19th century police service records in Northern Ireland

[Belfast Gail]

Can anyone help me, please?

I am researching Edward (Ned) Hay (Coleraine) c1808 - 1890, who is recorded as being a policeman on his marriage entry in 1831.  He was married in New Row Presbyterian Church, Coleraine, to Margaret Taylor.

Could anyone tell me:  are individual police service records held anywhere and, if so, how would I go about accessing Edward Hay's?

Any help or suggestions would be very, very welcome and gratefully received.
Thank you.

[Elwyn Soutter]

There are copies of RIC records from 1822 onwards, held at PRONI in Belfast (on microfilm), or you can pay the PSNI museum to obtain the information for you:

http://www.psni.police.uk/index/about-us/police_museum/museum_genealogy.htm

[Belfast Gail]

I am very much obliged, Elwyn, and feel not a little foolish!  I have spent many hours at PRONI and had no idea the information I was looking for was probably there all along.
Thank you so, so much.
Gail

[Belfast Gail]

Sadly, RIC records at PRONI did not reveal anything of my Edward Hay; so I'm trying to understand why.  The marriage record clearly describes him as a policeman in 1831.  Has anyone experience of RIC records:  do gaps appear (PRONI staff were pretty confident this was not the case) or was the term 'policeman' on the marriage record a euphemism for something else, or is it just simply erroneous?
Can anyone shed any light? - I would be most grateful.
Many thanks.
Gail

[RJ_Paton]

1831 is before the RIC came into being - prior to that for a period each County had its own Constabulary
see http://www.psni.police.uk/index/about-us/police_museum/history_of_policing.htm

Possibly County archives (if they have survived) may have some more information.

[Belfast Gail]

Thank you for your post, Falkyrn.  I will pick up this again in the new year.
I am grateful for your help.
Gail

[gaffy]

Did he ever serve in Dublin?  There's a story in the 1842 Freeman's Journal about a Constable Edward Hayes. Also a police constable of that name in 1880 Tyrone, maybe a relative.

[Belfast Gail]

I think you have helped me before in the past, Gaffy, so thank you for getting in touch again.

I'm a bit confused by this.  The PRONI RIC register, I thought, started in 1825, but Falkryn reckons that is too early.  There were 2 entries for Edward Hay in it: one in Dublin & one in Tyrone.  One apparently married a Kilkenny girl and one a girl from Sligo.  I foolishly dismissed both without getting a copy of their details so I think I need to go back and double check. 

I hope you don't mind but I'm sending you a copy of Edward Hay's marriage record by PM.  If any of the details on it match  anything you have unearthed, could I ask you to let me know?

Thank you so much, again.
Gail

[RJ_Paton]

I'm a bit confused by this.  The PRONI RIC register, I thought, started in 1825, but Falkryn reckons that is too early.
Gail

Although the RIC was not formed until 1836 they were the consolidation of the previously existing County Constabularies and so would have inherited at least some of the existing records , a lot would therefore depend on your mans length of service and whether he was kept on upon the creation of the RIC. Turnover in the lower ranks was extremely high.

oops ... should have said the RIC was not named as such until much later (1867) as on its formation in 1836 the Force was known as the Constabulary of Ireland