Nicholson of 41st foot. Stationed in Ireland

[ronsaghey]

Hi:

I know that the 41st foot, which became part of the Welch Regiment, was stationed in Ireland during the mid to late 1840's and early 1850s. The regiment was stationed at Black Rock barracks near or in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim then at Clarecastle, in County Clare, and at later periods in Dublin. 

I'm trying to trace an ancestor named William Nicholson, aka William Nicholls.  He married Johanna Kavanagh on October 8, 1846 in Drumshanbo.  I have a copy of the marriage record.  His oldest son Charles was born on January 25, 1848 in Kilrush, County Clare.  I also have a copy of his birth certificate, part of which got cut off, but lists his parents' names.  I did a search through FindMyPast in Chelsea Pensioner records and found a discharge for a William Nicholls, regimental number 1463 of the 41st foot on July 29, 1881.  Cause of discharge was listed as invalid.  Service toward pension and Good Conduct Pay was 7 years, 351 days.  Service towards limited engagement was 10 years, 341 days. 

His son Charles also joined the regiment when they were stationed in Jamaica. Charles first joined the 2nd West India Regiment on July 9, 1859 and immediately transferred into the 41st foot.  He gave his age as 13, but he was actually 11.  His regimental number was 326.

The 41st foot lost their drummer, who was named McCarberry, when it was stationed in Jamaica. The drummer died on August 1, 1857.  When Charles joined, he became their drummer. I very luckily have copies of his army pay book.  One of the pages list his living next kin as of October 8, 1882.  His father is not listed, so I think that means his father would have died by that time. I'm trying to find other documentation on William. I'm not sure if he would be listed on the 1881 UK census.

[aghadowey]

You've posted in a Reference topic (Resources board isn't for queries) so one of the Moderators may decide to split you post and place it in the general Armed Forces board so it would be missed by those who might be able to help.

Just a few comments-
 I also have a copy of his birth certificate, part of which got cut off, but lists his parents' names.
Registration of births in Ireland started in 1864 so could this be a baptism record? if so, he might have been born a bit before that date (might tie in with different age for enlistment?)

Have you found William (and family) in any census records? Who is listed as son Charles' next of kin in 1882?

[km1971]

They are two different men. Nicholls cannot have been discharged with only 10 years service if he was married (while a soldier) 25 years before.

Also, I have a muster for the 41st Foot for 1854:

2226 Private William Nicholson - 41st Foot
1854 – Qtr 2 - six days at sea – travelling from Malta to Scutari*
1854 – Qtr 3 – in Varna and Crimea. He made a ten shillings remittance to Mrs Mary Nicholson
1854 – Qtr 4 – “before Sebastopol”. Made a one pound remittance to Johanna Nicholson

* Also listed as having lost all rights to a pension.  Sentence: 24th September 1849 following desertion. His service record would therefore have not been kept. But you should check Findmypast anyway.

He was awarded the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman and Sevastopol

btw....The reason Nicholls' regimental number is lower is that they went back to 1 between the two dates.

Ken

[ronsaghey]

Sorry, it was baptismal record, not a birth certificate.  William was 19 when he married in 1846, giving him a birth year of 1826 or 1827.  His rank then was private.  His son's next of kin in 1882 were his wife Matilda and son Charles William Neville, both with the 41st foot, his mother Hannah in Dublin and his brother William also with the 41st foot.  Would there be any records about his desertion?

Also, I did a search for Charles Nicholson on FindMyPast.  I found him on the 1861 Worldwide Army Index Transcription at being with the 41st foot and stationed at Aldershot in 1861.  I did a search on the 1861 census and found him at Aldershot as a private in the 41st foot.  There's no mention of his father, so could William have been discharged by that point?

[km1971]

Desertions were posted in the Police Gazette, which was published three times a week. No complete series of the PG exists. Ancestry or FindMyPast have copies, but from memory they finish before 1849. They will not tell you much anyway - just name, date, scars and other marks, from where. You will be better off researching the muster books in Kew, which you are going to have to do to discover how/when his army career ended.

If you also look in the musters from just before he married you may find where he was born. The soldier with number 2145 enlisted July 1845, so 2226 probably enlisted about six months later.

You should ask a moderator to move your post to the main section.

Ken

[millymcb]

Mod comment.. New thread created for this question and moved to main board.

Milly

[ronsaghey]

Would he have had a regimental court martial? It may have been a case of being AWOL.  Deserter registers go to 1852:

http://www.genguide.co.uk/source/army--courts-martial-recordsdeserter-registersregimental-description-books-other-ranks-before-1914-amp-wwi-military/219/

TNA has Deserter Records for 40-49 foot, 1844-1851 WO 25/2926

[ronsaghey]

I'm considering hiring a researcher to check muster rolls at the National Archives.  Would anyone have any suggestions for researchers? Thanks.

[km1971]

It may have been a case of being AWOL. 

Wishful thinking I am afraid.

From 1849 - 1850 muster, while 41st Foot were in Kinsale and Cork :

2226 Private William Nicholson deserter from 26th July to 13th September 1849. In confinement 14th September, tried and sentenced to 112 days imprisonment on 24th September. In Military Prison (probably Cork) from 25th September to 12 January 1850.

From then on he is listed as losing all pension rights. There is a good chance that he was branded with a D on his chest.

The National Archives have a list of researchers. Expect to pay £6-7 per year.

Ken