Halpins of Co. Wicklow, Portarlington and Dublin City - Part 2

[Bigbird68]

Children of Robert Halket Halkett and Eleanor Sophie Halkett, nee Halpin

 [Eleanor Sophie Halpin, b 1853 Dublin; married Robert Halket Halkett, 25th July1882, St Peter’s, Belsize Park, Hampstead, London; died 1921 Hampstead “aged 69"]

            2a Esmonde Robert Crawford Halkett, b 31st July 1883, bapt 27 August 1883, St Peter’s Belsize Park, Hampstead, family at 3 Hemstall Road, West Hampstead
      Died 1884, Hampstead. Aged 1

        2b Guy Wallace Halkett, b 26 February1886, Hampstead, bapt 24 March, St Peter’s; family at Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead
1901 at Repton School in Derbyshire (played cricket for Repton School against Malvern College 1904); Passenger lists show him as a tourist in Canada in 1910, not on UK1911 census; Lieutenant Guy Wallace Halkett in on the 1914-1919 Roll of Honour of the London Regiment (28th Battalion, Artists Rifles), listed in the Reserve Cavalry Regiment from 23 May 1918 and with the final rank of Brigade Major; 1923 and 1924 passenger lists show him on ships to and from Buenos Aires, Argentina (see George Halpin in previous post); described as a schoolmaster, Malvern College; however, thereafter no further record and no evidence for marriage, death etc in England.

        2c Alan Templeton Halkett, b 1889 Hampstead; 1911 census an engineer draughtsman in Bridgend; National Archives show 2/Lieut. Alan Templeton Halkett in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers for 1916-1918, London Gazette has him relinquishing his commission on 29 January 1919, 6th Reserve Regiment; passenger lists for 1917, 1919, 1934 and 1939 show him as a tea planter, travelling to and from India; apparently unmarried; South African records show Alan Templeton Halkett d. 1949, Cape Town, estate papers available.

        2d Moira Katherine Esmonde Halkett, b 16 October 1890, Hampstead, bapt 16 November 1890, St Peter’s, from Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead; no evidence for marriage or death in England

   The 1901 census shows the widowed Eleanor Sophie Halkett living with her widowed mother at 22 Belsize Square, Hampstead (no children present; 3 servants); in 1911 she was at a school in Eastry, Kent , described as a professional musician, born Dublin but nationality “Scotch”, with her daughter Moira, aged 20 but still described as a “schoolgirl”.

   Robert Halkett died in 1896 aged 43, in Eastry, Kent.
   Eleanor Sophie Halkett died in 1921 in Hampstead, “aged 69".

[BillW]

Further information received about this George Halpin 1800 source.

That his regiment is unknown is an indexing error; whoever indexed this record failed to identify his regiment.
However it is quite clearly stated in a number of places on the record to be the Loyal Dublin Regiment of Yeomen Infantry.  I believe this was a Militia Regiment, raised the previous year by its Captain Commandant, John Claudius Beresford. 

George Halpin was discharged with service of 1 year and 7 months "having received a wound in the right hand when drawing the charge from his Carbine it accidentally went off and the ball passed thro two of his fingers, which has deprived of the use of them, he is thereby rendered incapable of further service.  This accident happened on the 28th day of September 1799"

His description is as follows:

George Halpin, height 5' 10 1/2", age 22, Trade Stone Cutter, Born Wicklow, County Wicklow. 

The Surgeon's certificate notes;

"I do hereby Certify, that the above-mentioned George Halpin of the Loyal Dublin Yeomen Infantry has a wound in the right hand which he received on the 28th day of September 1799 when cleaning his Carbine, it accidentally went off, and the ball passed thro' two of his fingers, by which he is deprived of the use of them and rendered incapable of earning his Bread at his trade and whereby he is rendered incapable of further Service, and a fit Object of his Majesty's Royal Bounty of Kilmainham Hospital.
 
Given under my Hand the Day and Year above-mentioned

William Swan, Surgeon."

Kilmainham Hospital dated back to 1679 and administered Army Pensions for regiments on the Irish Establishment until 1822 when they were taken over by Chelsea.  There are records of service in WO 119 for men discharged to Kilmainham pension though I'm not sure that they will give any more detail than the above. 
[Thanks to Mike Shingleton, military researcher]

Bill

GEORGE HALPIN Born WICKLOW, Wicklow. Served in [Not Known]. Discharged aged 22. Covering date gives year of discharge.  Miscellaneous: Abe
Date: 1800
[Source: The Catalogue of The National Archives
Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers Service Documents WO 97/1184/103]

This date and age aligns with my George Halpin senior.  Is this my Eureka moment?

1779 is his calculated year of birth derived from his age being given as 75 when he died in July 1854, suggesting he would be 21 in 1800, the year he is reported to have commenced work with the Dublin Ports.

If so, it gives his place of birth as Wicklow and 1 or 2 years after Willam Halpin, paymaster King's German Legion, being born also in Wicklow.

So, who was their father in Wicklow (or their separate fathers)?  Despite all the scattered evidence of Cotter, Eaton and Halbert families in and around Wicklow Town, I have yet to see evidence of a Halpin family there pre-1800.

Bill.

[BillW]

One of my Australian Halpin cousins has more than once recounted that she clearly remembers her grandfather telling her that a relative of his was a Harley Street, London, ear, nose and throat specialist doctor.

Anyone know anything to confirm this?

Bill

[BillW]

Here's a turn up.  In the above 1799 discharge of George Halpin from the Loyal Dublin Regiment of Yeoman Infantry, his spidery signature (possibly with his left hand because his right had just been shot) is witnessed by a RICHARD HALPIN.

I have no evidence before this of any Richard Halpin old enough to witness a signature in 1799.

