Earls Family Chronicles - Christopher E. Brennen

EARLS FAMILY CHRONICLES
© Christopher Earls Brennen

CHAPTER FIVE

THE CHILDREN OF JOHN EARLS AND MARY McCLOY

Map of Islandmagee showing some of the places
occuring in the story of the Earls and Dick families.

CHILDREN OF JOHN EARLS AND MARY McCLOY:

Sally Earls was born on Apr.16, 1828, in Larne, County Antrim and died in infancy on Jun.14, 1830.

Jane Earls was born on Mar.22, 1830, in Larne, County Antrim. In the 1851 census of Pound Street, Larne, County Antrim, Jane is listed under her parents names though she was not residing there at the time. Aged 19, she is described as a servant in Larne. Jane did not marry and lived with her brother James at Mullaghboy, Islandmagee where she died on Feb.24, 1892. She is buried in the graveyard of the Larne and Inver Parish Church.

Alexander Earls was born in Antrim on Oct.24, 1832. In the 1851 census of Pound Street, Larne, County Antrim, Alexander is listed under his parents names though he was not residing there at the time. Aged 17, he is listed as a printer in Belfast. Later he worked at McCalmond's the printers in Roddens Road, Larne. Alexander died unmarried in Larne, County Antrim on March 11, 1859 and is buried in the Larne and Inver Parish Church.

Thomas Earls was born on Jan.16, 1835, in Gortin, County Tyrone. At the time of the 1851 census of Larne, County Antrim, Thomas, aged 15, was living with his parents on Pound Street and working as a ropemaker. The ropewalk was in Pound Street. Thomas became a soldier and died on Jan.28, 1858, shortly after he arrived in India. His bible and other personal possesions were sent home. Thomas is memorialized on the tombstone at the Larne and Inver Parish Church.


James Earls and Margaret Dick.     James Earls.     Grave of James & Maggie Earls.

James Earls, our ancestor, was the fifth child and last surviving son of John Earls and Mary McCloy. Born in Larne, County Antrim, on Oct.24, 1837, he is listed in the 1851 census of Larne as living with his parents on Pound Street, aged 13 and going to school. James went on to the Marlborough Street Training School in Dublin and entered the teaching profession. His first job was a locum on the tiny Copeland Islands off the coast of County Down but this was only for a few months until he was appointed to be the first principal of the Ballymoney National School in Islandmagee, County Antrim. In 1861 this new school was erected on the grounds of the local Methodist church with funds contributed by the church supplemented by local subscriptions. It was opened on Feb.3, 1862 when James Earls became its principal. The school included a small residence for the use of the teacher. The assistant teacher was Margaret Dick whom James married on May 8, 1874 in the Wesleyan Chapel, Carrickfergus, County Antrim. On the marriage certificate both are described as ``National Teachers'' and her name is given as ``Maggie''. He taught the boys and she the girls. She was especially proficient in needlework and Peter Calvert still has one of her embroidered pictures of Noah letting the dove back into the ark complete with olive leaf. James and Maggie lived for many years in the residence attached to the schoolhouse. Later he acquired the lease on a site at ``Lunnon'' in the townland of Mullaghboy about a hundred yards north of the school and at an intersection where the county road splits into roads to Millbay and to Portmuck. On this land, with the help of his brother William he built a fine two-storey house with a shop attached; also included was separate accomodation for his widowed mother and unmarried sister, Jane. Here he established a successful business which was conducted by his family including his sister Jane. They also had a servant who cared for the younger children. As a teacher James was held in high esteem having for many years over 100 pupils on the school roll. As a member of the Methodist community he also played an influential part in sustaining the usefulness of that denomination before the congregation was able to command the regular services of a minister. He took a great interest in the Sabbath-school of which he was for a long time the superintendent. When any difficulty arose regarding a pulpit supply he was always ready to step into the breach when he would facetiously remark ``that he was always put into the gap when nobody else could be had''. His reading and exposition of the scriptures were always listened to with pleasure and profit since he was possessed of an exceptionally resonant voice and a convincing manner of presenting what he had to say to his hearers. He was also an ardent temperance advocate and was one of the founders of the Good Templars Lodge which was opened in a new hall at Whitey's Hill in the year 1873. Several family legends attest to James's strict observance of the Sabbath. No cooking was allowed in his house on Sunday; the meals had to be prepared on Saturday and were eaten cold on Sunday. Furthermore he did not shave on Sunday. One story tells of him being interrupted during shaving on Saturday night. The interruption lasted until after midnight so James took the service the next morning with one side of his face shaved and the other unshaven. After full time service under the National Board, James retired in 1899. Then in his 62nd year and possessed of a vigorous constitution and an aptitude for business, the rate-payers of Islandmagee approached him to become one of their representatives on the Larne Rural District Council and Board of Directors. He accepted the responsibility and for sixteen years he regularly attended the meetings of the Council, driving to Larne in his pony and trap. The pony, whose name was Joey became exceedingly well known in the area. James finally retired when he was almost 80 years old. There is an account of James's life in ``The History of Islandmagee'' by Dixon Donaldson as well as a photograph of him. The children of James and Margaret Earls are described in chapter 7. Margaret died Aug. 23, 1893 at the age of 41 and was buried in the Islandmagee Church of Ireland graveyard where her pink granite gravestone reads:
``Erected by James Earls in loving memory of his dear wife Maggie Dick who entered into rest 23rd Augt. 1893 aged 41 years. Also their two children, Alexander, Nov. 5 1880 in infancy, and James, April 26 1889 aged 3 years. The above named James Earls entered into rest 17th August 1922 aged 84 years. Their daughter Letitia died 18th January 1939.''
James's sister ``Aunt Jane'' died about the same time as his wife. As a result the eldest daughter Jane had to give up her teaching career to look after the family. About 1895 James was married for a second time to Isabella Taylor (c.1857-1924) who owned a farm in Upper Gransha, Islandmagee. Isabella was a direct descendant of patriarchal Milliken family and her farm had belonged to the Millikens for many years (see ``History of Islandmagee'', page 130). After their marriage James moved to Gransha in order to look after the farm. Meanwhile his first family continued to live in Mullaghboy in the house with the shop attached. James would have an early dinner there before returning to Gransha for the night. The 1901 Census lists James (aged 63), Isabella (aged 44) and their two children along with a nephew William Dick in the Gransha Farm while Robert Earls and his sisters, Jane, Letitia and Maggie are listed in Mullaghboy. In the 1911 Census 73-year-old James and 54-year-old Isabella Earls are listed as living in house #21, Gransha, Islandmagee, with their 15-year-old son James and their 11-year-old daughter Isabella. They had been married 16 years and had two children both still living. The house was of stone or similar with roof of slate or similar; it had 3 windows in front and 5 rooms inhabited by 4 people. James died on Aug.17, 1922 at Gransha; Isabella died on Dec.18, 1924. James and Isabella had two children:

