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 James McGrath at Rathmullan 1884
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| mike mikmac |
Posted on 26/09/2012 20:49
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 New Member  Posts: 2 Joined: 28/08/2012 |
I would be very grateful for any information about my g.grandfather and his service that might be known. The Marriage Register at Killybegs St. Mary of the Visitation records on 16 Sept. 1884 from Rathmullan Vic..., ? Cutter, father John McGrath from Waterford, Married Biddie Gallagher fromTawny, father Michael Gallagher from Tawny. I'm unable to read the full name of the cutter but assume it was a Coastguard vessel perhaps incorrectly. Their first child was baptised at Killybegs in March 1885 which made me wonder if they might have lived for a short time at the Coastguard House there. All their other children were baptised at Kilcar. Are there records of the tenants at that time of Killybegs Coastguard House? Any information at all would be very helpful. Thanks for attention, Mike McGrath mike mikmac
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 27/09/2012 07:44
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 Administrator  Posts: 905 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Welcome to the Forum Mike. For the period you are interested, in I'm afraid the only records available are the Seamans Service Records available online from the National Archives. I've had a quick look and there is one likely candidate, but if you know your mans date of birth this helps, as the dates under the 'Date' column are dates of birth provided at the time he signed-up. http://www.nation...5Fdate+asc On the name of the cutter I believe this to be the CG Crusier Victoria, Chief Officer Charles Hart; she was tender to HMS Valiant. There are no muster lists available, although if you could get to the NA at Kew you could consult Victoria's logs (ADM 53/16469, 16470, 16471 & 16472), these cover the period 1883-1888. If these are like most other ship's logs, they will only enable you to determine where the crusier was on a particular day. Martin Edited by crimea1854 on 27/09/2012 07:55 |
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| mike mikmac |
Posted on 27/09/2012 21:30
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New Member Posts: 2 Joined: 28/08/2012 |
Martin's immediate response to my queries is so very helpful and I have already thanked him by 'quick replies'. Sadly I don't know the date of birth of James McGrath but think he might have died c.1899/1900 and was probably a Naval Pensioner by then. Bridget (Biddie) alone took her 4 youngest children to Greenock about that time and they are listed in the Scots Census of 1901, clearly living in difficult circumstances. I wonder if this fits with the one possible candidate Martin has found. Identifying the name 'Victoria' as the actual vessel under Chief Officer Charles Hart as tender to HMS Valiant seems like a piece of magic to me. I really must try and arrange a visit to Kew sometime. In the meantime I must go online to National Archives following the tips given elsewhere in this wonderfully informative website. Thanks to all for setting it up and especial thanks to Martin for his detailed help. Are there any known records of the Coastguard tenants and families at the Coastguard House at Killybegs in the 1884/5 period ? It is such a remarkable buiding as your photographs show. Best wishes to all, Mike Merged on 30/09/2012 17:10:07: Martin's reference to the Victoria as tender to HMS Valiant in 1884 points to a rather difficult time off Rathmullan on Lough Swilly. All this was completely unknown to me but I suppose all you experts were well aware of it. On July 20th 1884 HMS Valiant was accidentally rammed by HMS Defence damaging her hull and tearing off her boat davits and fittings on one side. Less than a week after James McGrath's wedding at Killybegs there was a storm on 22 September and HMS Wasp was lost off Tory Island with just six survivors clinging to the rigging from a crew of 56. On Friday 26 September HMS Valiant, sister ship of the Wasp, landed the six survivors at Rathmullan Pier. I wonder how much wedding leave James McGrath had. Mike. Merged on 05/10/2012 20:48:41: Martin's likely candidate proved correct. I was able to get James McGrath's service record from National Archives so thanks again Martin for your invaluable help. James McGrath did serve on HMS Valiant from 21.6.1882 to 22.8.1885 as an AB, which explains the Victoria as a tender for Valiant at Rathmullan for his wedding at Killybegs. His last five years of service, ending in 22.10.1896, was as a Coastguard, and the last vessel listed was the Neptune. I must now try to find his pension record to know when he died. With best wishes to all, Mike Merged on 05/10/2012 20:48:42: Martin's likely candidate proved correct. I was able to get James McGrath's service record from National Archives so thanks again Martin for your invaluable help. James McGrath did serve on HMS Valiant from 21.6.1882 to 22.8.1885 as an AB, which explains the Victoria as a tender for Valiant at Rathmullan for his wedding at Killybegs. His last five years of service, ending in 22.10.1896, was as a Coastguard, and the last vessel listed was the Neptune. I must now try to find his pension record to know when he died. With best wishes to all, Mike Edited by mike mikmac on 05/10/2012 20:48 mike mikmac
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