Local History, Global Reach

Iniscarra Cemetery, just a few miles from where I work, holds the remains of one "Mary William, daughter of John Stewart of Belfast. Wife of the very reverend Theophilius Blakely, Dean of Down". She’s also the mother of Captain Theophilus Alexander Blakely, a prolific designer of rifled cannon and the inscription on the side of his mother’s tomb bears witness to that:

Mother of Captain Blakely Royal Artillery. Original inventor of improvements in cannon and the greatest artillerist of the age.

A quick search proved useful and it was sobering to find a connection between my locality and the American Civil War!

7 thoughts on “Local History, Global Reach

  1. Do you have information on further inscriptions on the headstone of Mary William Blakely, or other pictures of the same? Do you have an address for the Iniscarra Cemetery Sexton? This is a relative.

  2. Dear members: I am a descendent of John blakely who was born in Perry County, Ohio, February 13, 1842, a son of Andrew Blakely. His great-grandfather Blakely was a native of the Emerald Isle. It seems that this makes me a descendent of Captain Theophilus Alexander Blakely, but I am not quite sure that this traces correctly. Would you please contact me with any suggestions on pinning this down?

    Thank you,
    Tim Blakely

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