Ulster Genealogy and Local History Blog

  SCROGGY ROAD, LIMAVADY Scroggy is an unusual placename in Ireland, but there are two places in the Roe Valley that contain the name. Scroggy was an area of Limavady in the parish of Drumachose that gave its name to a road in the town. The second occurence can be found in the parish of Balteagh, as you can see in the map below there is an ancient fort of the name, located not far from Drumsurn. Scroggy fort can be found in the townland of Maine South. There is a Scroggy Wood in Co Antrim. There are historical references to a Scroggy Bridge and a Scroggy Lough in County Antrim, alongside several rural roads like Scroggy Lane near Aghalee. Scroggy Hill is also a 145-metre peak located in County Down. Scroggy is also a rare surname of Scottish origin - in the 1901 census of Ireland only 12 people were named Scroggy and all resided in counties Armagh and Tyrone.

Civil registration of deaths in Ireland began in 1864 (England & Wales, 1837; Scotland 1855). Thus finding deaths before 1864 requires some lateral thinking. Newspapers provide a most useful source in this regard but like wills generally only record the more affluent of society. Workhouse registers also provide an important source of pre-1864 deaths, as do church registers where they exist. The Will Calendars at the PRONI contain surviving wills from 1858 and give the date of death and probate for the deceased. The search functions allows flexibility to search the dates of death, and example, below is a list of all the wills relating to Newtownlimavady from those deceased 1858-1864.  NAME AND DATE OF DEATH Alexander, James 16 Jan 1861 Allison, Robert 8 Jun 1862 Boyle, Edward 10 Aug 1861 Cairns, William 28 Mar 1859 Craig, Alexander 12 Nov 1862 Doherty, William 18 Apr 1860 Hamilton, Elizabeth 13 Jul 1858 Holmes, Catherine 13 Oct 1858 McCurry, Mary 20 Jan 1859 McLaughlin, James 26...

 In St Paul's cemetery on the island of Barbados there is a memorial that records the death of Thomas Sheriff (1780-1846) a native of the parish of Aghanloo in Co. Derry. Large white marble standing against mausoleum:— Sacred to | The Memory Of | THOMAS SHERIFF, | Born at Aghanloo | in the County of | Londonderry Ireland, | on the 14th of Novr 1780, and for 46 | Years, a resident in this Island | Died 29th July 1846, | leaving a Widow to | whom he had been | endeared by 38 Years of conjugal | affection and four | Sons to | mourn his irreparable loss | ALSO | HENRIETTA SHERIFF | Granddaughter of the above Born 30th Aug. | 1816 | Died May 8th 1847 | Likewise | of | JANE SHERIFF | Relict of the above born | Scotland on the | 6th December 1786 | Died on the 2nd July 1854 | Aged 67 Years and 7 Months | ALSO | Chas. John Walker Sheriff | Died January 20th 1867 | Aged 56 Years | & | Chas. Eugene Douglas Sheriff | SOLICITOR | his Son. | Died 16th Feby. | 1888 | Aged 31 Years. The surn...