James Earls was born in Islandmagee in Dec. 1895, is listed in the 1901 Census as aged 5, born in County Antrim, and is listed 1911 Census as a 15-year-old living with his parents in Gransha. He trained as a teacher and taught in elementary schools in Belfast. His first marriage to Robina Jane ? was childless. Robina died in 1924 at San Remo Nursing Home, University Street, Belfast, possibly during childbirth. At that time their address was 8 Willowfield Gardens, Belfast. In 1925, he married Margaret Wilkinson from Fleetwood, Lancashire. In 1934 they moved to Knockeden Park in the Rosetta area of Belfast. James was the headmaster of Edenderry Public Elementary School before the Second World War. During the war Edenderry was bombed and he moved to Tennent Street School. In 1952, the family moved back to Islandmagee to live in Upper Gransha in the house where James was born. Many improvements were made to the house and James and Margaret retired there in 1953. Margaret died in 1964 and James lived with his son in Wokingham, England, until he died in Jun. 1973. James and Margaret had a son:

James Wilkinson Earls was born in Belfast in 1933 and attended Methodist College in Belfast. From there he went to Queens University Belfast where he studied chemistry. After graduation he joined Shell for whom he worked from 1954 until his retirement in 1992. He first worked on gasoline research for Shell Research Ltd at the Thornton Research Centre near Chester, England, then on lubricants at Shell's Egham Research Centre near London. From there he went to Shell Mex and BP in London to be the quality control manager for all oil products and finally to Shell International Petroleum Co. at Shell Centre as Quality Control Manager for Shell Aviation Products worldwide. Outside of work, he was much involved in swimming and Scouting, was chair of the local swimming club in Bracknell, Berkshire, for several years and played water polo until he was 42. He was a scout leader, a district commissioner and now district chairman for Wokingham District Scouts. In Mar. 1956 in Kingston Vale, Surrey, England, he married Marguerita Agnes Shaw of Belfast who also went to Methodist College Belfast. She studied as a mature student in the early 1970's and became a math teacher, retiring about 1990. They had three children:

James Richard Earls was born in Chester, England, in 1958. He married Deborah Corkill-Callin in Jul. 1984 in Douai Abbey, Berkshire, England. Since 1990 they have lived near Poitiers in France where they have an antiques business with "archives of materiels" which they trade around the world. For some years they owned a Chambre d'Hote in the Poitiers region but sold it and now manage it for the new owners. They have three children:

James Robert Earls, born in Nov. 1988 in London.
Antonia Margaret Earls, born in 1990 in France.
Sophie Alexandra Earls, born in 1993 in France.

John Morris Earls was born in Chester, England, in Jun. 1961 and became a professional violinist, playing with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for several years before becoming a music teacher. He is currently (2002) head of instrumental Music at the Bangkok (Patana) British International School; he also occasionally plays with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. In 1985 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, he married Alison Smith of Wickham near Gateshead, England. They had two children listed below. John and Alison were divorced in 2004 and on Mar.11, 2004, John married Kornpavee Hoisang, of Thai origin and known as ``Aor''. They have one son.

