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THE BLACK FAMILY
of Thomondgate, Limerick, Ireland
The story of the Black family in Thomondgate Limerick appears to have a beginning and an end, although there are still some thread of our research to tie up.
Some of the names of our Black family are listed below but the story goes something like this:-
A soldier named Sergeant Joseph Ryder married a Dublin girl Annie Elley. At some point Joseph was posted to India and Alicia went with him. But Joseph took ill and died in January 1861 in Colaba, India, leaving his wife a widow and in a foreign country. It is presently not clear whether their marriage produced any children or, if it did, whether any chidlren survived.
About six months later, on 19th June 1861 and still in Colaba, India, Alicia re-married. Again her husband was a soldier, a Sergeant William Black.
William and Alicia had a number of children, the exact number is not known and neither are all their names nor where they were born. However, when Alicia was just 2 months from giving birth with her last child, and when the family was based in Northampton, William took ill and died. After burying Alicia in Northampton, a very pregnant Alicia returned home to Dublin where she gave birth to the writer's Great grandfather Thomas James Black.
Thomas James BLACK
- Thomas James Black was born on 14th June 1877 at 41 New Street, Dublin.
- Thomas' parents were William Black (who was deceased at the time of Thomas' birth) and Alicia Black (nee Elley) .
- Thomas Black married Annie ELLEY on 9th April 1898 in Dublin
- Thomas was a Master Printer to trade
- Thomas was known as a great singer with an excellent voice
- In the 1901 Census Thomas and Annie, with baby daughter Lilian Eveline were living in Malpas Place, Dublin.
- The 1911 Census records
Thomas James Black and family living at 10 High Road, Limerick.
- The 1923 Register of Electors has Thomas living at
10 Sexton Street, North, Thomondgate and it is clear, from the death of his wife Annie Elley, that he remained at that address until at least November 1946
- Thomas died on 26th October 1959 at the age of 74 and is buried in the grounds of St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick
- Thomas James Black is the author's great grandfather.
Children of Thomas James Black and Anne Elley
- Lillian Evelyn Black
- Lillian was born on 21st April 1899 in Dublin.
- Lillian Evelyn Black married George
Thomas Dixon on 17th February 1920 in Limerick.
- Lillian died on 21st September 1976 in Limerick and is buried in the grounds of St Mary's Cathedral
- Recorded as Lily in the 1923 Register of Electors for Limerick
- Lillian Evelyn Black is the author's grandmother
- John Black (known as Jack)
- Eileen Black
- Dermot Black
- Harry William Black
- Thomas Alexander Black (known as Tommy)
St Mary's Cathedral
There are two plots in St Mary's Cathedral which are relevant to the Black family.
Black Family Plot, St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick
| Name |
Date of Burial |
Age |
Address at time of death |
| Elizabeth Emily Black |
3rd January 1880 |
3 months |
Roden Street, Limerick |
| Anne Black |
13th July 1886 |
84 |
Middleton, Co. Cork |
| Harry Black |
30th September 1921 |
19 |
10 Foley's Cottages,
Thomondgate, Limerick |
Annie Black
(maiden name Elley) |
27th November 1946 |
71 |
10 Sexton Street,
North Thomondgate, Limeriekc |
| Thomas James Black |
28th October 1951 |
74 |
"Hall's Buildings",
Nicholas Street, Limerick |
| Eileen Black |
11th November 1963 |
54 |
Cathedral House,
Nicholas Street, Limerick |
Dixon Family Plot, St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick
| Name |
Date of Death |
Age |
Address at time of death |
| George Thomas Dixon |
6th April 1972 |
72 |
Limerick |
Lillian Evelyn Dixon
{maiden name Black) |
29th September 1976 |
77 |
Limerick |
| John Alexander (Alex) Dixon |
17th January 1995 |
65 |
Limerick |
Anne Black
- We do not know how Anne Black fits into our Family History.
- Both my father (George Thomas Dixon, son of George Dixon and Lillian Black) and his uncle Tommy Black both talk about a "Grannie Black" who enjoyed a bottle of Guiness and, since there was only 10 years. between them, we assume they were talking about the same person.
- Could Grannie Black and Anne Black be one and the same?
- Assuming Black was her married name, what would her maiden name have been? Where would she have been born? What was her husband's name?
- We also note that Anne Black's place of birth was Middleton, Co. Cork and relate this information to the death notice recorded for Jane Black below.
Jane Black
- Death notice recorded in the Limerick Chronicle 15th July 1886
- Black - July 10th, at the Rock, Middleton, Mrs Jane, relict of the late James Black, esq, formerly of Limerick, aged 85 years.
- Jane died 15 July 1886 at age of 85, therefore born around 1801.
- Where was Jane born?
- No details of her husband James Black are held (although there is a younger James Black recorded in the 1923 Register of Electors) - so who was he, where did he come from and is there any link to the "James" in Thomas James Black?
- What might out family link be with Middleton (or is it Midleton ?)
James Black
- James Black appears in the 1923 Register of Electors for Limerick as living at 7 Catherine Street, Limerick.
- What is his connection to our family (if any) ?
Black Links
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