2nd Battalion, 18th Regiment (Royal Irish)

[NZChrisW]

I am trying to find information about my ancestor Sergeant John Mahony of this Regiment. I know that he was at Buttevant Barracks in County Cork between 1858 and 1862 but know very little else about him  other than that he was born about 1810-1815 and that his wife's name was Martha.

If anyone has any information about him I would be grateful

[km1971]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the forum. The 2nd Battalion of the 18th foot was reformed in Ireland from various Militia regiments in September 1857. As a Sergeant he may have been transferred from the 1st Battalion, or he may have come from one of the Militia regiments. He was getting on a bit in years, which may suggest the latter. Either way the answer will lie in finding his service papers. Again from his age he is very likely to have been discharged soon after, so his papers (if they survive) will be in the section for men discharged 1855 to 1872. These are filed by regiment, then name.

If the NZ in your name means you cannot get to Kew, you will have to employ a researcher. Or you could check with your nearest centre who are part of the A2A scheme to see if a copy of the microfilm can be sent from Kew. Findmypast are also putting pre WW1 papers online (due 2011).

If his papers do not survive a look in the 2nd Battalion muster book for 1857-58, should tell you where he came from. But these are original documents, so you will have to pay a researcher.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

And if he came from the Militia - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=26 - although the coverage is not as rosy as it is painted here.

Ken

[josey]

For future reference the WO 97 box number you need is:
WO 97/1449   Royal Irish Regiment: Kah - Mur      1855-1872 

& the Muster Book will be at
WO 12/3573   18th Foot 2nd Battalion   Covering dates    1858 - 1859    

My great great grandfather was discharged at Buttevant Barracks in 1859 from the 87th Regiment RIF having enlisted in Tipperary in 1837 & my great grandfather emlisted in Buttevant [same regiment] in 1864 being discharged in 1899 in Armagh. Do you have any info about the Barracks? I have viewed both their discharge papers. The 1859 papers at least give a place of birth & age but no family details, unlike the 1899 ones.

The IFHF website www.brsgenealogy.com free index shows 33 matches for the search criteria: mahoney (plus variants) john birth 1811-1815 & 66 matches for the search criteria: mahoney (plus variants) john marriage 1831-1839. I found no John Mahon[e]y in the military marriages on findmypast same time period [although only the Ionian list came up].

Do you know when and/or where their children were born?

Josey

[NZChrisW]

Hi Ken

Thanks for that useful information. I am in NZ but I am getting my son to go to Kew to follow up on this. Thanks again

Chris

Hi Chris

Welcome to the forum. The 2nd Battalion of the 18th foot was reformed in Ireland from various Militia regiments in September 1857. As a Sergeant he may have been transferred from the 1st Battalion, or he may have come from one of the Militia regiments. He was getting on a bit in years, which may suggest the latter. Either way the answer will lie in finding his service papers. Again from his age he is very likely to have been discharged soon after, so his papers (if they survive) will be in the section for men discharged 1855 to 1872. These are filed by regiment, then name.

If the NZ in your name means you cannot get to Kew, you will have to employ a researcher. Or you could check with your nearest centre who are part of the A2A scheme to see if a copy of the microfilm can be sent from Kew. Findmypast are also putting pre WW1 papers online (due 2011).

If his papers do not survive a look in the 2nd Battalion muster book for 1857-58, should tell you where he came from. But these are original documents, so you will have to pay a researcher.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

And if he came from the Militia - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=26 - although the coverage is not as rosy as it is painted here.

Ken

[NZChrisW]

Hi Josey

I am much obliged for those references. Unfortunately I have no information yet about the Barracks to pass on to you.

I do know that John married Martha Matilda Barnes (born in Halifax Nova Scotia 1815) but I do not know where they married. Their eldest daughter (my great great grandmother) was baptised in Portsea (Portsmouth) Roman Catholic Church in 1837  and married William Wheeler (my great great grandfather) in Buttevant Parish Church on 20 May 1858. Another daughter (Mary b 1845) married Charles Braine in Buttevant Parish Church on 9 June 1862. The other children (that I know of ) were Frederick (b 1847), Charlotte (b 1849) and Emma (b 1855). I am told by a relative (but I have no evidence) that John was born in Lisgriffin, Buttevant and that all the children (apart from Harriet) were born in Buttevant).

Thanks for your help

Best Wishes

Chris

For future reference the WO 97 box number you need is:
WO 97/1449   Royal Irish Regiment: Kah - Mur      1855-1872 

& the Muster Book will be at
WO 12/3573   18th Foot 2nd Battalion   Covering dates    1858 - 1859    

My great great grandfather was discharged at Buttevant Barracks in 1859 from the 87th Regiment RIF having enlisted in Tipperary in 1837 & my great grandfather emlisted in Buttevant [same regiment] in 1864 being discharged in 1899 in Armagh. Do you have any info about the Barracks? I have viewed both their discharge papers. The 1859 papers at least give a place of birth & age but no family details, unlike the 1899 ones.

The IFHF website www.brsgenealogy.com free index shows 33 matches for the search criteria: mahoney (plus variants) john birth 1811-1815 & 66 matches for the search criteria: mahoney (plus variants) john marriage 1831-1839. I found no John Mahon[e]y in the military marriages on findmypast same time period [although only the Ionian list came up].

Do you know when and/or where their children were born?

Josey

[josey]

Pleased to be able to help.....

Your son should note that the WO 97 series is currently undergoing digitisation - this is the note on the National Archives website:

PLEASE NOTE: This series is currently undergoing digitisation (from May 2008). Access to certain pieces will be disrupted over the next 3 years and advance ordering of this series may be interrupted during this time. Please check with us that the pieces that you wish to consult are not affected before you travel. For more details please visit the project news at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/212.htm (a live link to this is available in the ScopeContent at WO 97 series level)

However a brief look seems to show that WO 97/1449 is not affected.

There are parallels in our stories - my great grandfather [of the 87th] married a Halifax Nova Scotia lass as well in 1876.  I have much information on the Citadel in Halifax I can send you which show what life was like in the barracks. PM me with your email address if you would like this 'stuff'. Have you tried the website www.novascotiagenealogy.com? Vital records are free to view but I do not know how far they go back - statutory registration only started in the late 1860s. There is a very good message board 'nsroots' where you may find help with a query on Marha Matilda Barnes' family history.

You may have already found that records from parts of Co Cork are difficult to obtain, particularly Roman Catholic records. I do have some resources which I will search for the children.

Regards, Josey