OH's g-g-grandfather was Simon Sloper, born County Down about 1840, married Christiana Stephenson 12th April 1860 at Cleator Moor, Cumberland. On the marriage certificate, it says his father was Simon Sloper, a weaver, and various other certificates for the family agree with this - "Master Weaver" on one; "Muslin Manufacturer" on another.
Simon senior's wife Margaret, born about 1810 in Ireland, moved over to Cumberland too and I suspect she may be the Margaret Sloper who was renting a house, yard and small garden in the village of Conlig, Bangor, County Down from Alexander Ross on Griffith's Valuation - which would presumably mean her husband died before the family moved over to England.
Other children of Simon senior and Margaret who came over to England included Mary Ann M born about 1831, George born about 1833 and Catherine born about 1835. None of them married.
Now, the County Down BMD indexes available online (so far) only show 3 entries for Sloper - all marriages, Jane Sloper in 1852, Mary Sloper in 1854 and Agnes Sloper in 1855. The father in each case was called Simon. I paid to view the details of Agnes's marriage a while ago and her father was Simon Sloper, a farmer. Agnes was "full age" when she married, and she kept producing children until 1873. There is a Simon Sloper on Griffith's Valuation who is a farmer (of Donaghadee), so that must be him. But the name Sloper is very rare indeed in Ireland, so surely this Simon must be connected with the master weaver Simon in some way? I'm wondering now if the farmer could be the weaver's father. Never managed to find details of a will for any of them, unfortunately. I don't know, Jane, Mary and Agnes would have been quite a lot younger than Simon the weaver, but do you think I should fork out 5 euros for each of Jane and Mary's marriage cert transcriptions to see if there is a clue in them, or will I be wasting my money? I can't decide!
Simon senior's wife Margaret, born about 1810 in Ireland, moved over to Cumberland too and I suspect she may be the Margaret Sloper who was renting a house, yard and small garden in the village of Conlig, Bangor, County Down from Alexander Ross on Griffith's Valuation - which would presumably mean her husband died before the family moved over to England.
Other children of Simon senior and Margaret who came over to England included Mary Ann M born about 1831, George born about 1833 and Catherine born about 1835. None of them married.
Now, the County Down BMD indexes available online (so far) only show 3 entries for Sloper - all marriages, Jane Sloper in 1852, Mary Sloper in 1854 and Agnes Sloper in 1855. The father in each case was called Simon. I paid to view the details of Agnes's marriage a while ago and her father was Simon Sloper, a farmer. Agnes was "full age" when she married, and she kept producing children until 1873. There is a Simon Sloper on Griffith's Valuation who is a farmer (of Donaghadee), so that must be him. But the name Sloper is very rare indeed in Ireland, so surely this Simon must be connected with the master weaver Simon in some way? I'm wondering now if the farmer could be the weaver's father. Never managed to find details of a will for any of them, unfortunately. I don't know, Jane, Mary and Agnes would have been quite a lot younger than Simon the weaver, but do you think I should fork out 5 euros for each of Jane and Mary's marriage cert transcriptions to see if there is a clue in them, or will I be wasting my money? I can't decide!
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