Halpins of Wicklow - Part 3

[Shanachai]

Sorry guys - the file I'm trying to upload is apparently too big.  Can't say I understand that, but there you are. 

[Shanachai]

If anyone wants a copy of the original Halpin pedigree, send me a personal message and I'll email it to you.  Having no luck trying to upload this thing.

[Bigbird68]

Re: Rev. Robert Crawford Halpin, Chaplain to the Forces, son of Paymaster [Captain] William Halpin, KGL

I have returned to Robert Crawford Halpin and his family.

In the National Archives I have found in 'Reports of Officers Marriages' [WO 25 / 3240] a handwritten return (copy available) from him with details of his marriage to Eleanor Wallace on 13 November 1847 in the Parish Church of Swords, Co Dublin; married by the Rev. John Hare, witnesses Thomas Hunt and John Dobbs. Eleanor Wallace was '22' years old at marriage and Robert was '29'. These returns were required under the Widows Pension Regulations of 1830 (bureaucracy even then!) to ensure widows of officers would receive pensions due when their husbands died.

Robert Crawford Halpin died on 19 March 1889 at 22 Belsize Square and left £2,291 5s 10d, probate to his son Arthur Frederick Halpin and his son-in-law Robert Halket Halkett. I have now also found his burial at Hampstead Cemetery, buried on 25th March 1889 - Surprisingly, in the same grave are buried four members of the Savory family (buried 1890, 1895, 1903 and 1903) who are as far as I can determine completely unrelated (Thomas Savory was a baker, originally from Norfolk). When the weather improves I will go there to locate the grave and also to view 22 Belsize Square (and 54 Belsize Park where Robert's brother Colonel George Halpin [of the Madras Army] lived) - from Google maps both rather substantial and elegant houses even today.

Robert's wife Eleanor died on 11 November 1903 [left £404 1s 4d., probate to her widowed daughter Eleanor Sophie Halkett] but there is no record of her being buried at Hampstead Cemetery. I will keep looking for her burial.

Eleanor Sophie Halkett died on 9 June 1921 [left £786 13s 7d, probate to her unmarried daughter Moira Katherine Esmonde Halkett] and is also buried at Hampstead Cemetery 14th June 1921. In the same grave is her infant son Esmonde Robert Crawford Halkett who was born on 31st July 1883 and was buried on 13th September 1884.

[Bigbird68]

Re:  Children and descendents of the Rev. Robert Crawford Halpin

George William Halpin, civil engineer

George William Halpin was the eldest son of the Rev. Robert Crawford Halpin, born in 1850 in Ireland [baptised 5 August 1850] and married to Kate Wemyss in Edinburgh on 6 December 1876. He was reported as dying in Buenos Aires on 5th July 1922 aged 73 (The Times, 5th August 1922). Since there was no trace of him or Kate after the 1881 census it was assumed that they had gone to Argentina shortly after that date.

I have recently found that George William Halpin of 22 Belsize Square London (his father's home) was made an Ensign in the 2nd London Rifle Volunteer Corps (London Gazette 4 July 1871). He was admitted as a Freemason of the Celtic Lodge of Edinburgh and Leith on 4th February 1876 [proposed by Thomas B(rown) Wemyss, Kate Wemyss' brother].

BillW and I have also found reference to a design (no 63) George submitted for the Great Tower for London (intended as a rival to the Eiffel Tower, to be built at Wembley Park in London), published in 1890 and to a design for a model stationary steam engine (in the Model Engineer) in 1901. These suggest he was in London at least periodically since he used the address 22 Belsize Square, although there are no census returns for him or Kate.

