Dear Margaret, One of the lace making centers was in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh. A Susan DONALDSON nee CORR of Urcher townland was one of the main purchasers of lace and the lace won all sorts of prizes in Dublin. I don't know if that helps. Sharon Oddie Brown Roberts Creek, BC, Canada History Project: http://www.thesilverbowl.com/ Family Tree: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=silverbowl ----- Original Message ----- From: "conaught2" <conaught2@charter.net> To: "the_researcher" <the_researcher@raymondscountydownwebsite.com>; <nir-down@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:48 AM Subject: Re: [NIR-DOWN] Ancestor research, County Down Dear Raymond, Hopefully you are staying warm in "cold and snowy Scotland." Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. You must have had a wonderful celebration! Your suggestion was excellent. I would also add - it they could also post the name of local historians and the local historical society address and contact person. I have been trying to get the name of the sewing school in Rathfriland where my Grandmother learned to sew and make Irish lace.The person I spoke with at the Rathfriland library gave me the name of one person who didn't have any information about the sewing schools. I thought I could check the census in 1901 and see if the school still existed (my Grandmother would have attended probably in the mid to late 1890s but the Rathfriland Library is small and didn't have access to the census. Thankfully the National Archives of Ireland is digitalizing the 1911 Census followed by the 1901 Census. The Dublin 1911 Censu went online in early December and hopefully in January they will put County Down online. The National Archives lists the various counties and in which order they will go online. County Down is third on the list with County Antrim. http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ National Archives Census page Beannachtai, Margaret (Máiread) ----- Original Message ----- From: "the_researcher" <the_researcher@raymondscountydownwebsite.com> To: <nir-down@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:28 AM Subject: [NIR-DOWN] Ancestor research, County Down > Over the years whilst visiting kilkeel, and other libraries in County > Down, i have met people from abroad on holiday who were trying to get some > information on their ancestors who came from that particular area,although > the library staff are not trained to help with genealogy, some of them > give a bit of advice and are quite helpful, > So i decided to explain this to the Library Headquarter bosses and put a > few suggestions to them, starting with Kilkeel library, by luck the lady > in Armagh headquarters who is in charge, is a Sloan from Greencastle, a > good stroke of luck, my suggestion to her was,as there is computers in all > the libraries for the public to use, if a notice board was put up giving > the website addresses that deal with that area, and some of the contents > of the websites, mebbe something else that someone on the list can suggest > for a visitor from abroad who is researching ancestors, so good people any > ideas , as i would like this notice board put in most libraries, the good > lady in charge thinks its a good idea so any suggestions please let me > know, > > Raymond > in a cold and snowy Scotland > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NIR-DOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NIR-DOWN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1207 - Release Date: 02/01/2008 11:29 AM Sharon Oddie Brown Roberts Creek, BC, Canada History Project: http://www.thesilverbowl.com/ Family Tree: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=silverbowl

Hi Sharon, Thank you for the information. Possibly the school in Rathriland might have sold lace to the Crossmaglen businesses. I will see what information is available in Crossmaglen. My Grandmother would walk to school and stay during the week and then go home to Kinghill/Cabra on the weekends. Crossmaglen would be a wee bit far. I actually contacted two different museums in County Down to see if they had information about schools in Rathriland and they didn't have any records. I am hoping somebody has the information. It was suggested that a woman probably ran the school from her home and the students boarded with her. I was hoping to find some clues in the 1901 census. Go raibh maith agat (thank you), Margaret (Máiread) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Oddie Brown" <s.brown@dccnet.com> To: <nir-down@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 10:50 AM Subject: Re: [NIR-DOWN] Ancestor research, County Down Dear Margaret, One of the lace making centers was in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh. A Susan DONALDSON nee CORR of Urcher townland was one of the main purchasers of lace and the lace won all sorts of prizes in Dublin. I don't know if that helps. Sharon Oddie Brown Roberts Creek, BC, Canada

Margaret When I was in Ireland in August last year, I thought I passed a place called the "Linen museum". I think it was off the M1 in County Armagh is about the best location I can give you. I am not sure if they are only involved with the Linen making or if that may include lace. Perhaps others may be able to give you a better contact than I can. The old grey cells are not working this morning. Mike Boyd Brisbane ----- Original Message ----- From: "conaught2" <conaught2@charter.net> To: <nir-down@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 5:01 AM Subject: Re: [NIR-DOWN] Ancestor research, County Down Hi Sharon, Thank you for the information. Possibly the school in Rathriland might have sold lace to the Crossmaglen businesses. I will see what information is available in Crossmaglen. My Grandmother would walk to school and stay during the week and then go home to Kinghill/Cabra on the weekends. Crossmaglen would be a wee bit far. I actually contacted two different museums in County Down to see if they had information about schools in Rathriland and they didn't have any records. I am hoping somebody has the information. It was suggested that a woman probably ran the school from her home and the students boarded with her. I was hoping to find some clues in the 1901 census. Go raibh maith agat (thank you), Margaret (Máiread)