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Is this my Henry Develin/Devlin?

By MaryA |

Continue this post here.

A reminder of the previous messages is here

https://www.lswlfhs.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16646

He was the only Henry Develin to pass between 1860-1920, England & Wales with a birth 1822 +/-1. Very likely to be your family member. 

 

Andy's suggestion may get you a reconigsable address and perhaps an end date for the pension payments, should correspond with the Liverpool death.

 

This from the FIBIS website, Bombay Army European soldiers database:

Entered the Service  1840    

Surname  Devlin    

Forename(s)  Henry    

Rank or Situation  Private 2nd European Regt.    

Occupation before Enlisting  Labourer    

Town and County   Liverpool, Lancashire    

Where first enlisted   Liverpool    

Date of Attestation   25 November 1840    

Term of enlisted service  Unlimited    

In what ship arrived from Europe, or Service Entertained  Florist    

Year of Arrival or When that service entertained   1841    

IOR Reference   L/MIL/12/111    

 

The next two database entries seem much more dubious:

British Library Reference: EAP524/2/3/1

Banns of marriages published in the Parish of St James. Extent of original: 1 bound volume.. Physical characteristics of original: 290mm x 230mm x 30mm; 149 pages; pro-forma ledger; brown cover, paper on board; cover peeling at corners and spine in poor condition. Author: Bishopric of St Helena.  (ie. the island in the South Atlantic)

Page No   29

Church St James

Year 1856

Groom Surname Devlin

Groom Given Names Henry

Profession / civil status Bachelor

Bride surname Clingham

Bride Given Names Catherine

Status Spinster

Date 1 29 Jun

Date 2 06 Jul

Date 3 13 Jul

Remarks Military

 

The Indian Mutiny Medal Roll (British Forces) 1857-1859.

IOR Reference 355.134

Given Names Henry

Surname Devlin

Rank Private

Regiment or Ship 34th Foot (Cumberland)

 

 

Sorry for tardiness in replying - I was having trouble logging on but thankfully Mary's patience has sorted me out!  Thank you, Mary.

Many thanks for your comments - reassuring to know you think I am on the right track, Bert.  The dates in Andy's information would also explain why I can't find HD on the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

Andy, in your information from the FBIS, it mentions 'when that service entertained' - what does 'entertained' mean in this context please?

I was about to subscribe to the FIBIS website and then you sent me that useful information, Andy - am I likely to find more information (eg pension details as suggested by Bert) if I subscribe?  First time I have delved into the East India Company archives!

Thanks, Glen

 

Hi Glen,

This is a guess, but I think that entertained means the point from which the period of service should be reckoned.

I'm not a member of FIBIS myself so I don't know what else might be available only to members. All the data I found is accessible without joining. It might be worth sending them an email explaining what you are after and see what they recommend.

I didn't see any references to EIC pension reccords on FIBIS when I searched using the name Develin/Devlin, so you may need to check the British Library records once they re-open for that sort of infornation. However this link might be worth following up:https://fibis.ourarchives.online/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=class_detail&source_class=137

Also take a look at the FIBIS wiki entry for the East India Company.

Andy

Afternote: Another possible source here.(pdf)

I've contacted British Archives to see if they can address the issue of when Henry was pensioned out of the EIC as, having looked at the FIBIS site, I could see what Andy meant when he said there was not much information about pensions and I really think I can rule out the possiblity that Henry married in India. I think I have strong circumstantial evidence to say that the death certificate does indeed refer to my Catherine's brother, however - dates fit, helps explain his absence from censuses and Bert has helped rule out other possible candidates.  Following up the wikipidia link told me the EIC was effectively  ended in 1857/8 after the India Mutiny so I guess there is the liklihood that Henry was pensioned as a result of this.  

I notice on the record Andy posted that Henry sailed out on the 'Florist' - a cursory google search didn't throw up much information about the vessel except that at one time it may have been used as a slave ship.  Can anyone else find out anything?

Glen

I listened to a talk this morning by a member of the National Archive staff, talking about the records held there, you might find it interesting and it's on YouTube for at least the weekend.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaSGKFa-BvM&fbclid=IwAR1jWA95o9tNQJMypc…; I don't know if the Q&As are also on the end of the film but she did mention that there are definitely Irish Records held at the English National Archives, she stresses to check the Guidelines rather than go jumping straight in, you never know you just might find some clue.

Nailed it!  British Archives and British Library were really helpful (especially given as most of the staff are working from home) and pointed me in the direction of the East India Co pension records on FindMyPast and there I found the pension record of HD.  As you anticipated, Bert, this helped me confirm I had the right Henry Develin. Turns out HD ended up as a corporal in Madras and he left the army when he was 38 after over 19 years service.  He accessed his pension from 1st Nov 1860 and appears to have set sail for home on 5th Oct 1860.  I am guessing that he did not want to join the British Army after the Indian Mutiny (see how knowledgeable I am, Andy, after following your advice?!) and also that, given the length of the trip from India to England, he probably didn't reach Liverpool much before the 1861 census that I originally found him on.

The Pension Record doessn't give me the cause of discharge but tells me how tall he was, colour of his eyes etc, details which always make the story come to life.

Bert, I had a bit more luck researching the ship he returned on than we did with the 'Florist'.  It was the 'Cossipore', a wooden clipper of 834 tons - I even found a picture of her.

So thanks again for your help - I  wouldn't have been able to put this piece of the jigsaw in without you and I've learnt quite a bit about the EIC and the National Archives along the way - unfortunately the Q&As were not on the YouTube, Mary, but the content was informative anyway and I will definitely explore the NA when I am looking at my Irish line, including HD's parents, of course.

Thanks again.

Glen