I have also found, in 'Immigration Records of Argentina' [www.immigration-records.com.ar] derived from the Centro de Estudios Migratorios Latinoamericanos (CEMLA) [http://www.cemla.com]:

HALPIN -
Apellido y Nombre Edad Estado Civil Profesión Religión Nacionalidad  Barco Procedencia Datos de arribo  Fecha de arribo / Puerto  Nacido en
                                                                 
HALPIN, GEORGE W. 57  C  INGENIERO  CATOLICA  INGLESA  AVON VIGO  02/09/1910 -
BUENOS AIRES DESCONOCIDO

HALPIN, KATE          56  C  DOMESTICA CATOLICA  INGLESA  ASTURIAS VIGO  02/07/1911 -
BUENOS AIRES DESCONOCIDO

which show that George W Halpin, aged 57, married (casado), engineer, Catholic, English, travelled on the (SS) Avon from Vigo (in Spain) arriving in Buenos Aires on 2nd September 1910, followed by Kate Halpin,aged 56, married, housewife, Catholic, English, travelled on the (SS) Asturias from Vigo, arriving in Buenos Aires on 2nd July 1911.
This suggests that their arrival in Argentina was much later than I had thought before and that perhaps they were moving there in retirement. Slightly anomalous are "Catholic" (they married in an Anglican Church in Edinburgh) and "English" [desconocido means unknown and refers to their place of birth]. As I reported in a previous post, the SS Asturias and the SS Avon were ships of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. undertaking regular voyages from Southampton to Buenos Aires via Cherbourg, Vigo, Lisbon, Rio and other South American ports between 1907 and WW1.

Where George and Kate were living between 1881 and 1910 remains to be discovered. The report in The Times of George Halpin's death appealed for relatives suggesting Kate was already dead by 1922 and that they had no children.

[shanew147]

not certain how much of this detail has already been noted in these threads ... some details on R.C. Halpin from 'Clergy of Dublin & Glendalough' (Diocese)

  Robert Crawford Halpin (1816 - ),   s. of William
  born Antwerp, educated by Mr. Huddart
  TCD B.A., 1843, A.M. 1868
  ordained deacon 1844, ordained priest 1845
  Curate St. Georges 1846,
  Chaplain St. Augustine's (Fem. Penitentiary, Dublin), 1847-1849
  Chaplain to the Duke of Cambridgeshire and Chaplain to the forces 1849
  served in the Crimea - awarded medal & clasp, and China
  retired 1882
  married Eleanor Wallace, daughter of Robert, Belvedere Place, Mountjoy on 13 Nov. 1847
 

S.

[tompion]

Dear John, 

Very interested in your connection with Caroline Hutton.  My great-grandmother, Mary Anne Isabella Halpin, was an older sister of Caroline's husband, William Henry Halpin of Cavan. 

Mary Anne Isabella married William David Bradley, from a long line of Dublin solicitors, but both he and Mary Halpin (Bradley) died in the same year (1897) leaving my grandmother and my great uncles and aunts orphaned. The children were split up with some brought up by a Bradley aunt and the others (including my granmother, Alice Maud Bradley) by the Halpins (almost certainly by William and Caroline Halpin. Till the day she died my grandmother had a postcard of a view of Cavan on her bedside table!

Caroline Hutton Halpin was the godmother of one of my cousins.  'Aunt Carrie' also sent flowers at the funeral of one of my great uncles, as did your relative Hilary Halpin, the wife of William Richard Crozier Halpin. These flowers were from Derek and Hilary Halpin - do you know who Derek Halpin was?

All best, Brian

[Bigbird68]

Re: Paymaster William Halpin - 1

While trawling through the the National Archives looking for Halpins and variants I found the returns of "Services of Officers on Full and Half Pay" of 1828 amongst which is that of William Halpin, the Paymaster in the King's German Legion and father of the Rev. Robert Crawford Halpin [Reference WO 25/762 on pp 305 - 308].

This provides the following information:

"William Halpin, age at first appointment 27 years; service from 24th October 1806 to 28th June 1816, 1st Dragoons, Kings German Legion, Paymaster, without purchase, on Half Pay by reduction; has made application for a district Paymastership.
Full pay 9yr 8/12 Half pay 13yr Total 22yr 8/12
Married 8th September 1798 Wicklow. Children:  Richard b 8 Jan 1800,  William b 31 July 1801,  John b 28 June 1803,  Anna b 24 October 1805,  George b 13 October 1807,  Sophia b 26 April 1810,  Aolphus (sic) [Adolphus] b 19 February 1812,  Robert b 11 August 1815.
Living last 5 years: Neighbourhood of Dublin.

