomas Traynor Head
35 Gen Labourer Ireland
Bridget
" Wife
42
Ireland
Patrick Son 13 Scholar Port Clarence
Mary dau
12
"
Middlesbrough
Thomas son
10
"
"
Catherine dau 8
"
"
Michael son 6
"
"
Bridget Ann
dau
1
"
Somewhere between these years in Mbro and the year 1891,
the family moved to Grangetown - check the e.r. for these years 1882-1890 [
Michael Traynor ]1875[ always maintained that the family
moved to Grangetown
in the early years of its creation.
] see cutting from Daily Exchange 1882 [
Thomas Trainer's brother was living in :
1881
Census Records for 11 Clarendon Street South Bank
Name
Rel Age
Occupation Place
of Birth
Michael Trainer 46 Labourer
Armagh
Mary "
Wife
Thomas
10
Scholar
James
9 Scholar West Hartlepool
Catherine
7
Scholar
Patrick
4
Walter
9mths
There is no sign of Catherine Traynor ten years later in 1891- who should have been 17-possibly
a domestic servant somewhere else?
*This appears to
indicate the origins of the TRAYNOR brothers as ARMAGH-
the only evidence to date to link them with County ARMAGH in Ireland - although
my mother always assumed that her father came from the
South.-unless Armagh is regarded as a Southern County to distinguish it from
the hated Northern English Region.
Grandfather was a strong supporter of a United Ireland.
- a framed certificate used to hang proudly in the lobby at 111 St David's Rd
Grangetown for many years.
Perhaps the suggestion that the Traynors came from Cork
is because Grandfather Traynor's mother - Bridget Callahan may have come from
Cork - a stronghold of Callaghans.
1887
Jun 17 Birth of Peter Traynor - in danger of death
son of Michael and Mary Traynor nee Duff
Jun 19 Baptised
by J Doud &
hodie ceremnia complantur 9July 1887 JJNolan
Godparents - John O' Connor and Sarah O'Connor
1890
Nov 24 Birth of
Stephen Patrick Traynor - unlikely to have survived
son of Michael and Mary Traynor formerly Duff
Dec 6
Baptised by J J Nolan
Godparents - Patrick Traynor and Elizabeth McNamara
Patrick aged 22 - eldest of Thomas and Bridget and brother
of Michael.
Did he possibly marry Elizabeth ?
1891
Census Records 1 Holden
St Grangetown
Name
Rel Age Occupation Em
Place
of
Birth
Thomas Traynor Head m
49 Gen Labourer
Ireland
Bridget "
Wife m
48
"
Patrick
"
Son s
23 Railbank Lb
x Port Clarence
Mary
Dau s
21
Ireland
Thomas
Son s
20 Stationary
Eng Drvr
South Bank
Catherine
Dau s 18
Domestic Serv
Middlesbrough
Micheal
Son s
16 Lab
Steelwks
Middlesbrough
Sleeper Dept.
Ann
Dau s
11 Scholar
Middlesbrough
The
x mark appears to indicate only Patrick as employed at this time
Was this a time of limited employment? It might explain
the period that Michael spent in the Durham Light Infantry -aged 19. c 1894
? My mother said that when he came home from the army - with his pay. The following day, the sofa was filled with brown paper
parcels redeemed from the pawnshop. So times were bad for those
in the eight streets.
A few streets away Thomas Traynor's
brother is living with a family of children with remarkably similar names -
1891
Census Records for 11 Vaughan Street Grangetown
Michael Traynor 52
General Labourer
Mary Traynor 41
Wife
Thomas Traynor 20
another
one?
James Traynor 19
Boot & Shoe maker
Patrick Traynor
14
another
one
Walter Traynor 10,
Mary A Traynor
another
Laurence Traynor 5mths.
