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Archiver > LANCSGEN > 2001-01 > 0978388506


From: "Sharon Murray" <>
Subject: [LAN] Peter McAleer (was Ship Canal Employees)
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 22:35:06 -0000
In-Reply-To: <004301c0734b$d17dd500$faa02cc3@g8g8c4>


Thank you for the information George, although I had already found these
details on the "Soldiers" CD myself, and I have looked on the CWGC site.

Perhaps if I give the list some background on my 'brickwall', someone might
be able to help.

My ggrandfather was Peter McAleer. He died in 1941. All of Peter's children
were born in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, two of his sons were Peter (b. 1893)
and James (b. 1898). I should point out that my own line descends from their
younger half-brother, Edward. Family tradition has it that Peter jnr moved
to Wales with his own young family, date unknown, and that his brother James
died in France in WW1 in 1916. The family were never able to locate James's
resting place, as he changed his name when he enlisted and nobody knew what
to.

Hoping that he gave his actual place of birth when he enlisted, I searched
the "Soldiers" CD for all soldiers who died in WW1 who had been born in
Balbriggan. There were not many - less than twenty or so, and suspiciously
one was called Peter McAleer. I had recently searched nearly all quarters
from 1888-1899 for all McAleers born in the whole of Ireland. There were not
so many that I couldn't record them all, and the only Peter born in
Balbriggan was James's brother. I need to go back to check the quarters I
missed, and of course, the Peter who served with the Lancashire Fusiliers
may have been born before 1888, so I need to check earlier years.

In the meantime, I am working on the possibility that 'Peter' may actually
have been the name assumed by James when he enlisted - it was a family name,
the place of death is right, and he enlisted at Salford in mid-1915, which
fits in with the likely date that the family moved to this area. I am
therefore trying to find out a little more about 'Peter' McAleer who
enlisted with the Lancashire Fusiliers - date of birth, address, name of
next of kin etc. Anything that will help tie him in to, or eliminate him
from my family tree. Unfortunately, the Lancs. Fusiliers do not hold his
records and have suggested I try the PRO. The only additional info. they
could give me was the approximate date he enlisted and the name of his
employers.

I therefore have three areas to search -
1. The birth records for the whole of Ireland (thank heavens McAleer is not
a very common name).
2. The employee records of the Ship canal company
3. The PRO to see if they have any further details.

If anyone can offer any other suggestions I would be very grateful.
Thank you all,
Sharon in Chester

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