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William Ward
Bernadette
Hi all, not sure I'm in the right forum but will give it a go. I'm looking for information on a William Ward (my great great grandfather) born January 6th 1840 in Kilmore, Co. Mayo. From what I can tell he served on the Amphitrite from 1857 to 1859 (a customs ship???) and then signed for 10 years with the Royal Navy (or coastguard) and transferred to HMS Hawke. I think he also served on HMS Valiant and signed up for a second period of 10 years. As far as I know he reached the rank of Chief Quartermaster. He earned 3 badges (not sure what these are) and I'm not sure whether he left service in 1875 or 79.

He married Julia (no maiden name) and lived in Castletownsend, West Cork. In the 1911 census he is still found there with his wife and is noted as a Sub Post Master and Naval Pensioner.

Even in the 1901 census I can not find any traces of Wards in Kilmore (the one near Belmullet) and I was wondering if the family had a history with sea service and therefore had moved around. I haven't managed to discover anything about his parents or siblings etc. Any help would be greatly welcomed thank you so much,
Bernadette.
 
crimea1854
Hi Bernadette, and welcome to the Forum.

I'm assuming that the information you have was taken from his Naval Service Records from the National Archives (ADM 139/409 and 188/21). If his first service is ahown as aboard Amphitrite then this will be HMS Amphitrite, and not the Revenue Cruiser of the same name.

While both HMS Hawke and Valiant were Coastguard Vessels, I cannot find him in their Establishment Books working at a land based CG Station, which leads me to think that perhaps he was part of these ships permanent RN Crew. If either of his records has him rated as a 'Boatman', then it means I need to do some further looking.

On the question of the 'badges', these are Good Conduct Badges, which were actually strips worn on the left sleeve, three being the maximum that could be received, each earning another penny/day in pay.


Martin
 
bpa
Even in the 1901 census I can not find any traces of Wards in Kilmore (the one near Belmullet)


In Griffiths valuation - a tenancy survey from about 1847-1860 - there are at least two records for James Ward in Knocknalina, Kilmore Belmullet. Coincidentally, there is a coastguard station in Knocknalina.

It's hard to draw any definitive conclusion from this info.

edit:
To add further possibilities.
There was a coastguard George Ward based in Dulough and Ely Bay Belmullet around 1840s and 1850s.

There was a coastguard called Cornelius Ward in Blacksod Point Belmullet in 1848. Also in UK 1841 Census there is a Cornelius Ward ( Coast guard No.2 Battery Lydd kent ) b abt 1801 Ireland, wife Rose b abt 1816 Ireland, dau. Mary b abt 1838 Kent and son William b. 1840 Kent.
Edited by bpa on 24/09/2011 15:39
 
Bernadette
crimea1854 wrote:

Hi Bernadette, and welcome to the Forum.

I'm assuming that the information you have was taken from his Naval Service Records from the National Archives (ADM 139/409 and 188/21). If his first service is ahown as aboard Amphitrite then this will be HMS Amphitrite, and not the Revenue Cruiser of the same name.

While both HMS Hawke and Valiant were Coastguard Vessels, I cannot find him in their Establishment Books working at a land based CG Station, which leads me to think that perhaps he was part of these ships permanent RN Crew. If either of his records has him rated as a 'Boatman', then it means I need to do some further looking.

On the question of the 'badges', these are Good Conduct Badges, which were actually strips worn on the left sleeve, three being the maximum that could be received, each earning another penny/day in pay.


Martin


Hello Martin, thanks for both the welcome and the info. Lol I have become obsessed with this man and find it all so interesting. Yes you were correct I gained all knowledge I have from the Archives in England, some if it is very difficult to decipher but it does mention him being firstly a 2nd class boy and then a 1st class one on board the Amphitrite and on the entrance form to HMS Hawke it states under 'former service' 'Revenue Cruiser Under Customs'. On entrance to HMS Hawke he is listed as an 'ordinary able seaman'. On the service form the writting is very difficult but it does look as though he is a chief quarter master at some stage and then at the bottom it appears to have Ch P O which I assume is Chief Petty Officer.

Also as I said he served on the Hawke (until 1865) and joined the Valiant in '68 but in between there is something written down and the closest I can read it as is Red William?? I have never heard of a ship called by this name.

There is no mention of 'boatman' so far as I can find.

Thanks again,
Bernadette

Merged on 24/09/2011 16:08:37:
In Griffiths valuation - a tenancy survey from about 1847-1860 - there are at least two records for James Ward in Knocknalina, Kilmore Belmullet. Coincidentally, there is a coastguard station in Knocknalina.

It's hard to draw any definitive conclusion from this info.

edit:
To add further possibilities.
There was a coastguard George Ward based in Dulough and Ely Bay Belmullet around 1840s and 1850s.

