1823 History question & Mary Brindley

[griz]

Its not likely anyone can help but I am curious. In 1823 a Mary Brindley was born in "King's County"
She was the only one, as far as I know, of her family to be born there.

 Her father John Brindley was a soldier in the 2nd Regiment Life guards so would probably be spending his time guarding William the IV,  till Victoria became Queen. 

He was born in Staffordshire but spent most of his 25 years in the Guards in places where the monarch would be, eg. Windsor, Kensington. So why on earth would one of his children be born in  Ireland?

 Later(1851) she was to be found with her siblings living in London .

Has anyone with historical knowledge of Offaly know what  was going on in 1822-23? that would cause the Life Guards( Now the Household Cavalry) to be there.
 (Later addition)
Since posting the above, I have had a suggestion given to me by a relative that makes a lot of sense.

 Mary Brindley was listed as his 'daughter' on the 1851 census, but if she was actually a  'daughter-in-law', then she could have been born in Offaly as stated,  but perhaps went to London in the middle 1800's looking for work, met a son of John the soldier,  and married him. That would mean John did not go to Offaly, but only that his daughter-in-law was born there.
Ah,  the twists and turns of genealogy 

[Christopher]

Hiya,

You make no mention in this message of the name of, or the location of the birthplace of, John Brindley's wife.
It was common for daughters to go home to mother to have their children. Mary was born during the reign of George IV (1820-30), William IV reigned from 1830-37 and Victoria 1837-1901. I presume John might have had the occasional break from military duties. I am not sure what the syetem was in those days but see no reason for soldiers not to have had holidays.

Are you sure about the date of Mary's birth. George IV visited Ireland in 1821 http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/dunlaoghaire/kinggeorgeiv.html Dun Laoghaire was renamed Kingstown in honour of the visit.

All the Best, Chris

[griz]

Hi Chris,
I did not mention the name of her birthplace because I don't know what it is. I got the County name from a  Middlesex census, which was nice as often they just put 'born Ireland.'  More and more data is coming online and maybe one day I will find her marriage and that might shed some light on her origins. Until then I will look for other people and she is on 'hold' for the moment.

 I only have an approx date for birth (year) from the same census( by her age.)  That was interesting about the visit of Geo IV. I tried to find some historical material online about King's County but I was not as successful as you were.

What a silly reason to change the name of a place. I would have been very annoyed, to say the least! if I had been living there in Dun Laoghaire. I am glad they changed it back.

[Christopher]

Hiya Griz,

What other present can you give a King except name a town after him Kings and Queens get so many presents. I hope you do find a lot more about Mary. Have you a lot of information about her father John?
Not too many people have ancestors who worked for Royalty and those that do should be proud.

I noticed a little book in the local library about a Belfastman who was a Royal butler. I wonder if there are many books about commoners who worked in Royal service. You could write one about John Brindley .. there cant be too many books about individual soldiers who spent a lifetime guarding the Royals at that time although more are being published nowdays.

Dun Laoghaire Royal St George Yacht Club got its Royal status thanks to Marquis Conyngham who had a bit of influence with Queen Victoria. http://www.rsgyc.ie/about/history/default.asp

Best Wishes, Chris

[griz]

Hi Chris,
Very interesting stuff, thanks. No, I know only a little about him really.

 I know he was 5' 11' had light brown hair and grey eyes.
 He served for 25 years but came out of the service with Bronchitis, a bad cough, Rheumatism, and according to the doctor who saw him when he left the Guards, he looked a lot older than his age. Poor John. ( Maybe he lied about his age when he joined :-)) but I don't think so). 

I would love to be able to talk to him and ask him questions about his life but he left no notes or stories that I know of.  I do know from his attestation papers he was literate. Too bad he did not keep a diary( maybe he did)  for  the stories would be fascinating, as you suggest.

He served three Sovereigns which is interesting and one wonders what he thought of each of them and their differences. He did leave in 1841 so things would have been very different than in the later 1800's. I imagine it may have been more lively in the Royal residences before the more dignified, and perhaps more puritanical later reign of Victoria under the influence of the very prim and proper Albert

On John's papers when he left, it said he served all his 25 years in the Guards in England.  Four years ago I knew nothing about him and very litttle about this family at all. I am amazed when I look back and think of what we have found since then, even if it is mostly BMD information.

It has been very interesting to find out very recently that  his son Richard ( John's second marriage) went into the Royal marines and also Richard Jr did too. John must have said good things about life in the Military.

 I did see, online, that there was a man in the RAF in WW2 with a middle name Brindley, Eric James Brindley Nicholson (maybe his mother's line was  Brindley?) who won the only VC for the RAF. But it is more dificult to prove outstanding valour in the skies as there were few witnesses in dogfights I suppose, so that does not mean more RAF people did not deserve them.

 In my opinion all those WW2 pilots, especially 'the Few'  deserve the highest honours their country can give. It crossed my mind, when I saw that name, that maybe this man was linked to my Brindleys. But as BMD records for more recent times are not available it will be difficult to check his ancestry.

[Christopher]

Hiya Griz,

I was surprised to read in your message that Eric James Brindley Nicholson won the only VC for the RAF during WWII as the names of Group Captain Leonard Cheshire and Wing Commander Guy Gibson sprang immediately to my mind. 

I thought I would have a look for myself as I had not heard of E. J. B. Nicholson. He was the only member of the RAF to win the VC during the Battle of Britain. Several members of the RAF won the VC during the years 1939-45 www.airscene.org/monument/VCAwards.htm

All the Best, Chris

[Srich]

Hi Griz,

I've only just started researching my family since my mother's death but found your query and thought I'd let you know that Eric James Brindley Nicholson, the fighter pilot VC you traced, was my mother's cousin and his mother was indeed a Brindley.  However I don't have any evidence that any of her ancestry was from Ireland. She was one of the Sheffield, Yorkshire, Brindleys decsended from Charles Brindley, the famous organ builder of the 19th century.  No help to you, but at least it stops you wondering. 

[griz]

Hi Srich.

Thank you very much for your posting re your Brindley family connection. How wonderful to be related to that  brave fighter pilot, Eric James Brindley Nicholson.   

Actually Mary Brindley is a bit of a mystery. She seems to be the only one born in Ireland of my branch of Brindleys.

The origin of the Brindley line I am looking at is Staffordshire as so many Brindleys are. I have no connection, as you thought,  to the Yorkshire Brindleys as far as I know( however genealogy is always giving us surprises  isn't it?  )

John Brindley was born in Audley Staffs in 1792 and joined the Life Guards( 25 years) and lived at Windsor and Kensington most of the time. I have just found out that his son, also John  Brindley, B Windsor  joined the 73rd Foot, but was not as  suited to military life as had been his father.  He was in for 7 years. Later, his son, Richard Brindley was in the Royal Marines ( living in Kent) in the Later 1800's and it looks likely Richard's  son was also in the Royal  Marines. Since I started researching this line I have been very fortunate in finding out so much as I knew nearly nothing when I started.  Good luck on your searching for your roots .