A letter from the Church in Ballygawley written in 1935 to Charlotte McFarland Transcription of this letter

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Transcription of above letter, incorporating suggestions of Rev. Alister Williamson, Balleygawley COI

(top margin) Correct birth date Thomas Alexander McFarland born December 29th 1872 (Embossing) Richmount Glebe - Ballygawley - Co. Tyrone 10.VII.1935. Dear Mrs. Graham: I received your letter this morning and I have gone carefully through the Ballygawley Baptismal Register but can find no entry of your brother Thomas Alexander McFarland The only McFarland child with parents Andrew and Anastasia I can find is Robert James 1878 who is no doubt a brother of yours. I am not surprised at being [...] unable to find the entry you request as -if it was before 1877, I would not have it. Ballygawley Parish having no safe in the vestry room. The Registers completed before 1877 were all sent to the Public Record Office in Dublin for safe keeping and as you probably know during the 1916 Rebellion this office was blown up and all the valuable records destroyed It was a stupid act by those who did it. They could have gained nothing and only caused many poor people and less humble and much financial loss. I am v. sorry I cannot help you . Ballygawley Parish is still going strong and [....] be delighted to see you anytime you might visit us. Yours v. Sincerely, R.W.S. Maltby, Rector (right margin) Your old rector [Thomas] Adderly is still in good health. He has resigned Killeshill. It is now joined to Ballygawley [with a son of Mr. Noble of Classn to our Curate].

ROBERT WALTER SCOTT MALTBY, 39th Kerog Rector 1924-60 In Christmas week 1923 Sergeant Thompson's wife was waiting to be served in Fair's Grocery. Before her stood a stranger to the parish. Kate Thompson had just noticed his plus-fours when Grocer Fair, rounding to the shelves behind her, whispered "It's our new Rector." And so, our Chronicle halts on a wintry Saturday the 5th January 1924 when Archbishop D'Arcy drove up from Armagh with his Archdeacon E.W Hobson to institute the 39th Rector, Robert Walter Scott Maltby, in St. Matthew's Church. Eight years later Macmanaway got promotion never achieved by his privileged predecessors, indeed higher than any Kerog Rec­tor since Roan became Bishop of Killaloe in 1675. Appropriately, Macmanaway became Dean of Clogher, whence, in ages past, came the Founder—to leave his name forever on Kerog in the Ulsterheart. Photo and text from the book Ulsterheart, an Ancient Irish Habitation by Rev. Cecil Brett Ingram