Eleanor Jane Earls, born in Mar. 1986 in London, is the daughter of John and Alison Earls.
Thomas Anthony Earls, born in Feb. 1988 in Dorchester, England, is the son of John and Alison Earls.
Benjamin James Earls, born on Jul.24, 2005, is the son of John and Aor Earls.
Daniel John Earls, born on Mar.11, 2008, is the son of John and Aor Earls.

Hilary Margaret Earls was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, on Jul.11, 1964, and studied German and French at Bristol University. For some years she taught English at a Language College in Lisbon, Portugal. Hilary was also an accomplished cellist. She was Principal Cellist in the Bristol University Orchestra and later played regularly in a local Orchestra. Hilary died in Reading, England. in 1991.

Isabella Earls was born in Islandmagee in Jun. 1899, is listed in the 1901 Census as aged 1 and is listed in the 1911 Census as an 11-year-old living with her parents in Gransha. She became something of a recluse. She read a great deal and neglected the farm that had been her mother's and which James left to her in the hope she would make a living. She died unmarried on Oct.27, 1952 at Moyle Hospital, Larne.

Sarah Ann Earls was born on Apr.6, 1839, in Glenarm and baptized on Aug.30 at St. Patrick's, Glenarm, County Antrim. In the 1851 census of Pound Street, Larne, County Antrim, Sarah is listed with her parents though she appears to have been absent on the night of the census. Apparently she went to work as a servant for she is so listed on her marriage certificate. On Nov.31, 1866, Sarah Earls, a full-aged spinster servant of Moyallen, parish of Tullylish, County Down, was married in the Wesleyan Chapel of Ballymore, Tandragee, County Armagh, to John Dowds, a full-aged bachelor and National School Teacher from Loughans, parish of Tullylish. John, whose father is listed as weaver William Dowds, is remembered as Robert Henry Dowds which may either be an error or it may be that he used that name. On the marriage certificate, Sarah's father is listed as John Earls, bailiff. The marriage was witnessed by James Earls, probably the bride's brother, and by Martha Dowds. Family legend remembers Sarah's husband as a schoolmaster in Richhill, County Armagh, who died young. Sarah was left a widow with seven children, six sons and one daughter who are described below. They continued to live in Richhill. She is listed in the 1911 census with her son Thomas, as Sarah Dowds, widow, born in County Antrim, aged 71, Methodist. In her old age Sarah used a stick and liked a high chair. Irene Calvert remembers her staying in Ravenhill Park for a week and has a photograph taken about 1928. John Dowds died on May 9, 1882, aged 45 and Sarah on Dec.7, 1930, aged 91. The children of John and Sarah Dowds:

Alexander Earls Dowds was born on Nov.1, 1868, in Richhill, County Armagh. He won a sizarship to study at Trinity College, Dublin. Later he taught mathematics in St. Andrew's College, Dublin and was a Professor of Mathematics and a tutor at Trinity. He would characterize poor students by saying: ``Has no brains and won't learn in class''. Though slightly older, he was a close friend of John Earls, the son of James Earls and Margaret Dick. They shared a common interest in math and in the early days of bicycles they explored Donegal and other parts of Ireland using this mode of transport. Alec also taught John to swim. He loved to fish and swim. Alexander married Ann Nunan, a Roman Catholic from Limerick, where her family had a bakery. They got married in England to avoid sectarian antagonism and lived at 37 Belmont Avenue, Dublin. They had four sons and three daughters listed below. Their sons were good swimmers and took part each year in the river Liffey swim with subsequent graphic descriptions of the smell from the Guinness Brewery and the number of dead dogs passed on the way. They used to visit Islandmagee. When they did so singly Letitia Earls would put them up; when they arrived as a family she would arrange for them to stay at some nearby farm. In 1911 Alex. Earls Dowds, born in County Armagh, aged 42, Intermediate Teacher Ex., BA, TCD, is living at 37 Belmont Avenue, Pembroke West, Dublin, with his wife Annie, born in Limerick, four children and one servant. They had been married 8 years and had 5 children 4 still living. Information was refused on religious denomination. Alexander died on Aug.18, 1940, aged 71. Alexander and Ann's children:

Mary Dowds was born in Jun. 1903 in Rathdown and was listed in the 1911 Census as born in 1903 in Dublin City, aged 7, able to read and write. She became a nun and later was interned in a mental hospital.
Arthur Dowds was born in Dec. 1904 in Rathdown. In 1911 he was listed with his parents as born in Dublin City, aged 6, able to read and write. He was the same age as Arnold Earls and frequently stayed with the Earls family in Ravenhill Park, Belfast. He was lively and adventurous, chose the sea as a career, got his Extra-Master's ticket and was Captain of some quite large ships that plied in foreign waters. This was in the era of transition from steam to diesel powered ships. Late in life he married Primrose McLaren, the daughter of a Glasgow shipowner. Primrose bore him three children. She was one of the first women to obtain an aeroplane pilot's license at the age of 17. In later life Arthur became the principal of the Navigation School in Dublin. During World War II he skippered an old sailing ship under the Irish flag, bringing food from Spain through the mine fields in the Bay of Biscay. The father of Des Brennan (siobhan.b@upcmail.ie) served under Captain Arthur Dowds on the Mary B. Mitchell during 1943-44. On one trip Arthur Dowds' ship was lost with all hands: "Arthur Dowds, domiciled in Eire, was lost at sea in November 1946 and the High Court of Eire [Ireland] made an order giving to his wife leave to swear that he had died on or since 20 November 1946. The High Court of Eire granted probate on 24 December 1947. An English grant was required to deal with English estate and an application for probate was made to the registrar of the Probate Division in England without proceeding by way of motion to the judge. The registrar refused to make the order. Pilcher J. made the grant without asking for further evidence and said that in the goods of Schulhof J.I.A. Vol. LXXIV, p. [10]; [1948] P. 66; 64 T.L.R. 46 was sufficient authority for the registrar to make a grant where there had been a declaration of death by a competent court of the domicile followed by an order of that Court vesting the estate of the presumed deceased. Cases might however arise which might �cause the English Court to consider that the evidence tendered required careful investigation and the registrar must have a discretion to refer such cases to the judge. (Probate Division Pilcher J. 1948. March 17. 64 T.L.R.244.) JIA 74 (1948) [0001]-[0028]. Arthur and Primrose's children:

Henry Dowds, born in 1943, attended Gordonstoun School in Scotland.
Sarah and
William were twins born in 1946. William attended Gordonstoun School in Scotland.

Alexander Dowds (Sandy) was born in Mar. 1907 in Rathdown and was listed in 1911 as born in Dublin City, aged 4, cannot read. He also used to visit Ravenhill Park. He married in Dec. 1935 in Dublin South. They emigrated to Canada and had two children.
John Dowds was born in Dec.1909 in Rathdown and is listed in 1911 as born in Dublin City, aged 1. He married but we know of no children.
Francis Dowds was born on Aug.5, 1911, and in the 1911 Census of Ireland is listed as living with his parents at 37 Belmont Avenue, Dublin. Family history has it that Francis played rugby for Ireland and swam for Ireland. On Nov.4, 1939, at the age of 28 he married Sarah Elizabeth Downey. Their marriage certificate states his profession as a leather agent living at 37 Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook, Co.Wicklow, and gives his father as Alexander Earls Dowds, a Professor of Mathematics. Francis went on to become a successful leather merchant; he and his family lived in a lovely house in Howth with domestic help. However, with the invention of plastics the leather business suffered. Francis died in 1966 at the age of 55. Francis and Sarah had 2 sons and 5 daughters. His granddaughter is Sunita McWhinnney who lives in Australia; she is a kindergarten teacher and her husband is a maritime engineer; they have two children.
Nancy Dowds was born in Sep. 1916 in Dublin North. She became a doctor, married Stanley Towel and lives at Florencourt, County Fermanagh. The 1947 Medical Register has Annie Dowds, 31 Belmont avenue, Donnybrook, Dublin, registered 13 March 1940, Ireland, MB, BCh 1940 University of Dublin. In 1959 Mrs Anne Towell, formerly Dowds gives the address as c/o Lloyds Bank Ltd (Cox & King's), 6 Pall Mall, London, W1. Nancy and Stanley had three children.
Ruth Dowds was born on Mar.11, 1918, in Dublin North. She married Arthur John William Ridd, born on Oct.26, 1912, in Plymouth, England. They emigrated to Brisbane, Australia, where they had twins. Arthur died in Brisbane on Jul.4, 1964, and Ruth died in Brisbane on Nov.4, 2008.

John Dowds, the second son of Robert and Sarah Dowds, was born on Aug.8, 1870 in Richhill, County Armagh. He emigrated to South Africa where he was married (see Appendix 5A). He is probably the J.C. Dowd, born in Ireland in 1870, aged 26, farmer, who sailed for South Africa from Southampton on the "Greek" on Nov.28, 1896. He is possibly the J. Dowd, born in Ireland in 1870, aged 30, mason, who sailed for South Africa from Southampton on the "Galeka" on May 4, 1901.
William Dowds was born in 1871 and died as an infant on Dec.8, 1876.
James Dowds was born in 1872 and died as an infant on Dec.19, 1876.
William James Dowds (Jem) was born in 1877. In the 1911 Census he is listed as born in County Armagh, aged 33, furniture and curtain buyer, Presbyterian, living at 4 Froyle Road, Clontarf West, Dublin, with his wife Eliza, aged 33, Roman Catholic, three children and one servant. They had been married 5� years (they were married in Sep. 1905 in Rathdown) and had three children all living. He became a director of Pimms, a department store in South George Street, Dublin. He had two sons and two daughters by his first wife, Eliza. After Eliza's death, Jem married the sister of his brother Thomas's wife, a woman named Barber from Sligo, Ireland. Irene Calvert stayed with them on Rathgar Avenue in Dublin on one occasion. She said that the children all loved ``Barby'' and that they pointed out ``A.E.'' George Russell, the poet, as he was passing on his bicycle. He lived a few doors away. Irene also has a photograph of the family taken when she met them vacationing in Portrush, County Antrim one summer. He is probably the James Dowd (sic) who died in Jun. 1945 in Dublin South, aged 68. Jem's children by his first wife:

Sarah or ``Sadie'' Dowds was born in Sep. 1906 in Dublin and is listed in the 1911 Census as aged 4 years 9 months. She trained as a teacher. She married George Wiggins and, in later life, they lived at Edmonton, Killucan, County Westmeath. They had no children. George died on Sep.24, 1973, and is buried at St. Etchen's Church, Killucan.
Alexander Earls Dowds was born in Mar. 1907 in Dublin. In the 1911 Census he is listed as aged 3 years 3 months. We believe he became a teacher.
Charles Percival Dowds was born in Jun. 1909 in Dublin and is listed in the 1911 Census as aged 2 years. He contracted tuberculosis and was sent to Switzerland but eventually died.
Barbara Dowds was born about 1914 in Dublin.

Henry Dowds was born in Jun. 1881 in Armagh. Fighting in World War I as Private 23822 in the 9th battalion of the Royal Enniskilling Fusiliers, he was killed in action, unmarried, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, Jul. 1, 1916, aged 35. His name is on the Thiepval Memorial at the site of the Battle of the Somme.
Edward Dowds died unmarried on Nov.28, 1916, aged 37, probably while fighting in WWI.
Mary Dowds died as an 18-year-old on Jul.16, 1896.
Thomas Dowds was born in 1873 in Lisburn. He became a schoolteacher in St. Johnston, County Donegal not far from Londonderry. In Sep. 1901 in Sligo, he married Martha Barber of Sligo. In the 1911 Census, Thomas Dowds, born in 1874 in County Armagh, National School Teacher, aged 37, Presbyterian, lived at St Johnstown Town, St Johnstown, County Donegal, with his wife Martha Mary, born in 1875 in County Sligo, aged 36, National School Teacher, two children and his mother Sarah Dowds, aged 71. They employed one servant. Their 2nd class house was built of stone or similar with roof of slate or similar, five windows to the front and 5 rooms occupied by six people; it was R.P.C. property. Thomas and Martha had two sons:

John Alexander (Jack) Dowds was born in Armagh in Sep. 1902. In the 1911 Census he is listed as 8 years old. He became a doctor; the 1931 Medical Register statess John Alexander Dowds, St Johnston, Lifford, County Donegal, registered Jul.5, 1930, with degrees MB, BCh in 1930 from University of Dublin. In 1947 he was living at 16 Avenue road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. In 1951 he was living at 1 Neasden lane, Willesden, London NW10. Possibly the John A. Dowds who was married in Sep. 1955, in Durham North Western, to Kathleen Joyce. We know of no children. He emigrated to the Falkland Islands.
Arthur James Dowds was born in Dec. 1907 in Strabane and is listed in 1911 as born in County Donegal, aged 3. He died in Sep. 1917, aged 9 when he drowned in the River Foyle.

William Earls, the seventh child of John and Mary Earls, was born on Jan.13, 1844. In the 1851 census of Larne, County Antrim, he is included as a 7 year old schoolboy living with his parents on Pound Street. William became a builder and on Nov.3, 1870, married Mary McKay ( -1924) in the First Presbyterian Meetinghouse in Glenarm. The witnesses were James Earls and William Ross. William and Mary had five sons and three daughters listed below. At least during the period 1871-75 they were living in Glenarm and William gave his occupation as a plasterer. At some point William and Mary and their eldest children went to Scotland where William learnt how to make plaster mouldings and do other fancy work. The family returned to County Antrim and later lived in Pound Street, Larne, perhaps in the same house in which his parents lived. It was demolished in the 1950s to make room for a new Technical School. William built the house and shop in Mullaghboy, Islandmagee in which his brother James Earls lived with his family. Mary McKay Earls, like her mother-in-law Mary McCloy Earls, was not entirely resigned to the family's conversion to Methodism. Consequently the family attended Methodist church and Sunday school in the morning and Unitarian (or old Presbyterian) Church in the afternoon. William died on Jul.15, 1905, and was buried in the graveyard of St. Patrick's, Church of Ireland church in Glenarm, County Antrim. There is a fine headstone almost on top of the ruins of a very old church which reads as follows: ``In loving memory of William Earls of Larne died 15th July 1905 and his wife Mary died 1st Feb. 1924, their son Alexander who died young, their son William died 17th June 1878, their daughter Mary, twin sister of William, died 20th November 1935, their son James died 26th January 1956.''
Administration of the estate of William Earls late of Pound Street, Glenarm, County Antrim, plasterer, who died Jul.15, 1905, was granted at Belfast on Dec.8, 1905, to Mary Earls, the Widow; effects were �408 16s 9d. In the 1911 Census, 61-year-old Mary and her large family are listed as living in 36 Pound Street, Larne, with six children and two grand-children. She had been married 40 years and had had eight children of whom six were still living. The house, built of brick or similar with a slate or similar roof, was a large one for the street, containing 10 rooms inhabited by 8 people and with 9 windows to the front. As the above gravestone inscription says, Mary died on Feb.1, 1924. The children of William Earls and Mary:

Alexander Earls, the first child, was born in Glenarm on Sep.19, 1871 and died in infancy.
Sarah Earls, the second child, was born in Glenarm on Apr.12, 1873. Jane McKay, Mary's sister, was present at her birth. Sarah recalled living in Scotland with her parents and being taught the alphabet in a unique fashion by her father, William. She remembered reciting it to the teachers in her Glasgow school and saying that ``I'' was for Islandmagee and ``H'' was for the hump on my Ma's nose. After the family's return to Larne, Sarah became a monitress in James Earls' school in Islandmagee. She would stay with James Earls' family during the week and then at the weekend would walk down to Hood's ferry and travel across to home in Larne. One weekend the lough was particularly rough and Sarah kept asking Mr. Hood, the ferryman ``Do you think it's safe, Mr. Hood ?''. Finally Mr. Hood could stand it no longer and said ``Miss Earls - do you think I'm goin' yo droon mysell for the pleesure o' droonin' you ! ''. In her old age Sarah would still laugh at the boatman's reply. In the 1911 Census, Sarah is listed as an unmarried 37-year-old National School Principal living with her mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. After she qualified Sarah became a teacher at Carncastle National School; in the 1911 Census, she is listed as an unmarried 37-year-old National School Principal living with her mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. She continued in that position even after her marriage to Thomas Timperley who worked in Manchester. They had one daughter:

Adelaide Earls Timperley was born on Apr.10, 1913. She excelled academically, having a particular flair for languages, and attended Queen's University, Belfast, where she obtained a B.A. During World War II Adelaide worked as an interpreter at the British Imperial Censorship Headquarters in Bermuda; a surviving photograph shows her and other staff pictured with Winston Churchill during his visit in 1942. Miss A. Timperley, aged 28, Censorship Office, sailed in November 1941 from Liverpool for Bermuda on the "Akaroa", bound for New Zealand. After the war Adelaide worked for the United Nations relief and rehabilitation organization responsible for rehabilitating refugees back to their homelands. She also wrote articles for the Belfast Telegraph entitled ``An Englishwoman Abroad''. Whilst in Germany she met and married Alexander McGregor and they returned to live at 72 Victoria Road, Larne, where they lived with Adelaide's parents. Adelaide taught at Larne Technical College and often thought of the ancestral home in Pound Street which had been demolished in order to construct that college. Adelaide died of cancer on Mother's Day, 1966. Adelaide and Alexander had four children:

Thomas Earls Timperley McGregor, known as Earl, was born in 1948 and attended boarding school at Methodist College, Belfast. He graduated from Dundee University with a degree in dentistry and later qualified in orthodontics at Glasgow University. He runs an orthodontic surgery in Dundee. Earl married Moira McGinlay and they live at 16 Park Road, Dundee. They have two children, Joanne Katherine McGregor born about 1980 and Tim McGregor born about 1982.
Alexander James Timperley McGregor, known as Tim, was born in 1951 and attended boarding school at Methodist College, Belfast. He is currently (1992) a detective chief inspector with the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Tim married Joyce Lowry and they live at 2 Ascot Gardens, Belvoir Church Road, Belfast. Tim and Joyce have two children, Ross Alexander McGregor born about 1975 and Laurie Adele McGregor born about 1979.
Angus Cameron McGregor was born on Aug.11, 1954, and attended boarding school at Methodist College, Belfast. He married Yvonne Trusdale and they have a daughter, Fiona White McGregor, born about 1981.
Sally Joanne Marie McGregor was born Jul.16, 1957, and attended boarding school at Methodist College, Belfast. She is currently (1992) a detective constable in the C.I.D. with the Northamptonshire Police in England. In 1981 Sally married Glenn Hitches who is also with the C.I.D. in Northamptonshire. They live in Market Harborough, Leicestershire and have two children, Adele Judy Hitches born Dec.16, 1989, and Alice Alexandra Hitches born Jan.17, 1991.

John Earls was born on Jan.19, 1878, at 5 Preston Street, Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland, the son of William Earls, plasterer/journeyman, and Mary Earls (McKay). He became a jeweler and watchmaker in Larne and later went into the building trade. Together with his brothers, James and Thomas, John worked on many large houses on the County Antrim Coast Road including Drumragreagh (a former country residence situated in its own private grounds, nestling between the Antrim Plateau and the scenic coast with magnificent panoramic views over land and sea - now a hotel). About 1902, John married Anetta Beggs of Belfast (born about 1881, the daughter of Mary Beggs) in the Westbourne Presbyterian Church, Knockbreda, Belfast, Co Down. In the 1911 Census John is listed as a 32-year-old watchmaker and plasterer living at 4 Carsons Street, Larne, with his 30-year-old wife Anetta, his 73-year-old mother-in-law Mary Beggs and his 3-year-old daughter Aillen Allanah Earls. The house (2nd class) was of brick or similar construction with a slate or similar roof and had 6 rooms inhabited by 4 people and with 5 windows to the front. We note for reference below that living next door to John and Netta Earls at 2 Carsons Street, Larne, was the large family of Robert and Susan Brennan. John died on Jul.18, 1927, in Larne, and Anetta on Apr.1, 1948, at the age of 70. They are buried in Greenhill Cemetery in Craigyhill, Cairncastle Road, Larne. The children of John and Netta Earls:

Mary Earls, known as May, was born in 1904 and is listed in the 1911 Census as 7 years old and living at 36 Pound Street, Larne, with her grandmother, Mary. On Feb.9, 1921, Mary (May) Earls, a minor, of Ravenhill Road, Belfast, was married in St.John's, Parish of Newtonbreda, County Down, to Hugh Alexander McCollam, a full-aged, bachelor labourer, of Nunregan Street, Belfast (born Aug.29, 1900, father John McCollam, a station master, from Templepatrick). The family story is that Mary had an affair with a man called George Lawson (born in 1899 in Larne, the son of William Lawson from the harbor). George was sent away, arriving in Quebec, Canada, in 1930 where he married Ida Thompson and had at least one child, Marjorie Lawson. Hugh served in the Royal Navy. He and May had no children. May died on May 5, 1978; Hugh is buried in the same plot though he has no inscription.

Mary Earls (or Brennan), later Ida Brennan, a child born to May Earls, was born on Jul.24, 1923, at 19 Grace Avenue, Bloomfield, Belfast. The birth certificate lists her grandfather, John Earls, and grandmother, Netta Earls (formerly Beggs) of 4 Thornlea Terrace, Larne, as the parents. The family story tells that the child, Mary Earls, was "given over the wall" into the permanent care of the family of Robert and Susan Brennan who lived at 2 Carsons Street, Larne, the house immediately next door to the house at 4 Carsons Street, Larne, in which John and Netta Earls lived at the time of the 1911 Census. Mary was raised by the Brennans and later adopted the name of Ida Brennan. On Apr.3, 1942, Ida Brennan, aged 21, (father, Robert Brennan, deceased) of 2 Carsons Street, was married in the First Presbyterian Church of Larne to Thomas Curtis, aged 22 of 3 High Street, Stockton, Leamington, England (father, Frederick Curtis, an artisan), who was serving in the Royal Air Force. Thomas and Ida had several children, including a son Thomas Curtis. Ida worked as a sea stewardess and passed away in the Antrim Area Hospital on Jul.9, 1997.

Edna Earls was born in Jun. 1906 and is listed in the 1911 Census as 4 years old and living at 36 Pound Street, Larne with her grandmother, Mary. Edna died on Sep.18, 1913, in Larne, Antrim, at the age of 9 and is buried in the Greenland Cemetery, Larne.


May Earls.    Eileen Earls and Jack McClean    Vera Earls.
(Courtesy of Karen Morton)

Aillen Allanah Earls (also known as Eileen) was born in 1907. She is listed in the 1911 Census as a 3-year-old living with her parents at 4 Carsons Street, Larne. Eileen married Jack McClean from Ballyclare who had a chemist shop in Ballyclare, McCleans Pharmacy. They had two daughters:

Heather McClean now lives in Cahir, County Tipperary.
Morag McClean, known as Cherry, married a man named Mitchell and now lives in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

William Earls was born in Dec. 1913 and married Peggy McAllister of Larne. Billy went to work with the Ulster Transport Board in Larne harbour in 1948. In 1952 he began work with Pandoro, a subsidiary of the P. and O. group responsible for the roll-on and roll-off traffic through Larne harbour and operators of the "Princess Victoria" which was lost in the great storm of Jan. 1953. He rose to become Port Manager for Pandoro, retiring in 1977. He died on Jan.15, 2000, and is buried in Greeland Cemetery, Larne. Billy and Peggy had a son:

Allister Cecil Earls lived in Millbrook, Larne, and taught school in Lisburn. He married Patricia McKillop of Aghagallon, County Antrim, and they have a son:

James Earls

Vera Earls was born in Mar. 1915 and married Thomas Carlisle, District Inspector of Police, in Belfast. They had two children:

William Carlisle, now deceased.
Joan Carlisle married Ernest Crozier and they live in Belfast. They have a daughter:

Fiona Ruth Crozier,

Cecil Earls was born on May 26, 1920, and married Hazel Beggs from Ballyclare, the daughter of William Hugh Beggs and Agnes Horner, owners of the Ballyclare Iron and Brass Foundry. Cecil and Hazel had no children. They emigrated to the US and are recorded as living on Long Ridge Road in Stamford, Connecticut in 1957. Later they moved to Sarasota, Florida. Cecil died in 2008 at the age of 88.