Signed Wm Halpin, Paymaster 1st Drg K.G.L. Dublin 3 December 1828"


This gives his date of marriage and dates of birth of all William's children and adds a previously unknown son Adolphus (see below).

If Paymaster William Halpin was 27 at time of first appointment, this would imply he was born in 1779 (cf census returns that suggest 1777). Note his service is given here as from 24 October 1806 whereas in the Army Lists it is given as 6 January 1807; The Edinburgh Gazette of January 9th 1807 records "King's German Legion, 1st Regiment of Dragoons, William Halpin, Esq., to be Paymaster, vice Schmidern, who resigns". [The 1805 Army List gives the Paymaster of the King's
German Legion Cavalry as Ernest de Schmiedern, appointed 3 May 1804.] Note that
William Halpin is described as Esq. (Esquire), a rank above that of 'gentleman'.

There is no indication he held a military rank. The 1805 Army List includes only Oliver Halpin (Assistant surgeon, 44th Foot) and Paget Halpen, a Lieutenant on Irish Half pay, of the 124th Foot (Cunninghame's), disbanded in 1763. In support of this, other Army lists show no service as ensign or lieutenant. Note this record also states that his appointment was "without purchase" which means he did not have to pay for his Commission, perhaps suggesting an influential sponsor. 'On half pay by reduction' is a reference to the disbanding of the Kings German Legion in Hannover (Celle) in 1816.

The note that he has applied for a district Paymastership fits with letters of 1818 and 1819 (which I have not seen) in the National Archives of Ireland, Chief Secretary's Office Registered Papers (Francis J Crowley Bequest) [Reference CSO/RP/1819/451] from Captain William Halpin of Windsor Avenue, Annesley Bridge, Dublin to Charles Grant, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle enclosing a letter from Prince Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge with a recommendation of Halpin for a post in revenue; and a letter from the Duke of Cambridge to Robert Peel, then Chief Secretary of Ireland recommending Halpin for government employment (with the replies, which would be of interest).

Note the Duke of Cambridge's name Adolphus and the name of Halpin's son born Febraury 1812 when he was serving in the Penisular and French wars (Field Marshal the Duke of Cambridge was Colonel in Chief of the Kings German Legion). The 1st and 2nd Dragoons (now Light Dragoons with new uniforms) of the King's German Legion arrived at Lisbon on 1st January 1812, remaining near there until March 12th and joining the rest of the Army at Entrenoz on March 23rd as the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Cavalry Division. It is rather unlikely that William's heavily pregnant wife would have accompanied him to the Penisular and Adolphus was presumably born in Ireland.

What would be of interest is what William Halpin was doing prior to joining the KGL in Ireland at the age of 28 and what he did after being reduced to half pay.

[Bigbird68]

Re: Paymaster William Halpin - 2

His service record return states his marriage was on 8th September 1798 in Wicklow. Of his children and from Church of Ireland baptism records and census returns we have the following:

Richard, baptised 9 January 1799, Wicklow, father William Halpin, mother Elizabeth (despite William giving Richard's birthdate as 8th January 1800).
William, born 31st July 1801 Limerick, baptised 4th August 1801 Wicklow, father William Halpin, mother Eliza.
John, born 28 June 1803, baptised 3rd July 1805 Wicklow, father Captain William Halpin, mother Eliza (note "Captain" and the date of baptism).
Anne, born 24 October 1805, baptised 4th November 1805 Wicklow, father William Halpin, mother Elizabeth.
George, born 13th October 1807, baptised "1st" October 1807 Tullamore, Co. Offaly, father William Halpin Paymaster-Kg Dragoons, mother Elizabeth Esmond.
[No records for Sophia or for Adolphus].

