The O'Neills, emigrated from Ireland sometime before 1811 - this can be surmised because the O'Neill family, headed by Catherine O'Neill were living in Carlisle at the time of the 1841 census. Catherine's eldest child, John O'Neill, was born in 1811 and his birthplace is listed as Carlisle, so the family must have come to England in 1811 at the very latest. Because Catherine was listed as having been born in Ireland in 1781, we can guess that she came to England between 1781 -1811. It's possible she may have come over as a child with her own parents, or later as an adult with her husband. However, because the census records only began in 1841, there is no way to be sure of this. The earliest marriageable year for Catherine would have been around 1797 and there are no marriage records for her in England around this time. Since her eldest, John, was born in 1811, we assume she was married between 1797 - 1811, probably in Ireland. As the first record of the family (the 1841 census) has no record of Catherine's husband, we can only presume he died between 1811 - 1841.
1841 Census
The 1841 census record for Cumberland, St Cuthbert's parish in Carlisle, is the first record of the Irish immigrant O'Neills. Here they are living at Brown's Row. The occupants are Catherine O'Neill, aged 60, (born 1781, in Ireland) living with son, John, aged 30 (born 1811, Carlisle), and daughter Catherine, aged 23 (born 1818, Carlisle). Also living there is son Henry, aged 21, (born 1820, Carlisle). There is also baby Mary O'Neill, age 9 months, born in Carlisle 1841 - Mary is Catherine's daughter
There is also a Hugh O'Neill living there, aged 48, born 1793 in Ireland. Hugh, in a later record, is listed as young Catherine's brother. If this is true, then it means that Catherine gave birth to him when she was just 12, and there is an 18-year gap between Hugh and John. Perhaps it is more likely that Hugh is Catherine's brother-in-law.
Catherine is not living with her son John in the 1851 census, so presumably she died between 1841 -1851, however, there is a Catherine O'Neel [sic] living at Maryport in the same census,in 1851, age 75, birthplace, Ireland, year 1786.
It is difficult to make out on the record what John's occupation was at this time - though Catherine's and Henry's are clearer: Catherine is working in a factory while Henry is employed as a weaver and Hugh is a labourer. Since John was employed as a handloom weaver in later records, we can assume this was also his occupation then.
1851 Census
John O'Neill is still living at Brown's Row, Carlisle in the 1851 census record. He is now aged 40 and living with him is his daughter, Jane O'Neill. Jane is age 14 (born 1837, Carlisle) at this time. John is a hand loom weaver and Jane works in a factory. There is still no record of Jane's mother (John's wife) living with them, we guessed previously that John would have married sometime in the 1830s, and since Jane was born in 1837, and also because John's wife is not listed in either the 1841 or the 1851 census, we can perhaps guess that Jane's mother died in childbirth.
Catherine is still living in Carlisle at the time of this census, along with her children Mary (now aged 10), Bridget (aged 7 - born 1844), and twins Henry and Sarah aged 1(born 1850). There is still no record of Catherine's husband, although she is living with Hugh O' Neill - described as her brother (though could be her uncle - see prev. notes).
The 1861 Census
The 1861 record shows that John and Jane moved to Clitheroe, Lancashire around this time (the hub of the textile industry, so they most likely moved for work). Now the household comprises of John, now aged 50, Jane, now aged 24 and also Margaret O'Neill, age 2, who is presumably Jane's daughter - John's granddaughter. John is still employed as a cotton weaver and Jane as a cotton winder. Records show that John died, aged 64, in 1876, in Clitheroe, Lancashire. There is no mention, however, of his mother Catherine.
It is Henry O'Neill who is most interesting out of these O'Neills, as it is through his lineage that we have descended - (through his daughter Catherine O'Neill, born in 1860) Henry, by 1851, is aged 31 and married to Margaret, aged 32 (born 1819, Scotland), they have children John O'Neill, age 8, (born 1843, Carlisle), Agnes O'Neill, age 2 (born 1849, Carlisle) and Joseph O'Neill, age 1 month (born 1851, Carlisle). Henry is working as a weaver at this time.
By 1861, the family have moved to the village of Winlaton, near the town of Blaydon, Tyne and Wear. They are living in the Scotland Head area of the village and Henry, now age 41, is now employed as a mason's labourer. John, age 17, is working as a coal miner, Joseph is 10, Agnes is now 12, and there are 3 new additions to the family: Robert O'Neill, age 6, William O'Neill, 3, and Catherine O'Neill, 1. Robert was the last child to be born in Carlisle (1855) while William and Catherine were born in Winlaton in 1858 and 1860 respectively.
The 1871 Census
In 1871, the family have moved to Corner Road in Winlaton/Blaydon, and Henry, now age 51, is working as a railway labourer. John, by now age 27, is no longer living with the family. Agnes is now 22, no occupation listed, Joseph, now age 20 is a coal miner, as are Robert, age 16, and William, age 13. Catherine, age 11 is still at school. There is also nephew Henry O'Neill, age 21, staying with the family at this time. He is also a coal miner.
The 1881 Census
The family have moved to 7 Commercial Square, Winlaton. Living there are Henry, now aged 62, his wife Margaret, who is now aged 63. All the older siblings have now left home and there is only William, now aged 23, still living with his parents. There is also granddaughter Margaret O'Neill living there, aged 9. Henry is still working as a general labourer, while William is a coalminer. It is not clear whose child Margaret is.
The 1891 Census
By 1891,the family are still living at Commercial Square. Henry, is now aged 71, still working as a mason's labourer, Margaret is now aged 73, and still at home is William, now aged 33, listed as single and working as a coal miner. There is also Hugh Irving, listed as nephew, age 35, working as a colliery labourer. it is not clear whose child Hugh Irving is.
Living next door to the family at no. 9 Commercial Square is Henry's son John O'Neill, now age 47 and married to Elizabeth O'Neill, age 46. John is working as a coalminer. Elizabeth was born in 1845 in Lemington, Newcastle. Their children are: Elizabeth O'Neill, age 16, born 1875, Winlaton, employed as a dressmaker, and Alice O'Neill. age 6, born 1885, Winlaton, and finally John O'Neill, age 2, born 1889, Winlaton. John and Elizabeth are still living at 9 Commercial Square in 1901, though only Alice, now age 16, and Robert, age 12 remain at home with them. However, next door, at no. 7, there is a new family living there as Henry died in 1904, at the age of 84 and Margaret at age 74, in 1892.
Catherine O'Neill
It is through Catherine O'Neill, daughter of John and Margaret O'Neill from who the Dodds' line descends. To summarise, Catherine was born 1860 at Scotland Head, Winlaton. Catherine was their eldest child and had 6 siblings: Mary, John, Agnes, Joseph, Robert and William respectively. Her father was born in Carlisle, Cumbria and her mother in Scotland. Her father worked all his life in the cotton trade, weaving, and in labouring. Catherine was married in 1880 to Patrick Devlin and they lived in Winlaton, at 26 Townley Street.