Catherine Traynor is missing from the records & would
have been 17 and also
1894 Michael
Traynor: In the army
click on the link above to see more
This is about the time that my mother says her father was in the army- aged about 19 yrs- see photo Perhaps unemployment was a problem even then. } Uncle Mick claims that his dad served in Ireland, India and South Africa
He was Private M.Traynor 5284 1st Battallion Durham Light Infantry and he received the Queen's South Africa Medal Transvaal
in 1902-
See Soldiers' Documents w/o 97. Richmond Surrey
1896 Moved house to 7 Laing Street?
Thomas Traynor is recorded
as only living in 1 Holden
Street up to 1895-so we must assume that the family either moved about this
time or that he died-aged
52. However there is a Thomas Traynor
recorded on the electoral register living in
7 Laing
Street
in 1900. This is probably the same Thomas
- although he does have a son Thomas now aged 29 )in 1900( this Thomas
later moved to Consett , County Durham - but never married .
Around the same time his brother
Michael appears to have moved from 11 Vaughan Street to 106 Vaughan
Street
up to the year 1899 at least. He is
not mentioned in the records for 1900.
1896: Birth of Patrick Walls
son of Patrick Walls and Mary Trainor
Godparents - James Trainor 24 and Mary
Gainford - aged 22
Gt Gt Gran ? -obviously knew the Traynor
family
before marrying Michael Traynor
in 1908 -
perhaps a close friend
of Mary aged 26 yrs
1898: Birth of Catherine Walls
dau of Patrick Walls and Mary Trainor
Godparents - John McElvaney and Ann Trainor
1899:
The Boer War starts
Click on this link to view this excellent website
June 5 Birth of James McNeiley
son of Henry McNeiley and Anne Traynor
Godparents - James Traynor and Ann Jones
1904
Feb 29 Birth of Daniel McNeiley
son of Henry McNeiley & Ann
Traynor
Godparents - Thomas Traynor and Elizabeth
Jones/James ?
Oct
Birth of Elizabeth Traynor
daughter of ?
Oct 21 Baptism
1905 Thomas Traynor Householder in 7 Laing St
1906
James Traynor born
son of ?
Oct 10 Baptised
1908
Jan 11 Birth of Catherine McNeiley
daughter of Harry McNeiley and Anne Traynor
Godparents - Michael Traynor and Mary Gainford
So they were still single in January 1908 - but were obviously
a couple.
1908
Marriage of Michael Traynor 1875 -1951
Mary Catherine Gainford
1874 -1941
It is my guess that this is the year of the marriage -because
Mary is still classed as single on the postcard of 1906 see Gainford
history [ *
Since Mary gave
birth to Johnny Traynor
on October 23rd 1909, after
an earlier miscarriage we can assume the marriage was celebrated about 1908
- almost certainly at St Mary's Grangetown - Michael would have been 33 yrs old and Mary 34 yrs.
1909 : 74 Vaughan Street
Oct 23 Mary gave birth to John Traynor Uncle
Johnny ( bachelor
Oct 30 Baptised in St Mary's RC Church Grangetown
Godparents
-
Patrick Lagan & Annie Bradbury
1912:
Jan 6 Birth of Thomas Anthony Traynor - marries Mary Murray of Scotland
Godparents : Thomas Traynor
and Bridget
Gainford.- gran
Children - Dennis, Mary, Bernard, Anne, Paul,
Eileen
1914:
Jan 23 Birth of Winifred Traynor - marries Our Dad John O'Neill 1935
Godparents : Thomas Traynor
and Katherine
Bennett.
confirmed
27th January 1924
Children - Kevin, Brian, John, Michael, Patricia, Francis
THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918
1916
Feb 4 Birth of Michael Traynor - remains a bachelor
son of Michael Traynor and Mary Gainford
Feb 12 Baptised
at St Mary's Grangetown
Godmother - Anna Bradbury
c1927 Adoption of John McElvaney - marries Helen Terry ....Sean
son of James McElvaney and Julie McAuliffe
by Michael Traynor and Mary Gainford
John was one of twin boys adopted by Mary
Traynor; and Julie's sister Maggie Dooley formerly McAuliffe adopted the other
twin James, who sadly died of measles when about 2 years old. My mother Winnie
was away in service at this time - aged 15 yrs app.