Thus William Halpin married Elizabeth Esmond on 8th September 1798 (note this is the day the 1798 Irish rebellion essentially ended, with the French under Humbert defeated at the Battle of Ballinamuck on the same day). Was William with the Loyalist forces during and before the rebellion (two Irish Fencible Cavalry Dragoon regiments were raised in 1794)? And did he have a government appointment between 1798 and 1806? (note son William born in Limerick). When son Richard died  in India in 1839, he was described as William Halpin of Castle Forbes, Dublin. the 1837 list of Registered Voters for Dublin show Wm. Halpin, gentleman, Castle Forbes, North Wall (note George Halpin, gentleman at Ballast-Yard, North Wall) and the National Archives of Ireland have records showing William Halpin leasing out several properties in Dublin in the vicinity of North Wall, between 1836 and 1840 (when he would have been aged 59 - 63).

In 1861 he was living at 39 Leinster Square in Bayswater, London, aged 84, described as a widower, Captain Half Pay Light Dragoons (with Anna 53 and Sophia 50, both unmarried, and William, Colonel Madras Army, 60 unmarried, and two maids). When did his wife Elizabeth die (presumably in Dublin)? Why did he come to London after presumably living in Dublin between 1818 and the 1850s (not in the England 1851 census)?  Was this to live with or near his sons William and George who both retired from the Madras Army in July and December 1861 respectively?
William Halpin died in December 1862 at 39 Leinster Square, Bayswater, London and
was buried in All Souls Cemetery, Kensal Green.

[Note, the only other Halpins in the National Archive records referred to above were Oliver Halpin, surgeon (born about 1777), of whose service I have details, and the ubiquitous Robert Crawford Halpin].

[BillW]

Thanks for the post, Ronald, very valuable.  A few thoughts and observations that others may also think of.

I have never known anyone to increase their age in a census knowingly.  Either William was born in 1777 or his age was supplied to the census by someone else and got it wrong, in which case the 1779 may apply.  It is pertinent to me in that neither do we know exactly in which year my George was born.  He was a much less forthcoming man in terms of such records (as found to date).  But by all calculations, he was born about 1779, or as early as 1777.  Were they twins?!  We have baptisms for their brother and  sister, James and Margaret (Halfpenny!) but not for this pair.  William was the only other Halpin to name a son George.  And John too, for that matter.

William's family naming pattern is interesting, if you hold store by such conventions.  First son Richard.  We have seen that a Richard Halpin was significant in signing George out of Beresford's militia and that a Richard Halpin, builder, appears to have been instrumental in getting all of the boys into Dublin guilds.  2nd son William - William of Orange, or (Nicholas) William Halpin, or himself, or his wife's unknown father, or who knows, but good to speculate.  3rd son John - we believe their father was John Halfpenny.  4th son George - after the king, father of the duke.  5th son Adolphus - after his patron.  Then Robert Crawford in 1815 - any ideas?  The only son with two forenames, his arrival took place during the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, after which, as you show, William became "reduced" on half pay.

William's status on joining the KGL intrigues.  As noted, at son John's 1803 baptism in Wicklow, his father is shown as "Captain William Halpin".  But joining the KGL in 1806/7, the civilian epithet of Esq. is given.  Patronage from the Dukes of Cambridge continues through to the 1889 death of Rev Robert Crawford Halpin, private chaplain to the Duke. 

To his death, William proclaimed repeatedly that he was born in, and came from, not Ireland, but Wicklow.  In 1801, son William was born in Limerick 31st July but by 4th August you show that they were in Wicklow for his baptism.  Did his wife Elizabeth keep close to family there for support while William was away on duties?  Only after becoming part of the KGL do they stray from Wicklow although, in the census, Sophia is shown as born about 1811 in Wicklow. 

Could William, like George, have been in a loyalist militia prior to the KGL?  Recorded here a long time ago was a Lieutenant Cotter, a name closely bound up with the Wicklow Halpins at the time, who in 1781 mustered his "volunteer company of Wicklow foresters" to extinguish a fire in the Wicklow gaol and prevent the imminent escape of prisoners.