Celebrate your Irish heritage this Friday

Family history website, Findmypast, has released thousands of new Irish genealogy records to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. With Findmypast, and their large collection of Irish records, you had a better chance of tracing those often-elusive Irish ancestors.  

Findmypast have added the brand-new collection Ireland, Inland Revenue Wills & Administrations 1828-1879. With transcripts and images, these 261,256 records are a rare survival of priceless information about early Irish wills. The original documents were mostly destroyed in 1922. Typically, you’ll find details such as the name and address of the deceased, the name and address of the executor or administrator, the value of the estate and the date of death.  

 The existing Ireland Calendars of Wills & Administration 1858-1965 collection has been updated with a further 591,011 transcriptions. Though the detail varies from will to will, you’ll normally find the name of the deceased and their death date, the names of any beneficiaries and the county. 

 Other unmissable Irish genealogy records include: 

·         The ffolliott collection (exclusive to Findmypast) 

·         Irish workhouse records 

·         The Irish Quaker collection (exclusive to Findmypast) 

·         Ireland Roman Catholic collection 

·         Irish newspapers 

 

Plus, Findmypast has several handy guides to kickstart and inspire Irish family history research: 

·         An expert’s guide to researching Irish surnames 

·         Discover the remarkably rich history behind Irish diaspora 

·         Why is Irish genealogy so tricky? 

·         Did your ancestors experience the Great Irish Famine? 

·         Everything you need to know about Irish census records 

·         Were your ancestors caught up in the Irish War of Independence? 

Matthew Young RN

I was able to find some more records relating to Matthew Young from the British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service And Pension Records, 1704-1919, currently free to access at Find My Past.

His name appears in the list of examinations on 26th March 1817

His name appears in the list of examinations on 18th December 1827

His name appears in the list of examinations on 24th November 1834

His name also appears in a list with the word ‘pensioned’ in November 1834 at the age of 42 after 20 years service (meaning he joined the Royal Navy around 1814.

These records don’t quite tie up with his career as published in the British Naval Biographical Dictionary, 1849, so I will need to do more research.

 

Thomas Mansel {birth and death}

I’ve been searching for the record of burial for Thomas Mansel for some months now. Today I found it, thanks to free access at Find My Past!

Thomas Mansel was buried at Holy Trinity in Fareham on the 5th April 1869. I found the record in the parish register. I have been looking for this for some time so was really pleased to find it.

I was also able to find a record of his baptism at St Ishmael Church which I was able to visit last month.

Free access to UK Wartime Records until 8/11/2022

To mark Remembrance Day you can learn more about your family’s wartime experiences with free access to UK Wartime Records until 8th November on Ancestry.

Free access to UK Wartime Records until 8/11/2022

I managed to find some new records relating to Frank Beven Howard, who I am related to through a great-aunt.

I found he was awarded the Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1946 and his name appeared in two records – the Application Books and the Register Index [UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972].

I also found 8 new to me records relating to the naval service of Captain Thomas Mansel so it was well worth a look. Hopefully I will have some more time before the free access ends.

George Caswell RN

Today I came across a reference to George Caswell in Slater’s, late Pigot & co., Royal National and Commercial Directory and Topography of the Counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, 1852. The entry was as follows:

Gentry and Clergy

Captain George Caswell R.N.

Botley Cottage

This may have been on Botley High Street as the 1851 census in the previous year lists his residence as High Street, Botley.

Form of Certificate and Declaration for the Navy Pension List

I recently discovered a collection of paperwork relating to an application for a Navy pension written by Captain Thomas Mansel RN to the Secretary of the Admiralty on the 20th March 1846. I can’t believe these survived, tucked away at The National Archives and were catalogued. I was able to pay for the records to be scanned.

There was a Form of Certificate and Declaration required for placing the widow of an Officer of the Royal Navy on the Pension List. This was completed for Elizabeth Leigh, wife of Benjamin Leigh who had been a Retired Commander in the Royal Navy. The certificate was signed by Captain Mansel RN, William Harrison Vicar of Fareham and James xxx, Church Warden.

Captain Mansel was related to Elizabeth Leigh by marriage, he married their daughter Selina Fleming Leigh in 1828.

As well as the certificate were two pages of hand-written letter. It is always exciting to discover a hand-written letter and this one contained something else, a new address! I wasn’t aware that Captain Mansel ever lived in Devonport but he wrote the letter from 19 Tamar Terrace, Stoke, Devonport. I think the address still exists although it has been re-named. The paperwork also refers to his address in Fareham so this must have been a temporary residence.

I am looking forward to transcribing the letter when I have a moment. The signature matches that on the signed photo I have of him.