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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: KiwiHugh on Wednesday 30 May 18 03:58 BST (UK)

Title: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Wednesday 30 May 18 03:58 BST (UK)
Looking for a death at sea of James Gilligan between 1828 and 1851. Reputed to be an officer in the Royal Navy but that is just a claim from an 1859 wedding entry.
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: emeltom on Wednesday 30 May 18 10:45 BST (UK)
I can find a death for a James Gilligan who died of Fever on board a ship called P. Dean in Curacao 1st January 1855. No rank given.

Emeltom
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Wednesday 30 May 18 12:02 BST (UK)
Thanks emeltom
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 30 May 18 14:05 BST (UK)
It may be an idea to give some info. about your relative e.g. where/when born & where/what occupation in 1841?

It may help others if they have a circa yr of birth to find a possible death?

What makes you believe James Gilligan died before 1852 if he was deceased on an 1859 marriage?

Annie
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Wednesday 30 May 18 21:04 BST (UK)
Because I do not have any of that information. The start date is because the son who married in 1859 was born. He does not appear in census and end date of 1851 is picked as son is working for a grocer in 1841, most likely wife is in a house with 3 late teens of different names and birth places in 1841, and widowed and a servant for an extremely elderly Navy Captain in 1851 and appears to have gone back to the Brompton Cheltenham area to die in 1857. All the other dead on land James Gilligans from 1837 onwards are either wrong age to be a Father in 1828 or up in Lancashire Yorkshire area. Possible wife was born circa 1797 and a brother in  circa 1818. It is of course possible he died between 1828 and 1837 in which case I am most likely never going to find him. I was taking a punt that he died at sea and a larger pay site that I do not have access to has Navy as sea death records for that time period.
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 30 May 18 23:13 BST (UK)
Thanks for the info. re dates, it is helpful.

"appears to have gone back to the Brompton Cheltenham"...

From where & where was son born?

"or up in Lancashire Yorkshire"...

Rather than where?


Annie
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Thursday 31 May 18 02:54 BST (UK)
The son James (William) gives a birth place of Brompton. Because both Son and possible wife were consistently in southern England. (Kent and London) 1828, 1841,1851,1857,1859,1861 and 1867. A fourth cousin, here in NZ, says James William met his German wife at court, and she had close ties to the House of Hanover and he was a royal merchant for Bovril/oxo. Possible Wife gives a birthplace of Middlesex.
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Thursday 31 May 18 03:44 BST (UK)
OK the possible wife was a servant for Captain George Belson of the Royal Marines and was based at Chatham not the Cheltenham I mentioned earlier. He passed on in 1855 just shy of 90.
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: Jomot on Thursday 31 May 18 03:52 BST (UK)
There is a burial in Chatham 5 May 1832 for a James Gilligan aged 55.
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Thursday 31 May 18 04:38 BST (UK)
Thanks Jomot. If it is him then he would be an Uncle to my ancestor not a brother as assumed. Have just found some interesting Greenwich School enrolments for a James born right time, brother John born at sea and sister Ann. Parents James and Mary with their wedding church month and year. Off to Kent board to do apost >:(
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: philipsearching on Thursday 31 May 18 04:53 BST (UK)
Could you simplify matters for me?  I don't know if I have this correct.

A son's marriage in 1859 (who and where?) - father named as James GILLIGAN, RN officer, deceased.
Son James (William) gives birthplace as Brompton.
Various dates 1828 to 1867, - is 1828 a birth year for James (William)?
James GILLIGAN senior not found on 1841 census
James GILLIGAN senior's probable wife is on 1841 census, but not with her family.
James GILLIGAN senior's probable wife is a widow on 1851 census (in Chatham?)

Possible wife born 1797 (what was her name?)
Possible brother born 1818 (is this James senior's brother of James Junior's brother? What was his name?)

Last definite sighting of James GILLIGAN senior 1828 (son's baptism)
James GILLIGAN likely to have died before 1851 (probable wife on census as a widow)

I think it would be very helpful to have names attached to dates and places.

Philip

Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Thursday 31 May 18 04:54 BST (UK)
By heck that is the same James as mentioned above having his children enrolled at Grenwich Hospital School. Have since found he died at 8am 1 May 1832
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: Jomot on Thursday 31 May 18 12:12 BST (UK)
Thanks Jomot. If it is him then he would be an Uncle to my ancestor not a brother as assumed.

I had assumed your ancestor was James (William) - I take it that isn't the case then?

There is a Certificate of Service for a James Gilligan which simply lists his ships from 1 Mar 1826 & shows his service ended 1 May 1832, which would tie in with the burial on 5 May 1832.

I note that the Greenwich School entry for John also states 'Father died 8am 1 May 1832'

Added:  It looks like he (James Sr) was a Cook & entered service 15 Dec 1820 (?)
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: Jomot on Thursday 31 May 18 12:27 BST (UK)
entered service 15 Dec 1820 (?)

No, that's wrong, its written next to the words 'former time' so must be length of service prior to the dates & ships listed, but I can't work out how as it's across 4 columns and says 15 12 2 0, and the final figures are 20 12 2 1
Title: Re: At Sea Navy Death
Post by: KiwiHugh on Thursday 31 May 18 13:28 BST (UK)
Have been hacking away at these Gilligans in the hope that English records would throw some light back a generation. As you probably know that Irish records are a mine field of generally NONE prior to around 1820. They ARE relatives.