The Roberts Family

Ann Sophia Roberts

Birth: 23 December 1835

Baptised: Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Father: John Dobbyn Roberts

Mother: Mary (Symes) Roberts

Death: 24 November 1844, aged 8

Buried: in Shankhill graveyard, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland
The inscription on her gravestone reads:
Roberts Sacred to the memory of Mary, the beloved wife of John Dobbyn Roberts, who died 19 Sep 1840 aged 42 years. Also his daughter Ann Sophia who died 24 Nov 1844 aged 8 years. Also his mother Grace Roberts who died 18 Aug 1854 aged 85 years. "Looking unto Jesus." Also his son John Symss who died 12 May 1866 aged 35 years. Also the above John Dobbyn Roberts who died 25 Jan 1887 aged 84 years. George A. Roberts died 05 Nov 1905.

Sources:

Birth: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Death: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903) and inscription on gravestone
Burial: Gravestone inscription transcribed at Irish Genealogy on the NET; Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)

George Alcock Roberts

Birth: 20 July 1833

Baptised: Waterford, county Waterford, Ireland

Father: John Dobbyn Roberts

Mother: Mary (Symes) Roberts

Death: 1 November 1903, in Belfast district, county Antrim, Ireland, aged 70

Buried: 3 November 1903, in Shankhill graveyard, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland
The inscription on his gravestone reads:
Roberts Sacred to the memory of Mary, the beloved wife of John Dobbyn Roberts, who died 19 Sep 1840 aged 42 years. Also his daughter Ann Sophia who died 24 Nov 1844 aged 8 years. Also his mother Grace Roberts who died 18 Aug 1854 aged 85 years. "Looking unto Jesus." Also his son John Symss who died 12 May 1866 aged 35 years. Also the above John Dobbyn Roberts who died 25 Jan 1887 aged 84 years. George A. Roberts died 05 Nov 1905.

Sources:

Birth: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Death: Ireland Death Index (4Q1903 Belfast vol 1 p123); exact date and place from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Burial: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903); gravestone inscription transcribed at Irish Genealogy on the NET

John Dobbyn Roberts

Birth: 1 April 1802

Baptised: 8 July 1826 in Waterford Cathedral, Waterford, county Waterford, Ireland

Father: John Roberts

Mother: Grace (Dobbyn) Roberts

Married: Mary Symes on 1 September 1828, in Rathasput, county Wexford, Ireland
I cannot find any place named Rathasput in county Wexford. Perhaps this should be Rathaspick?

Children:

John Symes Roberts (1830 - 1866)
George Alcock Roberts (1833 - 1903)
Ann Sophia Roberts (1835 - 1844)
Samuel Thomas Roberts (1838 - 1929)

Occupation: Clerk (1843, 1846) and deputy high constable of the cess office (1852, 1861). A cess collector is a type of tax collector.

Death: 25 January 1887, in Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland, aged 84

Buried: 27 January 1887, in Shankhill graveyard, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland
The inscription on his gravestone reads:
Roberts Sacred to the memory of Mary, the beloved wife of John Dobbyn Roberts, who died 19 Sep 1840 aged 42 years. Also his daughter Ann Sophia who died 24 Nov 1844 aged 8 years. Also his mother Grace Roberts who died 18 Aug 1854 aged 85 years. "Looking unto Jesus." Also his son John Symss who died 12 May 1866 aged 35 years. Also the above John Dobbyn Roberts who died 25 Jan 1887 aged 84 years. George A. Roberts died 05 Nov 1905.

Addresses:
1843: Antrim Turnpike, Belfast, county Antrim   (1843 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1846: New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (Slater's 1846 Directory of Ireland p397)
1852: 2 New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (1852 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1861: 2 New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (1861 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1874: 108 New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (probate of will of Martha Symes)
1877: 108 New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (1877 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1880: 114 New Lodge Road, Belfast, county Antrim   (1880 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)

Sources:

Birth: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Marriage: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Occupation: 1843 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory; Slater's 1846 Directory of Ireland p397; 1861 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory
Death: Ireland Death Index (1Q1887 Belfast vol 1 p345); exact date and place from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903); inscription on gravestone
Burial: Inscription transcribed at Irish Genealogy on the NET; Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)

John Symes Roberts

Birth: 26 August 1830

Baptised: Waterford, county Waterford, Ireland

Father: John Dobbyn Roberts

Mother: Mary (Symes) Roberts

Death: 12 May 1866, in Belfast district, county Antrim, Ireland, aged 35

Buried: in Shankhill graveyard, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland
The inscription on his gravestone reads:
Roberts Sacred to the memory of Mary, the beloved wife of John Dobbyn Roberts, who died 19 Sep 1840 aged 42 years. Also his daughter Ann Sophia who died 24 Nov 1844 aged 8 years. Also his mother Grace Roberts who died 18 Aug 1854 aged 85 years. "Looking unto Jesus." Also his son John Symss who died 12 May 1866 aged 35 years. Also the above John Dobbyn Roberts who died 25 Jan 1887 aged 84 years. George A. Roberts died 05 Nov 1905.