Who was he?  Was he George's father???  Or uncle, or brother?

In this context it should be borne in mind that William Halpin paymaster's first son was named Richard, born this same year, 1799, baptised Wicklow.  And of course he also had sons George, John and Robert.  And James Halpin likewise had sons called George, Richard, John and Robert.

Are we possibly squaring a circle here?

Bill

[BillW]

35 years after the 1798 rebellion, a lengthy article appeared in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol 35, pp221ff.  (Moderator please note this is a brief, edited transcription by me from an online version of a magazine 176 years ago that anyone can consult without payment.)

In passing it mentions John Claudius Beresford, revealed yesterday as the Commandant of the Loyal Dublin Regiment of Yeoman Infantry and it makes an interesting reference to the Customs House.

During the Rebellion, he had commanded a troop of cavalry, formed chiefly of the principal persons connected with the Customhouse, of which his father, a man of different class and character, had been Chief Commissioner.  The natural unpopularity attached to Customhouse officers had not been in the slightest degree palliated by seeing them decorated with sabres and pistols, and acting under the orders of a Beresford.  The troop, who were violent in their politics, and, of course, fully aware of the popular opinion, returned it with sufficient reciprocity; and by their zeal in the seizure and punishment of supposed rebels, so rendered themselves conspicuous, and conspicuously hated by the people......During the rebellion, the riding-house of the troop had been, unluckily for their reputation, a chosen spot for flogging the suspected....(End excerpts.)

This article relies more on hearsay and opinion than scholarship but it is clear that Beresford's troop was regarded as being connected with the Customs House.  I don't know that George Halpin's being an infantry regiment makes any difference.

Bill

[J.M. Flannery]

Hi Bill,

I have been away from my computer for a while, but on opening it today
I found a message for you from Jim Rees in Arklow, posted on Saturday last.
Julia

Dear Julia,
I haven’t heard from your contact Bill, but he is more than welcome to contact me. On a related matter, I received a letter the other day from a man who lives outside Mullinavat in Kilkenny wondering why Jessie Halpin was buried in a small, remote graveyard there. This was news to me as I had assumed that she was buried in the same plot as Robert. Her name is on the headstone, but it is ambiguous and she could well be buried elsewhere. Do you ever hear of such a possibility?

I am useless with chatlines or beboing or whatever. I have no idea on to get on to these things. I’d be grateful if you could post it on the Halpin site and see if anyone has any information about it. I’m looking for the exact location and inscription in Mullinavat and will be in touch.

 Jim

[kenneth cooke]

Re my post No. 102
I have finallly managed to access and copy the document concerned- A Handlist of the Voters of Maryborough Corporation 1760 by H F Kearney, 1954. Select Documents from Drogheda MSS. Irish Historical Studies,Vol. 9, No. 33.
It was not a final list of the voters, but rather  a prognosis of how each of them was expected to vote, prepared by the interests of one of the candidates.
There were 400 burgesses and freemen enrolled, but only 70 resided in Maryborough, and many in other counties. A number were expected to “serve him that gives most money”.

The two Halpens were:
Halpen Mark,  Ballymony, Under Mr. Westenra’s influence.
Halpen Pagitt, in the Army, Under the influence of Sir Ralph Gore and Mr. Westenra.

The only other name that might be of interest was:
“Stopford William, Esqr. (no place of abode)  Mr. Ben: Burton has some influence over him.”
But the note (dead) was added, so it seems he had died before the election.
Benjamin Burton of Burton Hall, Co. Carlow was a wheeler-dealer, active in several counties.

As for the Halpens, it is clear to me that Mark Halpen of Ballymony is the same as M.H.
of Ballynamony, and therefore my 5xGr. g’father, and Pagett is related, most likely his son,
who resided at Ballymony in 1786.
Ken

[kenneth cooke]

To Diane,
In your Post No.83, you seemed to doubt that it was the same Wm. Henry who married Marianne Crosthwaite in 1787.
I have him as born abt 1760, and now I see you found his death in 1839, aged
79. It fits in perfectly, and it must be him. He was the son of Nicholas, the headmaster of Portarlington School, and his son was Nich. John, born 1790.
Ken

[kenneth cooke]

Am I right in saying that many of the Irish Halpins/Halpens are descended from
Nicholas, headmaster of Portarlington School ?
To me, he seems to be the linchpin, the connection that will bring all the various branches of the family together.
I have him tentatively placed as a son of Mark Halpen of Maryborough, and a brother of Paget (in the army), Elizabeth (mar. Eugene Sweny) and perhaps Patrick (engraver) and John (bookseller).
I have now received a message off-line from Diane. She has found the baptism of a Nicholas Halpenn in 1726 at St James, Westminster, parents Mark Halpenn and Catharine.
I had previously found three other children to the same parents: Mary 1719, Grace 1721, Mary 1725, baptised at the same place.

Mark was one of the ‘three Mark Halpens’ who may turn out to be one and the same person:
1. Father of four children born in London 1719-1726
2. Husband of Lady Eliz Lawley 1730 and charged with assault, involved in litigation at courts of Exchequer and House of Lords.
3. Voter in Maryborough 1760 and father of Paget (army) and Elizabeth (Sweny).

We know that No.2 was an Irishman and had been an apothecary. He was last heard of in England when his appeal to retain control of Lady Lawley’s estate was rejected in 1735. She died in 1739. Paget must have been born about 1735-1740, (also voted in 1760).

Now, perhaps Nicholas, headmaster was not born in Ireland, but was the one born in London in 1726. He would have been a half brother of Paget and Elizabeth. Diane says she is starting to think along the same lines.
How do we go about proving or disproving this theory ?
Ken