Irene Milligan contacted me asking, “I’m sure my gran was born in Ireland and came to Scotland with her parents when she was young. I have asked in my family and apparently it was a taboo subject and would never discuss it ! So guess what ! I am intrigued Can you help? Her name was Ann Berry but she was known as Annie. Her maiden name was Kelly and she was married to my grandfather Owen Berry and they lived in Hardie street Blantyre. I know she had brothers and sisters I believe one of her sisters was Bridget but that’s all I know really apart from her children (one of them my dad) were all born in the late 1920s early 1930s. Can you help or guide please”
Here is what I found.
Annie was certainly in a Roman Catholic family, for she married Owen in the St Josephs RC Church on 18th July 1919. Here is their marriage certificate which is very faded, but you can still make out some details.
Owen Berry (b1894 – d1962) was a coal miner and 26 years old living at 87 Stonefield Road, which was a former house just in front of the Bowling Green. Annie Kelly (b1897 – d1988), the daughter of John and Mary was 3 or 4 years younger and living with family at 17 Broompark Road, also a coal mining family. Both families likely worked at Dixon’s Pit 4, nearby at Larkfield. The couple first settled down at Owen’s House at 87 Stonefield Road, but moved to Hardie Street around 1926. By 1930, the couple were still at 38 Hardie Street, as you will be aware.
Annie Kelly was born on 4th June 1897 in Blantyre. Her father was John Kelly (b1873 in Perthshire). Her mother Mary Cavanagh or Kavanagh born in 1874 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. As such, I can confirm your gran did not come from Ireland.
There is however another Annie Kelly born in Blantyre in 1897 who would co-incidentally be the same age, but her birth certificate on 25th Sept 1897 shows parents Thomas Kelly and Annie Savage. Not to be confused.
It would appear your gran had a son John J Berry who died in the war on 18th December 1943. He was a member of the Cameronians Infantry and is mentioned in their Roll of Honour, (something for you to look into , for there must be a story there!)
Sorry, this is all I could find out. Here is the ancestry. I’m confident about the tree, but could not find Bridget, but put her into the tree anyway. Hope this is of some interest.
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