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 John Harvey, Coastguard at Tarbert Island, Co. Kerry, Ireland
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| Celticmist1 |
Posted on 01/03/2014 21:10
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 New Member  Posts: 3 Joined: 01/03/2014 |
Hi, I am wondering if any of the experts on this site might be able to help me I am trying to locate the birth place of John Harvey who was stationed at Tarbert Island Co Kerry between the years 1853 and 1865 when four of his children were born there. It was always assumed that he was born in England but I haven't any way of checking this as John Harvey is quite a common name. I don't have a surname for his wife only that her Christian name was Eliza. Any help at all would be very welcome and appreciated. Thanks in advance Celticmist1 |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 01/03/2014 23:35
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 Administrator  Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Welcome to the Forum. I cannot be 100% certain, but I believe your man was born in Deal, Kent. Tarbert Coastguard Station falls within the Kilrush CG District, and from my own research there was a John Harvey who served on HMS Prince Regent and then HMS Royal Albert during the Crimean War being awarded the Baltic Medal & Crimea Medal with Sebastopol clasp, whose Baltic medal was sent to Kilrush CG District in 1857. From the Ships' Description Books in 1854, this man gave his place of birth as Shoulder, Deal, saying he was 34, which puts his date of birth around 1820. Using the CG Establishment Books I traced his original nomination to the CG Service back to 12 July 1848, from HMS Trafalgar.. I also checked the Seamen’s Tickets on FMP and found one for a John Harvey, issued in 1846 while serving on HMS Trafalgar (314,497). On this he gave his date of birth as 15 January 1823, Deal, Kent; at that time he was 5' 7'' tall, brown hair, fresh complexion and grey eyes - when not working he lived in Deal. While I'm reasonably confident that they are one and the same man, if you could get to the National Archives at Kew, you should check Trafalgar's Description Book for 1845-48 (ADM 38/9188), and if the dates of service match this would confirm it. Martin PS. I've now found him in the Ships Books for the Limerick CG District and am now certain it is the same man, since this confirms his date of birth as 15 January 1823, Deal. The following is pure speculation on my part, but there is a bapt. of a John Taylor Harvey in Deal March 1823, parents John and Rebecca Harvey. On the familysearch.org website there is the marriage of a John T Harvey (father John) to an Eliza Lee (father James) on 17 January 1850, Kilrush District; at this time John was working at Scattery CGS (Kilrush District). Since there was no CG called James Lee working at Scattery on this date, it might be assumed that Eliza was a local girl, and may explain why John was removed to Begh Castle CGS on 19 January 1850. Edited by crimea1854 on 02/03/2014 14:04 |
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| Celticmist1 |
Posted on 02/03/2014 22:15
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New Member Posts: 3 Joined: 01/03/2014 |
Martin you are brilliant , thank you so much for such a speedy reply. You have given me fantastic information and I really appreciate it. John Harvey and Eliza had a son while stationed at the Tarbert Island Coastguard station and one of his Christian names was Taylor so that is brilliant altogether. It could be possible that John's mother's maiden name was Taylor. Also John's mother's Christian name of Rebecca is a family name so that is another great find by you!!!! Thank you. I am really thrilled with all this great information you have provided. To think that you were able to give me his exact date of birth is unbelievable. Did everyone who went to war in Crimea receive the Baltic Medal and the Sebastapol clasp? Or did John do something special to achieve these medals? I don't know where John or Eliza Harvey died, would you have any idea when and where he died? I did see that marriage on family search and thought that maybe Eliza Lee's father may have been a coastguard also. Thank you for ruling that out for me too. I did have a look at the Irish census for 1901 for "Lee" from Co. Clare and found only one Lee family whose religion was Church of Ireland /Protestant so maybe a connection. Is the ref to HMS Trafalgar 314497 his record number for the ship and is ADM 38/9188 his reference for his coastguard record? Thank you again for taking the time to help me. Mary Celticmist1 |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 02/03/2014 22:41
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Mary I did find a marriage on familysearch.org of a John Harvey and a Rebecca Taylor, there also appear to be additional records for further children born to the couple on the same site. Given that John and Eliza married in 1850 I did wonder if there was an official marriage certificate available, which could provide proof positve that we have the right couple? On the question of service during the Crimean War, some 2600 coastguards were drafted into the Royal Navy to fill a manpower shortage. Of these most received the Baltic Medal, but only a few then went on to serve in the Black Sea, qualifying for the Crimea Medal. In addition to these two medals John also received the Turkish Crimea Medal. Unfortunately there were only four ships that had their medals officially named, so unless John had his medals privately engraved you are unlikely to find them. The 314,497 number is the official number of John's Merchant Seamans Ticket, and ADM 38/9188 is HMS Trafalgar's Ships Description Book at the National Archives. The CG Establishment and Ships' Books are available as free downloads from the National Archives, in the ADM 175 series of records. From these it is possible to trace most, if not all of John's postings and promotions. I'm quite happy to research these if you would like. Martin |
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| Celticmist1 |
Posted on 03/03/2014 14:39
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New Member Posts: 3 Joined: 01/03/2014 |
Martin thank you for all that extra information. I will order the marriage cert and I am sure it will confirm that you found the right couple. I can't believe that some of the Irish Coastguard records are now available online, I will do some searching on that site and see how I get on. Thank you for the offer to help my search however for the moment you have been absolutely great and your help has given me the spurt I needed to continue. I am so thrilled that you have traced the English connection which always remained elusive, thank you so much for that. All the best for now Celticmist 1 |
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