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 1820-1840 Coastguard records
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 14/05/2009 03:45
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 New Member  Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Coastguard Chief Officer Francis Reynolds My wife is a descendant from Coastguard Chief Officer Francis Reynolds who died in the line of duty on 2 January 1839 at Keel, Achill Island, Co. Mayo (COY | Articles | Two Sides --- | Murder of a Coastguard). Thanks to information on this web site we have been able to trace his assignments between his nomination in 1821 and his death. His assignments are summarized as follows: ADM 175/99 page 95 Line 1 Francis Reynolds nominated by letter and assigned 12 Dec 1821 to Malinbeg Station as Chief Officer. Qualified as Chief Officer 16 Feb 1822. ADM 175/15 pdf page 263 Francis Reynolds nominated from Conway(Wales) and assigned 12 Dec 1821 to Malinbeg Station ADM 175/15 pdf page 236 Francis Reynolds transferred from Malinbeg to Malin Head 6 Feb 1823 ADM 175/15 pdf page 230 Francis Reynolds transferred from Malin Head to Kinnagoe 5 Nov 1823 ADM 175/15 pdf page 236 Francis Reynolds transferred from Kinnagoe to Malin Head 5 Jul 1824 ADM 175/15 pdf page 302 Francis Reynolds transferred from Malin Head to Clare Island 5 Jan 1825 (“Kidnapped” Margaret) ADM 175/15 pdf page 300 Francis Reynolds transferred from Clare Island to Achil Head 1 Mar 1825 (1st child b. 1826) ADM 175/16 pdf page 201 Francis Reynolds transferred from Achil Head to Keel 31 Jan 1828 ADM 175/16 pdf page 388 Francis Reynolds transferred from Keel to Rathlin Island 5 Apr 1828 ADM 175/16 pdf page 380 Francis Reynolds transferred from Rathlin Island to Port Rush 10 Oct 1829 (2nd surviving child b. 1830) ADM 175/16 pdf page 261 Francis Reynolds transferred from Port Rush to Keel 31 Au 1830 (3rd-8th child b. 1830-1839) ADM 175/18 pdf page 232 Francis Reynolds DD 8 Jan 1839 from the effects of a beating 52/39 ADM 175/18 PDF pages 315-316 Malin Head Station - Last Chief Officer leaves 30 Nov 1841 Station Abolished 2033/43 (sometime 1843), but reinstated before 1847 based on boatman assignments. Comparing oral family legend with the above records generates several general Coastguard questions. I hope someone with experience and knowledge of the 1820-1840 Coastguard in Ireland can answer some of them. Questions that might be answered in other Coastguard records 1. In the Nomination Book (ADM 175/99) there is information “ Single or Married and number of children”. Is this type of information tracked over a Coastguard man’s career in any available record? 2. What qualifications were required for a candidate to be nominated as a civilian “Chief Officer”? (Was this a purchased appointment or what?) Are the letters of nomination retained and available? If so where? 3. There is a reference in the Nomination Book to “Page in Station Book: 100” for Francis Reynolds, but this is not page 100 in ADM 175/15. Is there a National Archives number for the “Station Book“? 4. How were the original buildings (about 1820-23) for the Coastguard Stations in Ireland obtained/purchased/built? (Office of Public Works or ?) Was there a standard design, specification, or description for each station? 5. Is there a list of duties for the Chief Officer of a Coastguard Station? For example, would he have been responsible for food and housing for the men and families assigned to the station? How was housing assigned to "married with children"? (Family legend says that Francis Reynolds kidnapped Margaret Doherty at gun point from her home on the beach (the "Wee House of Malin") about 1 mile east of the original Malin Head Coastguard Station. “The Cottage” where the widow Margaret was living in 1857 looks like it was constructed as part of the original Coastguard Station. It is adjacent to the main part of the Coastguard Station and both are named on the 1836 Ordnance Survey map. It has features that would not be normal for a residence - it is built at the top of a cliff, it is a six-room, tile-roofed house with a semi-circular seaward observation alcove off the common room that provides a view of the coast for miles in both directions, and it has an underground tunnel leading from the house to a cave on the beach at the base of the cliff. Neither The Cottage or the Coastguard Station are listed on the 1836 Tithe Applotment List, but Margaret Reynolds is living in "The Cottage" for Griffith’s Valuation in 1857. Family legend said The Cottage was built by Francis for Margaret, but he is not listed on the 1836 Tithe Applotment List) 6. The Malin Head Coastguard Station was abolished in 1843. Would there be any records for the disposal of the station buildings? 7. H.M. Navy officers were required to have wills on file. Was there any such requiremant for civilian coastguard officers? If so, where were they filed? (We ran into a reference: "His will was probated on 26 August 1839 by Marjorie Reynolds of Westport, C. Mayo, Ireland, widow, George Sheppard Dyer, Commander, H.M. Navy, and George Cook Commissioned Boatman of the Coastguard. The Estate was less than 300 pounds.") Where would the will of an English Coastguard officer be probated? Dyer was stationed at Westport and was Reynolds superior officer according to the Outrage Papers for the murder. There is no listing of this will in the "Index of Irish Wills 1484-1858." 8. Are there any records of widows pensions or grants? (How did Margaret end up in a house sometime between 1840 and 1857 at the Malin Head CGS that looks like it had been built and used for the Chief Officer and his family? Also, what was the source of money for Margaret?-she died with a 700 pound estate in 1876 37 years after Francis died.) 9. Scattered through the Establishment Books there are references to a yearly file of Coastguard orders and correspondence. e.g. ADM 175/18 page 236 Francis Reynolds "DD 8 Jan 1839 from the effects of a beating 52/39" which refers to item 52 in the 1839 file of Dombrain's Dublin Castle Coastguard records. Can a copy of item 52 be ordered from the National Archives or were the originals destroyed in the 1926 fires? Edited by Philip on 14/05/2009 18:11 |
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| Philip |
Posted on 14/05/2009 18:09
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 Super Administrator  Posts: 59 Joined: 28/04/2007 |
Moved thread to Coastguards forum |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 14/05/2009 22:44
