Andrew Moore and Francis Despard,both R.I.C.

[tom-dick]

I am looking for the police records for these two people if possible.All I know is that Francis was a high level police officer.I think they both served together at some time.If anyone can help with this request it is much appreciated,thank you in advance,tom

[aghadowey]

I am looking for the police records for these two people if possible.All I know is that Francis was a high level police officer.I think they both served together at some time.If anyone can help with this request it is much appreciated,thank you in advance,tom

Dates?

[Kiltaglassan]

Have you searched the Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922 on FindMyPast?

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/ireland-royal-irish-constabulary-service-records-1816-1922

***Edited to Add***

Francis
Despard
1858
23520
—
General Register - Index, Vol 1
HO 184/43

[AlanBoyd]

There are also pension records for a Francis Despard at FindMyPast.

Establishment number: 1830
Rank when pensioned: Hd Const
County: Depot?
age when pensioned: 60
annual pension: £91
date of commencement: 10/8/1900
where paid: Pay Office

another record has a date of decease: 20th May 1914

[aghadowey]

Francis Samuel Despard- ex Head Constable R.I.C.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1875/11194/8102444.pdf
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1914/05304/4475131.pdf

[AlanBoyd]

There are pension records for several individuals called Andrew Moore: do you know anything else about him?

Perhaps the most likely is a Head Constable who retired in 1865 and died in 1896. His 'where paid' is Belfast.

[AlanBoyd]

The funeral of Mrs Despard, no mention of Andrew Moore amongst the extensive details of who attended.

Weekly Irish Times - Saturday 24 March 1900

It is our sad duty to record the death of Mrs. Despard, wife of Head Constable Frank Despard, R. I. C. Band, which occurred at the Depot on Tuesday, 13th inst. The deceased had for some time past been in failing health, brought on to a considerable extent by the immense strain and worry to which she was subjected on the occasion of the last typhoid epidemic, when four of her children were simultaneously suffering from this dread disease. On Thursday her remains were removed from her late residence to their last resting place in the family burial ground, attached to St. James’s Church, and the great respect and esteem in which she was held were fully evidenced by the extremely large and representative funeral cortege that followed them to the grave. Besides the immediate relatives of the deceased, the following were amongst those attending the obsequies:– The Rev. J. C. Irwin, B. D., and Rev. R. B. Bryan, M. A., St. James’s, and the Rev. Dr. Hughes,  St. Werburgh’s; M. Hurley, Esq., Barrack Master; J. Tyson, Esq., District-Inspector; W. Hamilton, Esq., ex-District Inspector; J. Lowndes, Esq., ex-District Inspector; Mr. Rafter, Bandmaster, R. I. C.; Mr. T. Hunt, R. Z. S.; Mr. George Worrell, ex-R. I. C., and upwards of 60 members of the Depot force, including Head Constable Major Cleary, Head Constables Coulter, Fegan, Marks, Scanlon, Walsh, Gately, Shier, and Fry. Sergeants Morrisey, Lewis, Rafferty, O'Hara, Crawford, Strahan, O'Doherty, Molseed, Kinsley, Campbell (W. R.), Buckley, M'Garry Crichton, and Acting Sergeants Stanley, Barrett, Nolan &c. &c. Exquisite wreaths of the choicest natural flowers were sent by the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Hughes, R.I.C. Band, Mr. and Mrs. Tyson, R.I.C. Troop, Sergeants' Mess; teachers, monitors, and pupils of St. Bride’s National Schools; and the girls of Mercer’s School. The deepest and most heartfelt sympathy is respectfully tendered to Head Constable Despard and his family in their sad and sorrowful bereavement and loss of a good and faithful wife, and tender, kind, and loving mother.

[AlanBoyd]

Other police records available at FindMyPast indicate that Francis Despard (serviced number 23520) was appointed at the age of 18 in Kildare, which was his native county. He was a labourer at the time of his appointment, and a Protestant. He married 6th July 1875 (there is an annotation to the date that I can't interpret), and his wife was from Wicklow. His first allocation was to Limerick, 12 Nov 1858. He became a Head Constable 1/11/1885, pensioned 10/8/1900.

[Elwyn Soutter]

Head Constable should not be confused with the modern rank of Chief Constable (normally the head of a force). Head Constable was a rank between Sergeant and Inspector – there’s no modern equivalent – but was a senior rank in those days. There was normally just 1 Inspector per county in Ireland in the 1800s.