Michael Donnelly

[Littlemo]

Hi Everyone, I havn't been on here for quite a while as I became sick of banging my head against a brick wall and getting nowhere Anyway I'm ready for another go, so here is the story so far: Michael Donnelly was born in Prescot in 1850, and he died in Leigh in 1894. My problem is still finding out anything at all about his Army Records. In 1871 Census, he was at Fulwood Barracks age 19 and serving with the 12th Reg. In 1885, his eldest son Walter, was Christened in YOUGHAL, Ireland and the address is given as Military Barracks . .The 2nd Battalion of the 12th Regiment of Foot arrived back from India in 1878, which would tie in with the fact that Michaels wife Elizabeth, was born in Calcutta. In 1884 the same Regiment is serving in Cork. Someone found out for me that Joseph Donnelly his 2nd Son, is listed in the Regimental Births Indices in 1887 in Bury St Edmonds and the Regiment is the 12th again. My Son even went to Kew for me, but he could find no Army Records either, not even in the Muster Books. Please, Please, Pretty Please will some kind soul on here help me make sense of the information I have, and suggest anything at all that would help me find some trace of him in the Army Records. And here is another spooky coincidence by buying a copy of Michaels Brother-in-Laws marriage cert. I find that Elizabeths Father was also called Michael, and he also was a soldier , so seeing as how my Son is Michael, and he was once in the Army;;; Weird.
Littlemo

[gortonboy]

Hi,,,I think i may be able to help a little with this,,, Iam just checking something out,,,will be back soon

[gortonboy]

ok....if you still require his service record,,please let me know

[Littlemo]

Any information at all on Michael would really make my day,Gortonboy. Michael has been my brick wall for so long now and as I said he is he ancestor I have become fondest of out of them all No matter what I have done or where I have looked, it seems he disappeared off the face of the earth for about10 to 15yrs
Anything at all would really be most , and I really appreciate your getting in touch.
I have been kept pretty busy lately, as I have become a Great Granny and I'm more determined than ever now to leave a good selection of ancestors for her to read up on.

Regards Littlemo

[Littlemo]

Thanks to Gortonboy and juliejtp my own personal Brick Wall which was my Great Grandfather Michael has come tumbling down
I now know that Michael joined the Army in Bolton on the 11th August 1870
and he served for almost 19yrs. My Great Gran Elizabeth is on Censuses which
give her place of birth as East India, so I had a feeling that Michael may have served there, and sure enough he served for 6yrs.&60Days there from 24thNov 1871 until 25th Jan 1878. He then had home postings from 26thJan1879 to 26th Feb 1889 and then he was declared as being medically unfit for Army Service and Discharged. There is one page that even gives a physical descripion of him, Height 5ft 6in,Complexion Fresh, Eyes Blue, Hair Light Brown
I also found that he and Elixabeth were married at St. Patrick's Chapel in Cork, on 12th January 1885.
I really can't express just how grateful I am to both Gortonboy and julie for their invaluable help in solving this little enigma for me. And it has thrown up another coincidence. Michael and Elizabeth were married on 12th Jan
1885 at St. Patrick's Church in Cork,and my Michael was married at St. Patrick's Church in Rowlands Gill.Spooky
One thought did make me feel a bit . Michael was discharged from the Army at BurySt,Edmonds in 1889, he is living in Leigh by 1891 according to the census, and by Sept 1894 the poor Guy is dead at the age of 43yrs.
Luv Littlemo xx