Loughrea - 1812 - army - Brinsley

[lizb]

I am trying to find out more about John Brinsley. He was born 1783 in Kent but I think his family were from Derbyshire.
He enlisted into the 52nd Light infantry in May 1812 in Loughrea, Galway when he was 29.

I have two questions:

1) What was part of the 52nd Foot doing in Galway at the time - most of them were fighting the peninsular war in Spain?

and more importantly

2) What was John Brinsley doing in Galway at the time?
I think he married in Derbyshire in 1809 and the next I hear of him is in Galway.
I wonder if he had other Irish connections. I notice that the name Brindley or Brinley is quite common in parts of Ireland but this may be just a coincidence.
And his daughter married three Irishmen - one after the other! - and in England, and again this may just be a coincidence

Does anyone know anything about the history of Loughrea or perhaps of any Brinsleys in that part of the country at the appropriate time?

[Martin Aaron]

Hi there
Here's one for you. Your man fought at Waterloo.

I keep a database of Waterloo combatants and looked your John Brinsley up. There he is in No.1 Company of the 52nd Foot.  I have him listed as born Paddington, Kent (sic). Enlisted 1812. Discharged 1825 aged 41. He would have enlisted in Galway probably because he was already serving there in a militia (Kent Militia for example) which was very common at the time.

Hope this is of use. I'd be very interested in any other info on him (date of death etc)
Regards
Martin