Patrick Reardon

[nmcmahon]

I am trying to find more information on someone I am researching. I have recently obtained some Royal Artillery service records for a John Reardon. On one part of the records, he lists his next on kin as a Patrick Reardon, listed as a "Pensioner, RA, Guernsey C. I.". I am pretty certain RA refers to Royal Artillery, as John was born in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), where I believe Patrick was serving at the time.

I cannot find any records for a Patrick Reardon being in Guernsey at all. This is most likely going to be between the time of 1894 and 1907 (John's military service), but Guernsey could have been the Reardon's home before going to Ceylon. If anyone can find anything, that would be helpful. The family may be of Irish descent.

Thanks.

[CaroleW]

Could Riordan sound like Reardon?

The 1901 has an Edward Patrick Riordan aged 24 b Guernsey - gunner in the the Royal Garrison Artillery stationed at Rowner Fort Alverstoke Hampshire

What year was John Reardon born

[nmcmahon]

John was born in 1869.

I have also found Edward Patrick Reardon. I believe he is John's brother. In 1911, John is teaching at Fort Rowner, and living literally round the corner.

Edward Patrick could be named after their father Patrick.

How can you go about getting Guernsey birth certificates? I have already ordered John's birth certificate which upon arrival should confirm his parents names. If I can compare this to Edward Patrick's it could prove they are brothers.

[CaroleW]

Edward Patrick Reardon married Florence Stuckey June qtr 1901 in Hampshire

How can you go about getting Guernsey birth certificates

I'll have to leave that answer to somebody with more knowledge of the CI than I have

[nmcmahon]

Thanks. I have identified Edward's marriage and children's births. I've even managed to find Florence Stuckey living in St Sampson in Guernsey in the 1881 and 1891 Channel Islands censuses, and in Alverstoke in 1901. I cannot however find an Edward Reardon or Edward Riordon in the 1881 Channel Islands census.

[CaroleW]

If Edward was a soldiers son, the family may have only been living temporarily in the CI and moved by the time of the 1881 census

[nmcmahon]

True, but assuming that Edward and John are both the sons of Patrick Reardon, in John's army records (he served from 1884 to 1907) he first lists his father Patrick as his next of kin, as a pensioner living in Guernsey. Patrick's name is later crossed out and John's wife Polly is added. I'm assuming this is because Patrick has died.

If Edward was born in Guernsey in 1877 and Patrick was living there in 1884 at the latest (when John joined the army), then you'd think they would have been in the 1881 CI census.

On the other hand, they could have been anywhere. I don't think Patrick was still in the army in 1884, as he was listed as a Pensioner, but the family could have still moved around.

[la grande-méthe]

Try contacting the Priaulx Library fro Guernsey records.