There was a coastguard called Cornelius Ward in Blacksod Point Belmullet in 1848. Also in UK 1841 Census there is a Cornelius Ward ( Coast guard No.2 Battery Lydd kent ) b abt 1801 Ireland, wife Rose b abt 1816 Ireland, dau. Mary b abt 1838 Kent and son William b. 1840 Kent.

Thanks Bpa, adds more info to look into. I know my William was born in 1840 but according to his forms in the archives he was born in Kilmore, mind you if he lived there growing up he may just have put that down or it could even have been that he assumed he was born there without actually knowing. Oh why couldn't they just have been based at Hook Head lighthouse lol I'm from Co. Wexford and it would have made life so much easier when trying to trace these people ;-)!
Edited by Bernadette on 24/09/2011 16:12
 
bpa
There is a Castletownsend baptism record for a Henry Ward son of William Ward and Julia Brown in Oct 1876. Perhaps this is your William
http://churchreco...f6f0044133

edit:

In 1873 in Skibbereen district there are marriage records for a William Ward and a Julia Brown on the same page - you would need to go to GRO to see if they married each other.
Edited by bpa on 24/09/2011 17:22
 
Bernadette
Thanks again Bpa, it has to be them, I had heard a rumour that Julia's maiden name was brown(e) so this appears to confirm it and I the area is correct. I know according to 1911 census they had 11 children born alive and 9 were still living, I'm not sure if poor Henry made it as he is not in the household in 1901 when he would have been c. 15 unless he was already working somewhere at that stage.
 
bpa
Do a Search in www.familysearch.org for births in Skibbereen from about 1872 to 1892 and you will get all official birth records - I think there ware two Ward family in the registration district but by look at gaps between children - you'll probably get most if the 11 names (certainly Christina, Patricia and Josephine's dates match with Census).

Then check the Death records to find which 2 children died before 1911 -

This will do the Birth search http://www.familysearch.org/search/records#count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Award~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Askibbereen~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1872-1892~&collection_id=1408347
 
Bernadette
Thanks Bpa, looking at them now. The 3 girls you mentioned are definitely part of the family and Julia Margaret born 1882 also as I know she was my great grandmother and married Patrick Barry, unfortunately she died c. 1918 in Donegal. Probably the reason we know so little about this area of the family is down to the fact that my grandad was only 4 when she died and therefore the usual 'stories' within a family hadn't been passed down the line.
 
bpa
Walter Lawrence and Alfred John have Navy records - it is not unusual for children of coastguards to join the Navy so perhaps they are children of William and Julia..
 
doncormack
Dear Bernadette
If your GG grandfather William Ward, born in 1840 turns out to be the son of Cornelius Ward, then it is possible that your GGG grandfather Cornelius perished with my GG grandfather John Keane (command boatman, Blacksod Point, Belmullet, Co Mayo) and a third coastguard named Henry Attridge, when the coastguard boat overturned in a sudden squall on Nov 5, 1852, at which time William would have been about 12.

Before being posted back to Ireland, John Keane spent time as a coastguard along the south coast of England. He met his wife Sarah Hide (1842) in Eastbourne and she went with him to Ireland, returning to her family in Eastbourne as a widow with her four children, all under the age of eight, after his drowning.

It seems very possible that John Keane and Cornelius Ward were colleagues in the Coastguard Service. Do you have any record of William having lost his father at an early age? I have been trying to find out more about the drowning of these three men in 1852 and the rumour of a cairn erected in their memory. I wrote up all the details I have on a post on this site on 10.1.12.

Best Regards
Don Cormack
 
seamus casey
Hi Bernadette,

William Ward was also my Great Grandfather. I have no further info on his ancestors but some on his descendents. If on the odd chance you read this I will check in again to see if you reply and we may swop findings if you are interested.....

Cheers,

Seamus Casey - (originally from Unionhall, West Cork)
 
Bernadette
HI Seamus, so sorry, only checked back in now. So you would be my mum's 2nd cousin. Mum's gran was Julia (Jr) who married Paddy Barry from Bauravilla and moved to Donegal where he managed and then owned a creamery until it was burned by the Black and Tans. Unfortunately Julia died in her 30s but their children (my grandad being the youngest of the 3) had to flee to West Cork where they spent time with grandparents and aunties, one could have possibly been your grandmother. I always remember my grandad mentioning Caseys. He became a dentist, married an English woman and ended up in Co. Wexford. Even though I've never been to Union Hall, I have heard lots about it :-).
 
Brian Mahony
All, Brian Mahony here, the grand-son of Patricia Ward, great grand Son of William Ward - Post Master Castletownshend.
 
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