The Michael Corcoran and Catherine Murray Family of Halifax, Yorkshire West Riding England: An Analysis of their Migration from Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland to Halifax, England
Michael Corcoran a Gas Laborer from Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland appears to have met Catherine Murray and married her in Halifax in the quarter ending June 1900. It is clear that he is from Bohola, County Mayo (documented in the 1911 England Census) and that she was from County Mayo, Ireland as well. She appears to have died possibly in the quarter ending March 1911 just before the 1911 census was taken for Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. They were married 11 years and had 5 children, two of which died before 1911.
The amazing research compiled on the Irish in England by great authors like Donald Macraid, Roger Swift, Donald E Jordan Junior, Sheridan Gilley, Kevin O'Connor, John Belchem, Frank Boyce and L. W. Brady among others seems to support repeated migration trails from certain counties in Ireland to certain places in England.
There are several other Corcoran families hailing from Ireland in Halifax in the late 19th, early 20th century and I am determined to find out if the others are related and are from Bohola as well. I have documented 19 different Corcoran families in the Bohola film that I have completed. What remains to be seen is whether the Bohola documented in the 1911 census refers to the Townland of Bohola or the Catholic Parish of Bohola. Many of the Corcoran families I identified in the Mayo microfilm were from Ardacarha, Carrowcastle, Bohamore and Carroward. There was a death record for a Michael Corcoran age 68 who died in Halifax quarter ending March 1939 (this Michael should have been 59 if the census record ages were correct.)
Special kudos to Maureen a genealogist and descendent of this line that filled in many of the gaps on this page. Michael Corcoran died sometime before December 1939 and there is a possible death record for Catherine- quarter ending 1911. She apparently died when son John Corcoran was quite young. John appears to have had a twin that died at child birth. John Corcoran, son of Michael and Catherine, married Elizabeth Highley (Hiley) on June 23, 1938 in the Church of the Sacred Heart and St. Bernard, Halifax. They had three daughters, one of them, Patricia (born June 10, 1942) is deceased.
I believe there is a significant probability of a migration trail being followed by many Mayo and Roscommon families from their roots in Ireland to their new homes (temporary or permanent) in places like Huddersfield, Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, Halifax and Yorkshire, England . This will be a work in progress to search for the origins of these families.
I would love to hear from other researchers who feel they are descendents of the Mayo and Roscommon Corcoran families who settled in Yorkshire West Riding Parishes like Huddersfield, Leeds, Halifax, Bradford and Wakefield so that we might work together to discover how these families are connected and their specific origins in Ireland! This will most definitely be a work in progress and all findings I speculate on would have to be proven for accuracy with GRO of England marriage records, church baptismal records and death records among other genealogical records. Please use this information with that caveat in mind so that nothing is assumed and no stones are left unturned to assure it's your family and the connection is accurate.
| Census Yr/ District or other Record | Address | Name | Age | Born | Occupation; Misc Info | Marital Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free BMD Marriage Index England- Halifax (Possible marriage record for Michael Corcoran) | Corcoran, Michael married Catherine Murray quarter ending June 1900 Halifax | Volume 9a, Page 1087 | ||||
| 1901 England Census Yorkshire, Halifax, Northowram Sub Registration District 12 | 11 Clive Street | Corcoran, Michael, Head (of interest Patrick Reynolds Family (Leitrim) live next door to them) | 29 | County Mayo, Ireland | Gas Works Laborer | M |
| 1901 England Census Halifax; Northowram Sub reg district 12 | 11 Clive Street | Corcoran, Catherine, Wife | 26 | County Mayo, Ireland | M | |
| Free BMD Birth Index England - Halifax (Possible birth record for John) | Corcoran, John born quarter ending December 1902 Halifax | Volume 9a; page 440 | According to a descendent this is in error, he was born October 5, 1901. | |||
| Free BMD Birth Index England - Halifax (Possible Birth record for Mary) | Corcoran, Mary born quarter ending September 1904 Halifax | Volume 9a, Page 442 | ||||
| Free BMD Birth Index England Halifax (Possible Birth Record for Nora) | Corcoran, Nora born quarter ending March 1909 Halifax | Volume 9a, Page 423 | ||||
| Free BMD Death Index England -Halifax (possible death record for Catherine?) | Corcoran, Catherine age 39 died quarter ending March 1911 Halifax | Volume 9a; Page 333 | ||||
| 1911 England Census Halifax; Halifax North Sub Reg District District 11 | Clive Street | Corcoran, Michael, Head | 39 | Bohola, Mayo, Ireland | Gas Laborer Hose? Corporation; 5 children, 3 living | W; was married 11 yrs |
| 1911 England Census Halifax District 11 | Clive Street | Corcoran, John, Son | 9 | Halifax, Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1911 England Census Halifax District 11 | Clive Street | Corcoran, Mary, Daughter | 6 | Halifax, Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1911 England Censu Halifax District 11 | Clive Street | Corcoran, Nora, Daughter | 2 | Halifax, Yorkshire, England |