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Establishment document questions
ShaunC
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Posted on 10/11/2021 13:43
First of all, I have just registered and was very sorry to hear of the death of the site founder. I do hope it isn't inappropriate to post messages, apologies if so.

My research focuses on a Cornish mariner/coastguard (William Tiddy, b.St mawes 1806). I have been through the CG establishment records for him and I'm now fairly clear on where he was based and at what times (Dalkey, Lambay, Ardmore mainly from 1840-1862). I''ve also found that his first wife and one of his children are buried in Ardmore, close to the CG station there, and that he remarried a local woman (Mary O'Brien) in 1830. The last record in the establishment documents for him have him as Ardmore 1861 and died Feb 1862. I know that his widow and children then emigrated almost immediately afterwards to the USA. I was wondering if anyone was aware of what kind of payment his widow might have received (he had around 22 years service in the CG at that time and 8 years RN service before that). Does the entry 'died' imply he died of illness rather than due to accident, drowning etc? One of his transfers has the comment 'inappropriate connections' next to it. I am guessing this might mean drinking with the local smugglers or the like?

Any ideas gratefully received.

Thanks

Shaun
 
crimea1854
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Posted on 10/11/2021 22:04
Welcome to the Forum.

Yours is a good question, but one I'm unable to answer. There was such a thing as 'Royal Bounty' payable to a widow or dependant of a man killed in action, but I don't know if this extended to men who died in service - this equated to one years pay.

I'm not sure if you're aware of it, but William was one of those CG's who served during the Crimean War. Unlike most CG's he served in both the Baltic and Black Sea on HMS Stromboli, receiving both the Baltic and Crimea Medals, the latter with clasps for Sebastopol and Azoff.

Martin
 
ShaunC
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Posted on 11/11/2021 11:13
Many thanks for your reply. I wasn't aware of his Crimean service. That's very interesting. Are relevant records available online anywhere?

Best regards

Shaun
 
crimea1854
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Posted on 11/11/2021 11:44
Shaun

If you have access to Ancestry they have the appropriate medal rolls, alternatively the National Archives have the medal rolls available as free downloads in ADM 171. The Baltic arranged by surname and the Crimea by Ship.

I no longer have a subscrition to Find my Past, but I do know that they have a Seamans Ticket for William (264958). These can be useful because they normally contain a physical description, where born, when first went to sea and usual place
of residence.

Martin
 
ShaunC
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Posted on 11/11/2021 12:38
Hi.

Thanks for the info about the medal rolls. I'll look into that.

I do have the seaman's ticket for William. I also found his tenancy agreement for the coastguard cottage he rented at Ardmore. I've researched his (and my) extended family, so happy to share any info with anyone interested, including info on his brothers - Isaac, James and Thomas. The two former were mariners and the latter another coastguard based mainly in Folkestone.

Shaun
 
crimea1854
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Posted on 11/11/2021 14:39
Hi

On my database I also have Thomas as serving during the Crimean War on HMS Princess Royal with the same medals as William, there might also be another brother, Richard, who served on Princess Royal, but only in the Baltic. Both gave their place of birth as St Mawes.

Martin
 
ShaunC
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 11/11/2021 16:42
Hi

Thanks again. I did have Thomas's RN records but wasn't aware that he served in the Crimea on the Princess Royal (only the name of the vessesl). The brother of William and Thomas was Richard Couch Tiddy b.1818 St Mawes (Couch their mother's surname). I knew he was a mariner, but thought he was merchant only. There is another Richard Tiddy (b. 1810); he was a cousin and was a coastguard; he married Ann Shirley in Ireland while at Clontarf, so this may be the Richard who served in Crimea.

The brothers of William b. 1806 are (all St Mawes):

Richard Couch 1818 (merchant seaman, fisherman - possibly RN as well) settled in St Mawes and had a family there.
Thomas 1821 (RN from 1837 then coastguard) settled in Folkestone and had a family there.
James 1823 (merchant seaman - disappears from records around 1845)
Isaac 1825 (brief spell in RN then merchant seaman - disappears from records around 1848)

I've tried long and hard to find the fates of the last two brothers; there are several James Tiddys in records, but none seems to be the right one. He and Isaac may well have emigrated, died at sea or simply avoided marriages, censuses and burials!


Shaun
 
pbetteridge
Top  #8 Print Post
Posted on 16/01/2022 12:52
Shaun,

Does the entry 'died' imply he died of illness rather than due to accident, drowning etc?

I can't answer this in general with certainty, but when my ancestor John Kane (otherwise Keane) was drowned with 2 other coastguards on 5 November 1852 while serving at Blacksod Bay, he was recorded as "drowned" and the fact that the boat was upset was recorded in the reasons, with a reference to a file on the subject (I assume).

I would suspect that "died" does mean died of illness.

Paul
 
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