John O'Leary 102nd Regt of Foot

[sputnik]

I watched the Billy Connolly Who Do You Think You Are last night and it prompted me to revisit my research into John O'Leary born about 1837 in Ireland. He was described on his Marriage Cert to Rosina Taylor  in 1873 as a Private in the 102nd Foot. The marriage took place on the Isle of Wight where I believe the regiment was garrisoned for 6 years after returning to Britain in 1869. This Marriage Cert is the first document I have found relating to John suggesting he was stationed abroad  during previous decades. Is there any way of checking his whereabouts and if he, like Billy Connolly's ancestor, was with the 102nd Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers) during the Siege of Lucknow?

[km1971]

The 102nd 'returned' from India in March 1870. Returned is however used in the 19th Century sense so today we would say 'arriving', as they were one of the old regiments of the East India Company that were taken over by the Crown following the Mutiny, and so had never served in the UK before.

They also stayed in Dover first, then Aldershot, Upavon (Wilts), and moved to Parkhurst (IOW) - Sept 1872 to July 1874 - before moving to Portland.

The only O'Leary I can find on the medal roll serving with the Madras Fusiliers is:

3456   Private Timothy O'Leary of the 1st Madras Fusiliers (later 102nd Foot). He earned the medal with clasps for Lucknow and the Relief of Lucknow. In the remarks he is shown as 'discharged' when the roll was compiled and it says his number may have been 3549.

Records for men discharged in India should be in the British Library.


Ken

[sputnik]

Thanks Ken.
I had looked for John O'Leary in the Mutiny Medal Roll and had come up with one in the 8th Rgt of Foot and one in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. I noticed on the WDYTYA programme Billy Connolly's ancestor had transferred to the Madras Fusiliers from the Horse Artillery. Is it possible that John could have transferred to the 102nd from another regiment before the 102nd returned to England?