John or Jack Bankhead was a son of the Rev John Bankhead of Ballycarry. What little I know about him comes from the letters of his sister Agnes and the 1841 Census of England.
Writing to her husband-to-be in 1840 , Agnes laments that
"But what can anyone do when he’ll do nothing himself nor take advice from anyone. He must just take his own plan whatever that might be" His family had planned for him to learn a trade from a local merchant but Jack had other ideas. His re-married mother and her husband had "a regular dispute" about whether to allow him to stay at the family home and learn farming. He was given a very long talking to by a Mr Chichester, probably the same who was executor of his father's will (of which , contrary to what PRONI will tell you, copies do exist)
He seems to have enlisted c 1841 in the 6th Dragoons who arrived in Beggars Bush Barracks (Dublin) in mid March, when Agnes mentions receiving a letter from his commanding officer promising to look after "recruit Bankhead". The 1841 census catches him at Aston Duddiston cum Nechells near Birmingham. Then he vanishes from record (or at least has eluded my attempts to positively identify him)
Any help most welcome
Matt
