Author Topic: Michael Kenney 59th Foot  (Read 4214 times)

Offline maggbill

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Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« on: Tuesday 21 October 08 12:59 BST (UK) »
Researching McNab Family Tree.  Jane McNab died 1872 in Glasgow, aged 35, married to Michael Kenney, "Private, 59th Foot".  Jane and Michael were parents to Mary Kenney born about 1869.  Have tried WO97 records,  for Michael, but going around in circles.  Only found one Michael Kenney, aged 18 in 1859, but not sure if he was "59th Foot".   Can find absolutely no records for either Mary Kenney (only on 1871 census with Jane, in Glasgow)  or Michael Kenney (only named on Jane's death certificate.).  Jane and her family were born in "Ireland", so unsure if Michael also born there.  Can anyone give any pointers?  I am in South Australia, so will I really need to get professional help to further investigation at National Archives Army records?
McNab, Kenney, Johnstone, Carrigan, (Cargan, Kirgan, Corrigan), Toll, Tracey, McNulty,  Reilly, Maguire, Loughlin, Banks, McGonagle, Forsyth, McDonald, Michael,  Kennedy, Bagnell, Cronan, Dunleavy, McMullan. -  Glasgow, Ireland, British Columbia Canada, Manchester New Hampshire USA.

Offline neil1821

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 21 October 08 14:58 BST (UK) »
If we assume for the moment that Michael was roughly the same age as Jane, (ie aged 35 in 1872) then his army career may have started as early as 1854-ish when he would have been about 17.

Let's look at the movements of the 59th Foot:
1849-58 China (including 2nd Opium War)
1858-61 South Africa
1861-65 England
1865-67 Ireland
1867-69 Ceylon
1869-80 India (including 2nd Afghan War)
1880-85 England

From that, it may be worth looking for them in the 1861 or 1881 English censuses. Also the medal rolls for the 2 wars mentioned (I can check them later).
Do you have Mary's precise place of birth from that 1871 census?

Name interests: Boulton, Murrell, Lock, Croxton, Skinner, Blewett, Tonkin, Trathen.
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Offline neil1821

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 21 October 08 19:18 BST (UK) »
From the medal roll of the 2nd Opium War (2nd China War if you prefer) there is one possible match:

3601 Pte Michael Kenny, 59th Foot (entitled to medal with clasp for Canton 1857). Also the note that he was discharged on 30/12/73.

This certainly could be the man you're looking for. Note the spelling of his name though, have you allowed for alternative spellings in your searches so far?
Name interests: Boulton, Murrell, Lock, Croxton, Skinner, Blewett, Tonkin, Trathen.
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Offline maggbill

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 22 October 08 07:16 BST (UK) »
Many thanks for sharing your knowledge Neil.  Will chase the 1861/81 English Census.  Was only concentrating on Scottish.  This Michael Kenny could be the one - will also look at the Medal roll - hadn't tried that.  Also keeping spelling variation in mind.  Soldiers becoming widowers - with children? Unlikely the child would stay with father? (especially considering the list of exotic places they went to?).  Wondering if the child returned to Ireland with maternal grandparents after 1872, as they, having lived in Glasgow for years, seem to disappear - no death records. 

Again thank you - great website - loads of help.
McNab, Kenney, Johnstone, Carrigan, (Cargan, Kirgan, Corrigan), Toll, Tracey, McNulty,  Reilly, Maguire, Loughlin, Banks, McGonagle, Forsyth, McDonald, Michael,  Kennedy, Bagnell, Cronan, Dunleavy, McMullan. -  Glasgow, Ireland, British Columbia Canada, Manchester New Hampshire USA.


Offline km1971

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 22 October 08 08:04 BST (UK) »
There were two military schools available for full or partial orphans - Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea (aka Duke of York's School); and the Royal Hibernian Military School, Dublin.

The RMA registers are available online - http://www.rma-searcher.co.uk/Chelsea/index.htm but he is not listed. There is a contact address to discuss RHMS queries. The original documents are in Kew.

