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Our resident military expert Paul Nixon, pictured below, answers your queries.
From Mary Doubleday:
‘I have two military marriages I am having trouble finding and wonder if you can help me.
1. My great grandparents:
Col. Sgt. John Mallon was born in 1823 in Loughall, Charlemont, Armagh. His regt. no. was 1942, 34th (Border Regt.). He enlisted in 1841 in Preston and died on 5 January 1858 at Cawnpore Hospital. His wife’s name was Mary, last name unknown. She was born in Charlemont, Armagh. They had two children born overseas: Ellen was born on 29 June 1849 in Gibraltar. She was baptised in Garrison church. Margaret was born in 1851 in Grenada, W.I.
2. My grandmother’s first marriage:
Ellen Mallon was born in 1849 in Gibraltar to a man with the last name Burgess, whose first name was probably William. He was either in the Connaught Rangers or the Royal Artillery. He is not my grandfather. He died before 1889.
There are connections to Navan, Co. Meath, Portsmouth and Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. This is a bit vague but I would value any pointers.’
Paul says:
‘The only John Mallon I could find was a John Mallon who married in Plymouth in the June quarter of 1847. Your John Mallon probably enlisted with the 34th Regiment of Foot in September 1841, and certainly between 11 August and 5 October that year. I checked to see where the Border Regt. was between 1841 and 1858 and can report as follows:
1842 - England
1845 - Ionian Islands
1848 - West Indies
1854 - Ionian Islands
1855 - Crimea
1856 - England
1857 - India
Margaret’s birth in the West Indies in 1851 certainly ties in with the regiment’s station at the time, although Ellen’s birth in 1849 does not. It would seem probable that Mary Mallon stayed behind in Gibraltar when the 34th moved to the West Indies, joining her husband later on. None of this helps you with finding a marriage I’m afraid.
One source you might try is the General Register Office. There is a register of army registers and I see that marriages for the 34th Regiment of Foot between 1838 and 1878 are covered in Press Number 1081.
I had a similar lack of success with Ellen Mallon’s marriage but again I would point you towards the GRO. Connaught Rangers marriages should be noted in Press Number 1390, while Royal Artillery marriages cover a huge range of Press Numbers. I’d suggest you try the Connaught Rangers first and then, if you don’t find Ellen, ask the GRO for their advice on searching the Royal Artillery marriages.’
If you’d like to send your question to our experts, please register or opt to receive newsletters in My Account. Unfortunately our experts only have time to answer a few queries each month. If yours wasn’t answered this time, you could be lucky next month!
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From Mary Doubleday:
‘I have two military marriages I am having trouble finding and wonder if you can help me.
1. My great grandparents:
Col. Sgt. John Mallon was born in 1823 in Loughall, Charlemont, Armagh. His regt. no. was 1942, 34th (Border Regt.). He enlisted in 1841 in Preston and died on 5 January 1858 at Cawnpore Hospital. His wife’s name was Mary, last name unknown. She was born in Charlemont, Armagh. They had two children born overseas: Ellen was born on 29 June 1849 in Gibraltar. She was baptised in Garrison church. Margaret was born in 1851 in Grenada, W.I.
2. My grandmother’s first marriage:
Ellen Mallon was born in 1849 in Gibraltar to a man with the last name Burgess, whose first name was probably William. He was either in the Connaught Rangers or the Royal Artillery. He is not my grandfather. He died before 1889.
There are connections to Navan, Co. Meath, Portsmouth and Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. This is a bit vague but I would value any pointers.’
Paul says:
‘The only John Mallon I could find was a John Mallon who married in Plymouth in the June quarter of 1847. Your John Mallon probably enlisted with the 34th Regiment of Foot in September 1841, and certainly between 11 August and 5 October that year. I checked to see where the Border Regt. was between 1841 and 1858 and can report as follows:
1842 - England
1845 - Ionian Islands
1848 - West Indies
1854 - Ionian Islands
1855 - Crimea
1856 - England
1857 - India
Margaret’s birth in the West Indies in 1851 certainly ties in with the regiment’s station at the time, although Ellen’s birth in 1849 does not. It would seem probable that Mary Mallon stayed behind in Gibraltar when the 34th moved to the West Indies, joining her husband later on. None of this helps you with finding a marriage I’m afraid.
One source you might try is the General Register Office. There is a register of army registers and I see that marriages for the 34th Regiment of Foot between 1838 and 1878 are covered in Press Number 1081.
I had a similar lack of success with Ellen Mallon’s marriage but again I would point you towards the GRO. Connaught Rangers marriages should be noted in Press Number 1390, while Royal Artillery marriages cover a huge range of Press Numbers. I’d suggest you try the Connaught Rangers first and then, if you don’t find Ellen, ask the GRO for their advice on searching the Royal Artillery marriages.’
If you’d like to send your question to our experts, please register or opt to receive newsletters in My Account. Unfortunately our experts only have time to answer a few queries each month. If yours wasn’t answered this time, you could be lucky next month!
More...