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I am looking for descendants of James Joseph Downes.

Born in Dublin Ireland in 1896.

Son of John Downes and Bridget Connor.

Siblings Anne, Thomas, John ,Elizabeth, Patrick and Michael.

He was married to Mary Margaret Dooley.

They had a daughter Mary (Melita) Downes.

Melita married, James McKenzie in 1937, then Johan Vandenberg in 1945, then Patrick Brennan in 1951.

Melita Downes, nee McKenzie, nee Vandenberg was in the Wrens between 1942 and 1944.

James was in the Army (Service no. 36212)

He and Mary (Lilly) Dooley separated in the 40's.

I believe James went on to have another family.

I heard he died in the 60's but can't be sure.

I would be interested to hear from you.

ANDRE BRENNAN GRANDSON OF JAMES JOSEPH DOWNES.

Welcome to GR and the boards, Andre.

You are highly unlikely to hear from any actual descendants of James by posting here.

Replies posted here will be from fellow-members of GR who just enjoy researching, and are happy to help others like yourself.

I see from your post that you already know about James's daughter Melita.


Melita Mary Brennan
in the UK and Ireland, Find a Grave® Index, 1300s-Current
Name Melita Mary Brennan
Death Date 12 Dec 1960
Cemetery Stretham Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place Stretham, East Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England

Photo of gravestone shows that she was 38 when she died.

The birth of a probable daughter of Melita and Patrick Brennan was registered in Cambridge in 1955.

In case she is still living, I won't post her name here.
You can easily find it on FreeBMD - just enter the two parents' surnames in a "Birth" search.
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl


ADDED:
But I suppose you know about her, as she's your half sister.

I can also see your birth record.

Melita died at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.
Her home address was The Elms, Short Road, Stretham, Isle of Ely.
Administration of her Will was granted to her husband Patrick Hugh Brennan, poultry keeper.
Effects £425.

Melita Mary Brennan
in the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
Name Melita Mary Brennan
Death Date 12 Dec 1960
Death Place Isie of Ely
Probate Date 29 Aug 1961
Probate Registry Peterborough

I'm assuming that James continued living in Ireland.
Unfortunately, Irish records aren't so easy to research.

James Downes turns out to be quite a common name.

I don't see a likely second marriage or death for James on GRONI, irishgenealogy.ie, or Ancestry - at least not if his middle name was included.

Related thread now posted:

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/military_chat/thread/1403609

That is amazing! Am I talking to a person? !
Yes Melita was my mum and Susan my half sister!! All facts correct obviously! Putting posts on GR was last and round about attempt at finding my real father who wasn't any of the three men my mother married. Impossible I think sadly..
My grandad James Downes was living in England when he was cashiered from the army in 1944.
I really appreciate your message! Thank you for letting me know that I probably won't get a reply from a relative.

Yes, you are talking to a person!
Like you, I'm just a member of GR .

Lots of us try to help others with genealogy problems - but we're not related to you.

It's not impossible that a relative might happen to spot your thread, but I'm afraid it's highly unlikely.

From time to time, look back at your threads, just in case anyone has replied - even years hence, who knows?!

Re your real father -
as one of the three husbands was named as your father on your birth certificate, it is impossible to find out your real father's name from documentary sources.

As you have realised, only a family member or friend might know, if your mother happened to tell someone.
But given the length of time that has passed, that person would probably have had to pass the information on to their child or even grandchild, for anyone to know the answer now .

Start by looking in ‘search all member trees’

Your post could confuse people as you refer to your mother as ‘nee’ her ‘married’ names.

Her birth name (nee means born) was Downes, and that is the name under which she should be in any trees

Hope this helps

May be you were baptised Andre.
Sometimes people were evasive of the truth regarding parentage, but were more honest with the priest !

Melita Mackenzie (15/04/1916) was living with her husband and Lilian Downes (born 04.01.1898)and in 1939

NO record on the Register of subsequent name changes……. :-S :-S :-S

The name of the only man to whom she was married in England/Wales was Arthur J Mackenzie

The age on 1939 register makes more sense for a 1937 marriage than does her assumed birth year of 1923 on her death record in JFM 1961

Your second forename may hold a clue, but, 80 years down the line, I doubt that anyone would be around who would have any info.

Why do you think that the man named on your birth certificate wasn’t your father?

You could try the Association of WRNS - https://wrens.org.uk - based in Portsmouth.

Melita DOWNES (NOT Vandenberg) married Brennan in Ireland

James Joseph Downes, born 05/05/1896 at 135 Gt Britain Street, Dublin

Ireland Census 1901
Inns Quay, Dublin, Ireland

John Downes Head of family Married 30 1871 Dublin.Occ BUTCHER (as per James Joseph’s birth registration)
Bridget Downes Wife Married 27 1874 Dublin
James Downes Son Single 5 1896 Dublin
John Downes Son Single 3 1898 Dublin
Phillip Downes Son Single 7 1894 Dublin
Mary Downes Daughter Single 1 1900 Dublin
Julia Downes Relative Married 50 1851 Dublin



Ireland Census 1911
Auburn Street, Dublin, Ireland
Bridget Downes Head of family Widowed 38 1873 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Philip Downes Son Single 16 1895 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
James Downes Son Single 14 1897 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Elizabeth Downes Daughter Single 1 1910 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Mary Downes Daughter Single 11 1900 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Ellen Arclier Boarder Single 44 1867 Kilkenny, Kilkenny, Ireland