Ken

Offline maggbill

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 22 October 08 10:40 BST (UK) »
thank you Ken for information about Royal Military Asylum and also Hibernian in Dublin.  Amazing how family history searches open up new horizons of interest.  I would never have believed that I could get so interested in things Military!  And how difficult life must have been!  Cheers !
McNab, Kenney, Johnstone, Carrigan, (Cargan, Kirgan, Corrigan), Toll, Tracey, McNulty,  Reilly, Maguire, Loughlin, Banks, McGonagle, Forsyth, McDonald, Michael,  Kennedy, Bagnell, Cronan, Dunleavy, McMullan. -  Glasgow, Ireland, British Columbia Canada, Manchester New Hampshire USA.

Offline maggbill

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 22 October 08 11:29 BST (UK) »
Hi Neil, Re Medal Roll, Pt. Michael Kenny - I really do get confused with the National Archives website... could you send me a link for where you found the information about Michael's medal 2nd Opium war?? 

Also re Mary Kenny's place of birth -  - it would appear she was born in Glasgow Lanarkshire abt 1867.  I understand that the 59th Foot spent some time in Aldershot and Glasgow in 1865 (Paisley and Ayr) and in Ireland about 1867 ?  Got this from www.qlrmuseum.co.uk  - Queens Lancashire Regiment museum.  All fits in with Michael Kenny and Jane McNab meeting and marrying either in Ireland (? where) and or Scotland. 
McNab, Kenney, Johnstone, Carrigan, (Cargan, Kirgan, Corrigan), Toll, Tracey, McNulty,  Reilly, Maguire, Loughlin, Banks, McGonagle, Forsyth, McDonald, Michael,  Kennedy, Bagnell, Cronan, Dunleavy, McMullan. -  Glasgow, Ireland, British Columbia Canada, Manchester New Hampshire USA.

Offline maggbill

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 26 October 08 05:00 GMT (UK) »
Hi Neil 1821,

I am still in the dark about Michael Kenn(e)y, and his daughter Mary.  Have tried to gain access to Medal Rolls - just can't figure out how !! also not successful re muster rolls.

 Your information re Michael Kenny (2nd Opium War / discharge date 1873) may just be the one... but how on earth did you find it?  LOL..  I am a "learner" but quickly picking up on the obsession of finding an answer to "the mystery"...  Have not yet checked out 1861 /1881 census for England... certainly no record in the Scottish ones.  To be truthful am hesitating re costs (ancestry.com the only way - to "pay" for access?) - have already spent a fair bit on Scotlandspeople re this one, and it is so vague... the only real record we have of this Michael Kenney (or Kenny), is on his wife's death certificate of 1872, - we have no info re year and place of birth / death, etc.  So, any links re his military history would be magic. 
McNab, Kenney, Johnstone, Carrigan, (Cargan, Kirgan, Corrigan), Toll, Tracey, McNulty,  Reilly, Maguire, Loughlin, Banks, McGonagle, Forsyth, McDonald, Michael,  Kennedy, Bagnell, Cronan, Dunleavy, McMullan. -  Glasgow, Ireland, British Columbia Canada, Manchester New Hampshire USA.

Offline neil1821

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Re: Michael Kenney 59th Foot
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 26 October 08 10:08 GMT (UK) »

Quote
I am still in the dark about Michael Kenn(e)y, and his daughter Mary.  Have tried to gain access to Medal Rolls - just can't figure out how !! also not successful re muster rolls.

Your information re Michael Kenny (2nd Opium War / discharge date 1873) may just be the one... but how on earth did you find it?  LOL..

You'll be looking in vain for that information online I'm afraid, the internet is a wonderful thing but sometimes you have to turn to books and other sources.
 ;)
The China Medal roll has been published in book form by Kevin Asplin. A nice thing to have if your a military history buff, but you wouldn't want to buy it for the sake of a single look-up.
http://www.bookrabbit.com/catalogue/detail/bookid/1112670?s=gb

You'll have to take my word for it unless you can track down the book somehow.
Name interests: Boulton, Murrell, Lock, Croxton, Skinner, Blewett, Tonkin, Trathen.
Military History & Medals