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 Administrator  Posts: 905 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Hi You ask a number of detailed questions, the majority of which I cannot answer. However I do know that it is only the very early, and then the later records (post 1900) that have any family information, and this is at best sketchy e.g. place where wife was born in the early nominations records, and details of children in the later ones i.e. M(ale) - 2/5/1903. My understanding of the difference between men on the 'Civilian' list and those on the 'Seamans' list, is that those on the Civilian List were not eligible for sea service in the RN, being too old or infirm. Re Francis, his name appears on the list of Preventative Waterguard Men in 1822 (CUST 19/62), prior to being transferred to the new Coast Guard Service, which would indicate that he was already serving as a PWG officer, and would account for the fact that he entered the service as a Chief Officer. Sorry I cannot help with the rest. Martin |
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 15/05/2009 03:51
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New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Thanks Philip and Martin. I haven't had time to check CUST 19/62, but I suspect two different Francis Reynolds. I am sure ADM 175/99 page 95 is the correct Francis. We know independently that our Francis was the oldest son of Owen Reynolds and Susanna Playford, and he was christened on 25 Aug 1801 in Conway, Caernarfonshire, Wales. This agrees with his 20 Nov1821 nomination information where he is transferred from Conway to Malinbeg 12 Dec 1821, his age is 21 on 2 Mar 1822 and he is born in Conway. I suspect our Francis attended either Cambridge or Oxford because his father has degrees from both institutions. There is a different Francis Reynolds who was about 10 years older and who was an officer in H. M. Navy during the War of 1812 with America. F_Reynolds Edited by F_Reynolds on 16/05/2009 23:47 |
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| mullp |
Posted on 17/05/2009 23:11
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 New Member Posts: 2 Joined: 03/05/2007 |
Hi, I am not sure if you have had a chance to read the outrage reports on the murder of Francis Reynolds. I have them transcribed on a website at http://townlandhistory.netfirms.com/coastguard/francisreynolds.htm I also have the first draft of an article I am writning on his murder there. Peter |
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 19/05/2009 05:09
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New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Peter, Lots of great information on your web site. Recommended reading even though I haven't been able to absorb everything yet. I have also transcribed the outrage reports. It will be interesting to compare what we think was said on the ones that are illegible. Google Books has scanned Henry Seddall's book "Edward Nangle: The Apostile of Achill--" and it is no longer impossible to obtain to read in the outback of the USA. I need to exchange information that is too detailed for general interest. Will try to see how "Private Messages" works. F_Reynolds |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 19/05/2009 06:31
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Administrator Posts: 905 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Peter I too enjoyed your article, but I was left wondering what was the fate of Lavell and his wife - prison, transportation or the noose? Martin |
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 21/05/2009 01:59
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New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Martin, I made a pass at the National Archives to see what I could get on the web for CUST 19/62 and came up dry. Looks like I would have to visit Kew or order a copy of the entire file. Do you have enough information on your Preventive Waterguard Francis Reynolds to know his Navy rank, age, or any information that ties him to the ADM 175/99 Francis Reynolds? Thanks. F_Reynolds |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 21/05/2009 07:01
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Administrator Posts: 905 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
No sorry. Tony was kind enough to send me a number of indexes, one of which was to PWG men who in 1822 transferred to the then new CG Service. I picked up Francis Reynold from this index, but how much further information is available, I'm afraid I don't know. However, the draft article that Peter posted a link to, would suggest that it was one and the same man, perhaps he can throw some light on it? Regards Martin |
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| mullp |
Posted on 23/05/2009 00:03
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New Member Posts: 2 Joined: 03/05/2007 |
F_Reynolds and Martin, I have been away from the computer all week so haven't had a chance to reply. Lavell and wife were aquitted at the trial but I wasn't able to find out what happened to them subsequently. There were quite a few Lavell(e) families in Achill. I got quite a bit of information from Greg Oakes a descendant of Francis Reynolds who lives in Ontario. I haven't received a private message yet. If you have sent it and it didn't get through would you resend to petermul@iol.ie All the best Peter Edited by mullp on 23/05/2009 00:04 |
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| Gaynor |
Posted on 11/08/2009 21:47
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 New Member Posts: 9 Joined: 19/07/2009 |
Hi F_Reynolds, I just tripped over a link to your Francis Reynolds on the National Library of Wales website. I did a search of their online catalogue for Ireland and coastguard together and his was the one name that popped up. I ran it through COY's search just in case there was anyone out there researching him and was delighted to find your post. The link I found seems to be a reference to a Bangor Probate document from 1840 and another "miscellaneous" document. The documentation itself is not online. The library's web address is http://www.llgc.org.uk I hope this assists Gaynor Gaynor
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 17/08/2009 00:50
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New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Gaynor, Thanks for the probate link. I will give it a chase. F_Reynolds |
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| F_Reynolds |
Posted on 15/03/2010 02:01
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New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 17/04/2009 |
Gaynor, Got the document from the National Library of Wales. It is the probate record for our Francis Reynolds. Thanks for the tip. F_Reynolds |
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| Gaynor |
Posted on 15/03/2010 12:46
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New Member Posts: 9 Joined: 19/07/2009 |
I'm glad the signpost helped. Those online Welsh wills and probate records are a treasure trove that can add so much detail and colour when you're lucky enough to find one that matches.
Gaynor
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