Soldier Belfast 1890's how do i find out more info???

[smd1274]

Hello i am looking for help find info on my Great great grandfather
Have just found out he was a soldier when my great grandmother was born in 1891  
All i know about him at the moment is his name is James Montgomery
He married Elizabeth O'Brien in 1890 Belfast they had 5 children and i think he died between 1900- 1911
I am currently waiting for his marriage look up so i can get some more info
can anyone help me  i would love to find out more info on his career etc

[neil1821]

Have you traced all the children's births? If so, where were they all born?
He could do with knowing his regiment. Fingers crossed a marriage cert. may tell you.

[smd1274]

Hello   have found most of them and they but one was born in Belfast and the other in County Cork
Nobody even knew we had anyone in the armed services on this side of the family, so have no clue as to which regiment he was with or when or how he died
Fingers crossed the marriage certificate unlocks this for me ..... going to be at least a week till i find out   

[smd1274]

I have just received the marriage certificate for  James Montgomery now.
He was married 1890 and was a soldier with RI living in Victoria Barracks.
Can anyone please point me in the right directions of where to find out more info on him, i know he died before his daughter married in 1914

[km1971]

There should be something more than just RI. If not it may mean the Royal Irish Regiment, but they were based in Clonmel. The Royal Irish Rifles were based in Belfast, but other regiments may have passed through.

As well as looking at the certificate again can you post places and dates of birth of the children?

Findmypast have put online the surviving records for men discharged 1883 to 1900. If you know his place and year of birth he may be listed. They are putting 1900 to 1913 discharges online by the summer. But if he died while serving they would have destroyed his papers 20 years after his death. You can also research the regimental BMDs on sites such as FindMyPast for his death. The indexes also give the man's regiment.

Ken

[smd1274]

Sorry Ken  i meant to put RIR so i guess thats the Royal Irish Rifles then
i found the family minus the father James on the 1901 & 1911 census

wife Elizabeth c 1875 Co W Meath(widow on 1911 census)
daughter Marcella ( my great grandmother)  c1893 born Belfast  ---- but have found her birth and baptist records and it was 1891
daughter Annie c1894 born Co. Cork
daughter Joesphine ( Elizabeth Joesphine on 1901) c1897 born Belfast
son James Alphonsus c1899 born Belfast
son John Vincent c1901 born Belfast ---  found his birth in 1900
the census also said they had 6 children but only 5 alive at the time
they were roman catholics

would love to find out more about James and his career but anything on the rest of the family as well   
thanks Susan

[neil1821]

In the Boer War casualty lists, there is one entry which you might find interesting.
1898 Pte J.Montgomery, 2/RIR, died of wounds Springfontein 5 Jul 1900

If the last child was born c.1900 then this is still a possibility.

[smd1274]

Thank you Neil
How would i find out if this him   sorry if this is a silly question but have no idea where to go next

[neil1821]

I'm trying to think if there's an easy, straightforward way to match your James Montgomery to this Pte J.Montgomery, if as Ken says his records would have been destroyed after 20 years ............

A death certificate could be ordered for the Boer War casualty which would hopefully confirm his first name and age...... but that still wouldn't prove the connection.