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"Spike Island (Fort Westmoreland): ...

Opposition to the practice of 'transporting' convicts,... saw a decline in transportation and the establishment of 'home convict depots'. In 1847 Spike Island... [was] selected as male convict depots (females were accommodated at Fort Elizabeth in the city of Cork). By 1853 there were 3,764 male and 514 female convicts in Ireland of which c2,500 were on Spike Island. By 1860 this had dropped to 1,076 male (c500 on Spike Island), and 416 female. The last prisoners were removed from Spike Island in 1885. ...

Throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century all the forts were manned by elements of the Royal Garrison Artillery (often artillery militia)"   Michael Cronin, 'British Military Barracks Co. Cork'  http://www.sci.net.au/userpages/mgrogan/cork/barracks.htm

This makes it likely that your ancestor was born to a British Army family.  Somewhere in the National Archives, Kew there will likely be a barrack return for Fort Westmorland for the period.  This ought to contain details of the units stationed there (almost definitely artillerry units rather than regiments) and may even have returns of Births.

The nineteenth Century census returns for Ireland have not survived beyond a few fragments.  But the military record if it pans out ought to give you at least as much information.  However, unless you can do the work yourself at Kew you will have to pay a researcher.

 

The following is from a file sent by a friend to whom I think I am distantly related through marriage with the O'Callaghans: (among other similarities I have a first cousin named Barbara O'Callaghan, not a usual Irish name).

Daniel O'Callaghan was born Abt. 1810 in Co. Cork, Ireland, and died Abt 1890 in Co. Cork, Ireland.  He married Barbara Herberta Baldwin December 02, 1837 in Kilmurry, Co. Cork, Ireland, daughter of Herbert Baldwin and Barbara Dunne.  She was born Nov 07, 1812 in Macroom, Co. Cork, Ireland, and died Abt. 1880 in Cork City.

There may be good reason for Barbara not to appear in Burke's since the Callaghans and Baldwins were bitter political enemies and the marriage is said not to have been approved of by the Baldwins.

There is also in a work 'Protestant Society and Politics in Cork 1812-1844', d'Alton, Cork, 1980,  a table 'Some intermarriage patterns..' showing a Mary Baldwin, daughter of Henry Baldwin marrying Richard Tonson Rye in 1845.

I will ask my friend what her sources are and whether she gathered any other information on the Baldwin family.

I should think that the correct order would be to search the Army Lists first and in the unlikely event that your man doesn't turn up there, then would be the time to consider other sources.

Here is the link to the information page on the Lists at the PRO
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=267

It is also worth looking at
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=144

Starting with the record classes you mention seems to me to make no sense at all if the Lists have not been exhausted.  Rather like hiring a private detective to find a phone number before checking the white pages.

BTW would this Henry Baldwin have been the son of Herbert Baldwin and Barbara Dunne?

 

May be worth taking a look at the following search results in the Canadian National Archives, especially number 9.  The fron page of the first part of the record will have the date and place of birth.

It would be surprisong for a young man to go to the expense of making his own way to Britain when he could enlist in Canada.  At that time there wasn't much distinction between the two armies.

Worth noting that there is also a 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Canada (Black Watch) and that many regiments were made up to strength from remnants left by the brutal attrition.

Just a thought.  And you'll need to copy and paste the link into your browser or you can just enter the details again at http://www.collectionscanada.ca/02/02010602_e.html

Here's the result you will get:

http://data4.collectionscanada.ca/netacgi/nph-brs?s1=mason&s2=ernest&s3=&Sect4=AND&l=20&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESOFF&Sect5=CEF6PEN&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CEF6&p=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.ca%2Farchivianet%2F02010602_e.html&r=0&f=S

I notice a search of the 1881 British Census on the LDS site turns up just two George Stock entries with a birth date of 1848.  If you spread to two years either side the total number is about 19.  Perhaps by a process of elimination you can determine which is yours if any.  Once you know the name of his wife, if he was married in Ireland then there is likely to be a record at the GRO in Dublin.  In most cases the regiment occurs under 'occupation' in the registration though not always as definitive as one would like; e.g., Pte. 20th Rgt; Sgt. Devon Regt; Soldier; well, you see what I mean.