Just joined the Bann Valley Group and thought I'd better introduce myself too. My name is Tom Kelly. I lived in Garvagh (Co. Londonderry) until almost 12 and my mother's family, the Gilmores, came from the Rockhead farm in Bovedy near Kilrea. We are also descended from the Gilmores of the Blackrock farm in the same townland, some of whose members had interesting pasts, while others, if family legend be believed, "made it good" in New Orleans (perhaps more than good). I have had three bursts of interest in family history over the years, firstly after the death of my maternal grandmother, Jane Hannah Gilmore, née Walls, ("Jeannie Hanna"), in 1974 and then at intervals of around 10 years or so. I suppose that the latest 10 year stretch must over now as a chance search on the internet last Saturday has led me to subscribe to this mailing list (the search was an attempt to do anything to avoid the ironing if I'm honest!). Fired with renewed enthusiasm as I now am, I would like to make contact with Barbara Braswell if at all possible as she appears to have conducted considerable research into the Cooke/McCook family. Mary Jane Gilmore, née Cooke, was the mother of my grandfather William Johnston Gilmore. Said grandfather had an uncle of the same name, a Presbyterian minister in Newton Crumlin, Co. Antrim, and 20 years ago I was in contact with his great granddaughter, Kate Masheder. Any renewed contact with her would be most welcome. Not last and certainly not least, Linda Gilmore provided me with myriad information during my last "burst" in the mid 1990s. She did update my aunt, Netter Houston, née Gilmore, a couple of years ago but my aunt's health has prevented her from passing this information on to me. Direct contact would be great. I have found the last few evenings fascinating, delving back into my roots and coming across names already well-known to me in the most unexpected of primary and secondary sources. One of several examples is that of my great uncle, Robert Walls, brother of my grandmother Jane Hannah Gilmore. He appears in the Torrens family tree as the husband of Mary, née Paul, daughter of Mary Ann Paul, née Torrens (of Drumsara). My mother, Mary Torrens Kelly, née Gilmore, ("Mona"), always understood that her middle name came from the midwife who lived on the farm with the family during and for some time after her birth, as was the custom in such country areas in the 1920s. She always understood that the midwife had been an aunt of her aunt, Mary Walls, and now I finally understand where the name Torrens actually fitted in! I'm not sure that I can offer others more help than that already given to me by the three people named above but would be grateful if there is anyone out there who could give me hints on the Walls family (g-g-grandfather, Thomas, was manager of the Workhouse in Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry in the mid 19th century) or of the related family, the Streahorns, also of Magherafelt. Many thanks for reading this lengthy ramble, Tom Kelly
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