My great grandad was called James Magee . I would be very grateful if anyone out there has any information about him or Belfast's horse drawn trams.

I do know that when he finished on the horse drawn trams my grandad went to work with the horses at Bloomfields Bakery, which I believe was a large business in Belfast.

Can anyone help?

Mike Magee
Blackburn
England

Your Responses

John Friel - Apr '07
Hi Paula, in your family history you mention my father James Friel married to patricia Gunning. We used to visit Artie Magee when we lived in the Bronx, New York. Lillian was referred to as Aunt Lil who took care of my brother for a time. You have also revealed a side of my family in which I have little background.

Paula Shannon - Mar '07
Christopher, Thank you for your efforts. I have been able to find in the 1911 Census, My Moms dads family lived at 93 Joy Street. Alot of the stories my Mom have told me, include the names of her Grand father, Dad, and his brothers and sisters. I now need information on or about 26 Stanfield St. this is where my Mom was born in 1931. I found the above info at Belfast Family andCommunity History. I have finally found something on my Mom's side of the Family,

Paula M. Shannon - Mar '07
Hi Christopher,
Thanks or your response. I am a member of Belfast Forum. I am looking forward to conversing with the othher members of the Forum. Hopefully someone can lead me in the right direction.

Norma Deirdre Doohan - Mar '07
Hi. My father was William John Magee. He had a sister Betty and a brother Joseph. Don't know too much. Dad was in the Royal Ulster Rifles, then came to England to join the 6th Airborne. He married here in Newbury, Lillian Frances Benham. Both my parents are sadly dead. We never had much contact with Belfast - I believe there was some strife. I would love to know what happened to the Magees

Christopher Peake - Dec '07
Season's Greetings Paula, I've looked in the 1843, 1852, 1861 and 1880 directories for Magees in Joy Street with no success. I've sent a message to a friend who has a large number of directories. I'll post again when I receive a reply. If you have a look at the first page of the Street Directory thread on the genealogy board on Belfast Forum you'll see all the directories that are owned by the Forums members. We've succeeded in finding several people for members. In the 1843 directory there was a William Magee, coachman, at 2, Catherine Street North and a W. Magee, coach body maker at 2, Catherine Street.
In 1861 there was a Mrs Magee, boarding house, 65, Joy Street In 1880 Mrs Magee was at 69 but there was no boarding house mentioned.

Paula M. Shannon (USA) - June '06
Hi, this message is in response to Mike Magee's posting. I hope that maybe there is a chance, that I have finally found someone that could be related to my family. If you think you might be related please contact me, my family and I would love to hear from you.
My Name is Paula Shannon; my Mom's maiden name is Geraldine Magee. Her father was James Joseph Magee, I believe his fathers name was James Magee or James Joseph but I am not sure, my mom has told me that someone in her family had a horse drawn cabbie business in Belfast.

I have been looking for information on David McKaig and Mary (maiden name unknown) McKaig. I would really like to find out her maiden name.They're address was 26 Stanfield St. Belfast Northern Ireland. They had 5 children that I know of, 3 boys David, Hugh (Hughie), and Richard (Dick) and 2 daughters Virginia (Ginny) and Annie Mae (my Grandmother).

David McKaig never married; He retired from the Royal Army. He also liked to bet on the horses.
Hughie McKaig was a boxer he moved to Australia. My mom had a picture of him, playing with Ginny’s children in the yard at her home in Australia.

Richard (Dick) McKaig went to Australia to work for a family. He ran away from there. He worked on ships as steward and worked his way up to head steward. He Joined the U.S. or Australian Air Force during WW2. Later the family heard from him and he was working for a Co. at the Sidney Docks. While there a bale fell on him and he was hurt badly. Richard had 2 children their names are Richard and Geraldine.
Virginia (Ginny) McKaig I don’t know married name. She married and moved to Australia. She lived in the Outback.
Annie Mae McKaig - (Born July 23rd 190? Died Nov.13th 1972) She was my grandmother; She married James Joseph Magee (Born Jan 2nd 189? Died July 16th 1963) in St. Malachy's church in Belfast in 1916. They had 2 surviving children Mary Collete (Molly) 1928 and Geraldine 1931. Seamus was born in 1926 but died at 4 to 6 months, and is buried at a cemetery on the Ormeau Rd. . In 1936 the family moved to Birmingham, England, because James had been working there for over a year. The family resided in Birmingham and Carterton. Annie (my Grandmother ) is buried in Whitney, Oxfordshire, so is David McKaig Jr. James Magee is buried somewhere in Erdington, England.
Molly was seeing a man named Paul Lund and they had 1 child. Her name is Paula.
Molly married George MacFadden from the US and moved to the states in 1954. They had 4 children.
Geraldine moved to the states a few years later in 1956. She met and married my father John T. Shannon Jr. they had 5 Children. They are Colleen, Maureen, John III, Brain Gerald, and Paula Marie

I am also looking for information on David or James and Mary Magee they lived on Joy St. Belfast Northern Ireland. They owned cabbies ( horse and carraiges ) their children were James Magee( My Grandfather ) and siblings 3 Brothers Hughie Magee, John Magee and Arther(Artie)Magee they all emmigrated to the Untied States, Years unknown. John or Arthur had a son named Jackie Magee, He came to visit in Ireland for a time. He stayed at Nellies home James had 3sisters Nellie Magee, Joyce Magee and Lillian Magee.
Nellie (Magee) Gunning had 2 sons Robert Gunning and Jack Gunning. 1 Daughter Married James Friel Moved to NY had 2 children, 1st died in childbirth. 2nd Patsy Died. Lillian moved to NY to help with child. Later moved back to Ireland.
Joyce married Patrick Flynn(overseer of post office)in Belfast Ireland and in Birmingham, England). They stayed in Ireland. they had 2 Daughters.
Lillian Magee, as far as we know never married. Had a friend named Captain McCormick. Went to NY after niece Patsy Friel died in childbirth, but later moved back to Ireland.
James Magee married Annie Mae McKaig

Jimmy Magee, cousin of James Magee was a lightweight boxing Champion. Had to quit because of mastoids. He married an English woman in Birmingham England. Fathers name was Mic Magee.

Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to give everything I know so that someone might know something.