Sources:

Birth: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Death: Ireland Death Index (1Q1866 Belfast vol 6 p230); exact date and place from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903) and inscription on gravestone
Burial: Gravestone inscription transcribed at Irish Genealogy on the NET; Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)

John Leycester Roberts

Birth: 19 December 1865, in Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Baptised: 28 January 1866, in Holy Trinity, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Father: Samuel Thomas Roberts

Mother: Jane Hudson (Malet) Roberts

Death: 30 March 1869 in Belfast district, county Antrim, Ireland, aged 3

Buried: Balmoral cemetery, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland
The memorial inscription on his grave reads:
Sacred to the memory of Martha Symes Malet, died 06 May 1862 aged 16 years. John Leycester, dearly beloved son of Samuel Thomas Roberts, died 30 Mar 1869 aged 3 years. Jane Hudson, dearly beloved wife of Samuel Thomas Roberts, died 07 Oct 1870 aged 26 years. Martha Sarah Malet, relict of the late C. L. Malet, M.D. of Cork, died 08 Jan 1905.

Sources:

Birth: Ireland Birth Index (1865 Belfast vol 16 p269); exact date and place from Ireland Births and Baptisms batch C70126-7
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Ireland Births and Baptisms batch C70126-7
Death: Ireland Death Index (1869 Belfast vol 1 p236); exact date from memorial inscription and Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Burial: Posting on Rootsweb IRL-BELFAST-CITY-L Archives (18 December 2004)

Martha Symes (Roberts) Bell

Birth: 24 November 1867, in Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Baptised: in St Anne, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Father: Samuel Thomas Roberts

Mother: Jane Hudson (Malet) Roberts

Married: William McCoubrie Bell on 11 September 1901 in Knockbreda, county Down, Ireland

Children:

Aileen Roberts Bell (1903 - ? )
Samuel Frederick Bell (1906 - ? )

In the 1911 census it is recorded that Martha had three children, of which two were still living in 1911.

Census:
1901: Ballymaconaghy, Knockbreda, county Down
1911: Ballymaconaghy, Knockbreda, county Down

Sources:

Birth: Ireland Birth Index (1867 Belfast vol 16 p282); exact date from Ireland Births and Baptisms batch C01185-0; exact place from 1901 census
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Ireland Births and Baptisms batch C01185-0
Marriage: Ireland Marriage Index (3Q1901 Lisburn vol 1 p899); exact date and place from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)

Samuel Thomas Roberts

Birth: 25 November 1838, in Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Baptised: 28 December 1838, in St Anne, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland

Father: John Dobbyn Roberts

Mother: Mary (Symes) Roberts

Married: Jane Hudson Malet on 4 February 1865, in Holy Trinity, Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland.
Samuel Thomas Roberts is recorded as the son of John Dobbyn Roberts. Jane Hudson Malet is recorded as the daughter of Christopher Lycester Malet and Martha Sarah _____.

Jane was born on 30 November 1843 in Castletownsend, county Cork, the daughter of Christopher Leycester Malet. She died on 7 October 1870 in Dundonald, county Down, aged 26, and is buried in Balmoral cemetery, Belfast. The memorial inscription on her grave reads:
Sacred to the memory of Martha Symes Malet, died 06 May 1862 aged 16 years. John Leycester, dearly beloved son of Samuel Thomas Roberts, died 30 Mar 1869 aged 3 years. Jane Hudson, dearly beloved wife of Samuel Thomas Roberts, died 07 Oct 1870 aged 26 years. Martha Sarah Malet, relict of the late C. L. Malet, M.D. of Cork, died 08 Jan 1905.

Children:

John Leycester Roberts (1865 - 1869)
Martha Symes Roberts (1867 - ? )

Occupation: Writing Clerk (1874); Clerk in Harbour Office

Death: 26 January 1929

Will: probate granted on 29 August 1929, in Belfast.
Abstract:
Roberts Samuel Thomas of Stormont House Knockbreda Road Cregagh county Down retired harbour official died 26 January 1929 Probate Belfast 29 August to Martha Symes Bell married woman. Effects £1940 2s. 1d. D.B.N.P.R. 30.11.44

Census & Addresses:
1874: Dunmurry, county Antrim   (probate of will of Martha Symes)
1880: 31 Sunnyside Street, Ballynafeigh, county Antrim   (1880 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1901: Ballymaconaghy, Knockbreda, county Down
1901: Stormont House, Knockbreda Road   (1901 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1907: Stormont House, Knockbreda Road   (1907 Belfast / Ulster Street Directory)
1911: Ballymaconaghy, Knockbreda, county Down
1929: Stormont House, Knockbreda Road, Cregagh, Knockbreda, county Down   (will abstract)

Sources:

Birth: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903); place from 1901 census
Baptism: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Parents: Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903)
Marriage: Ireland Marriage Index (1865 vol 1 p387); exact date and parents from Ireland Marriages batch M70233-1; exact place from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903); Jane birth, father from Visitation of England and Wales p2 (1903); Jane mother from memorial inscription; Jane death from Ireland Deaths batch B02421-0; Jane burial from posting on Rootsweb IRL-BELFAST-CITY-L Archives (18 December 2004)
Occupation: probate of will of Martha Symes; 1901, 1911 census; Abstract of will of Samuel Thomas Roberts
Death: Abstract of will of Samuel Thomas Roberts
Will: Will calendars at PRONI

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