William Earls and his sister Mary were twins, born on Jun.26, 1875, in Glenarm, County Antrim. William died as a child on Jun.17, 1878.
Mary Earls and her brother William were twins, born on Jun.26, 1875, in Glenarm, County Antrim. In the 1911 Census 35-year-old unmarried Mary, a milliner, is listed as living with her mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. Mary died on Nov.20, 1935.
Thomas Earls was born on Aug.10, 1884 and became a skilled craftsman. In the 1911 Census he is listed as a 26-year-old unmarried Master Plasterer living with his mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. Later he was employed as Clerk of Works, supervising local authority and government building works in various parts of Northern Ireland. He was also on the committee of Larne Technical School and gave Irene Calvert a great welcome there when, as an M.P., she came to the school to present the prizes. He remembered the Croziers from Fermanagh staying with his grandmother in Larne and knew about the headstones in Garvary, Inver and Larne. He married Sarah Kathleen Rocke of Rory's Glen, Kilwaughter and they had three sons and a daughter as follows:

Kathleen Earls, born Jan.17, 1923, married George McNichol. In 1990 Kathleen was living at 18 Star Bog Road, Rory's Glen, Kilwaughter, Larne. George and Kathleen had a daughter:

Mary Kathleen McNichol trained as a teacher at Stranmillis Training College in Belfast. She married Raymond Duffin of Carncastle. Raymond is a depot supervisor with the housing executive. They also own a small, 36 acre farm at 95 Brustin Brae Road, Ballygally. They have three children, Nicola born in 1973, Kathrine born in 1980 and Robert born in 1984.

James Earls, born Mar.17, 1925 was in Auckland, New Zealand in 1960. James Earls, born Mar.17, 1925, of Knowe Head, Kilwaughter, Larne, Co Antrim, N.Ireland, carpenter, sailed from Glasgow for Wellington, New Zealand, on the "TSS Captain Cook", 13,881 tons, on Feb.25, 1958.
John Rocke Earls was born on Jul.22, 1926, and emigrated to Toronto, Canada. There he met and married Daisy Harper in 1951. After a holiday in Scotland Daisy Earls, born Jul.4, 1927, of 57 Wellington Road, Aberdeen, Scotland, sailed on Sep.3, 1959, from Greenock for Montreal, Canada, on the "Carinthia". She was accompanied by her two daughters; country of past and future residence Canada. In Toronto John was a constable in the Toronto Metropolitan Police, at least for the period 1961 to 1976. He and his family lived at 36 Marta Avenue, Scarborough, which is a suburb east of Toronto. John died in April 2000 and Daisy in Nov.2001. John and Daisy Earls had two daughters:

Brenda Earls was born in Toronto on Dec.19, 1952, and sailed on Sep.3, 1959, from Greenock for Montreal on the "Carinthia".
Heather Earls was born in Toronto on Oct.25, 1955, and sailed on Sep.3, 1959, from Greenock for Montreal on the "Carinthia".

Wesley Earls, born Oct.15, 1927, also emigrated to Toronto where he lived at 15 Noganosh Road, Scarborough. Wesley Earls, aged 23, Kilwaughter, Larne, Co Antrim, sailed on Apr.18, 1952, from Liverpool for Montreal on the "Ascania". Wesley Earls, born on Oct.15, 1927, of Kilwaughter, Larne, N. Ireland, carpenter, sailed on Jun.26, 1957, from Liverpool for Montreal on the "Sylvania". In 1976 he worked as a carpenter at 15 Noganosh Road, Scarborough, for ``John Ray and sons''. In 1986 the business was called ``Art Magic''. Wesley has two sons:

Ernest Earls.
Raymond Earls.

James Earls was born about 1883 and became a skilled craftsman. In the 1911 Census he is listed as a 28-year-old unmarried Master Plasterer living with his mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. James died unmarried on Jan.26, 1956.
Jane Earls was born about 1888 and never married. In the 1911 Census she is listed as an unmarried 23-year-old milliner living with her mother at 36 Pound Street, Larne. Later she lived at the corner of Gloucester Avenue and Lahanna Avenue in Larne (in 1959) but also spent alot of time at the home of her sister Sarah and Sarah's daughter Adelaide at 72 Victoria Road, Larne. There she helped to look after Adelaide's four children. Adelaide's daughter Sally remembers that when the children got ``out of turn'', Jane would dump a jug of cold water over them. Sally also remembers that when ``Aunt Jane'' came to visit she would sleep in Sally's bedroom. Last thing at night she would put methylated spirits on her toes ``to keep the frost at bay''. As the years past Jane became quite forgetful and if any of the children misbehaved she would don her hat and coat and say she was returning to Pound Street. Of course she meant Lahanna Avenue since the Pound Street house had been demolished years before.

John Earls, the youngest child of John and Mary Earls, was born in Larne on May 29, 1847, an event which was recorded in a family bible. He is included in the census return filed in 1851 by his father for their home in Pound Street, Larne, County Antrim. His age was given as 8 (error for 3) and he was at school. John was only seven years old when his father died in 1854. He must have joined the army for he is listed on the South African War Memorial outside the City Hall, Belfast. Later he worked as a joiner and emigrated to Australia. He never married and died as an old man in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia, in 1924 when he would have been 77.

Christopher E. Brennen


May Earls.		Eileen Earls and Jack McClean		Vera Earls.
(Courtesy of Karen Morton)