Doug Robertson of Stittsville, Ontario, Canada has contacted us as he is tyring to document his family history.
Doug’s mother is Jane Robertson (nee Mack) born in May 1932 in Belfast and who emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada at age 24. She is now 80 years of age but remembers that, as a teenager, her Aunt Mary Mack as well as her Uncle George Best & Aunt Annie Best (nee Mack) used to take her to a Presbyterian church yard in Saintfield to visit the grave where her grandfather & grandmother are buried.
Doug’s grandfather was William Andrew Mack born June 9, 1901 and who died Feb 14, 1983 at the age of 81. He is buried in Roselawn Cemetery in Belfast. His wife (also buried in Roselawn Cemetery) was Margaret Mack (nee Kennedy) born September 1900 in Raphoe, County Donegal and who died May 8, 1973 at the age of 72.
Doug’s great grandfather, possibly named William Mack, and his great grandmother named Annie Mack are possibly buried in the graveyard of First Presbyterian Church in Saintfield. Also in the same grave are his mother’s Uncle John Mack (i.e. one of two sons of William and Annie), and her Aunt Mary Mack (i.e., one of two daughters of William and Annie). William’s and Annie’s other daughter, named Annie Best (nee Mack), married George Best of Belfast and is buried elsewhere.
Doug’s mother Jane remembers the grave being around the right side of a church building near the back of the building. She remembers it being on Saintfield’s main street where the shops are located and she describes a building with a long front walk much like that in front of First Presbyterian Church. She says that the ground at the grave was slightly elevated, the grave was surrounded by stone with a metal railing mounted on it and the grave marker was one of the large, horizontal-type stones laid over the top of the grave, like those that typically cover most of the grave but she can’t remember if it did actually cover the whole grave.
Any advice, references or information that you could give Doug would be greatly appreciated. Please contact us via:
info [at] discoversaintfield.com
I know this was put up over five years ago and I see there are no comments to date. While out looking around graveyards I spent a few hours in the graveyards of Saintfield and took a few photos to look at at home. I took one of a William Andrew Mack. The inscription is:
“Mack in loving memory of my parents William Andrew died 16th January 1937, Anne Jane died 8th December 1942, Also their dear son John died 23rd June 1940, and their dear daughter Mary Jane (Auntie) beloved sister of Anne, died 2nd January 1990”.
The photo was taken in Saintfield Parish Church.
I hope after all this time, you have this information already but if not then all well and good.
Photo added by Discover Saintfield.