Family of Sir Rollo GILLESPIE

[rowlie]

Update  Have been in touch with lovely lady on India/Dheli who has a first Ghurka War ancestor. She has been busy cleaning my ancestors grave,  removing bat guano etc. She has sent me pictures about Kalunga etc. There are also a number of questions that arise about the involvement of local people in these campaigns, but  History is diffuse about such matters as it is always from our point of view. So please tell me what you have.  I am told that here is an upsurge of interest on the General and I have been asked to write something for the regiment. Very difficult when the whole resource has probably come from my grand parents anyway and I still have those resources. We wrote the book! But also I do realise as a modern man, that there are two sides to every story and the unraveling of that is very difficult. I am sorry if I have not responded to queries. Just give me a gentle dig in the ribs! I promise I will not blow your head off. I am very busy with my work.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Manuscripts
GILLESPIE family trees are in volumes 12p1N Comber, volume 29T, volume 57 ‘A Family Sketch’ {This one looks special} These volumes are in the Blackwood Family history manuscript trees in LinenHall library, Belfast.  I suggest if you don’t know about them, then you ask the library for photocopying estimates, and  if they think your knowledge relevant and be prepared to pay the extra for post and packing. However if the material is really relevant when you get it, I suggest a further donation to this unique library that is always needing extra funds. Linen Hall Library,17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT15GB, Northern Ireland, Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707,  Fax: +44 (0)28 9043 8586, Email:info[at]linenhall.com.

Books
Gillespie, Sir, R. R.    Memoir of Major-General Sir R. R. Gillespie  1816
Wakeham, Eric    The bravest soldier, Sir Rollo Gillespie, 1766-1814 : etc. 1937
 
Comber Gillespie entries are also in,
www.proni.gov.uk/freeholders,  freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies. Hoping something is new to you. Good luck in your work, Jim

[mrs.c.]

thankyou jim i am very grateful for the info you have given me, i will contact the linen hall library in belfast and see what they come up with for me, i can only go back so far at the moment so any help is very much appreciated.i only wish i could visit in person. with regard to the book "the bravest soldier" i have borrowed this from our local library and my husband is engrossed in it.the other book the memoir of major-general r.r.gillespie 1816, i think there is only one copy in the british library, my library are trying to borrow it for me so i am hoping to get this one as i think it is the only one with more details of robert rollo and his family.
thankyou once again for your time and trouble.jan

[mrs.c.]

hello rowlie,thankyou for your update,i do not have very much info on the gillespie family at the moment i am trying to find a connection to robert rollo gillespie for my husband whose g/g grandmother was margaret gillespie.thankyou jan

[BallyaltikilliganG]

a copy of 1816 is in LHL use google and then catalogue with sub heading irish.... For strictly private research they may offer photocopying of part or all. Keep it private if you do, glad to be of help, see you up Scrabo some time when staircase open on Friday afternoons, but I will be at the bottom step cheering you upwards. Its worth every step. Jim

[rowlie]

As an aside .  I gather from my Nepalese contacts that money is available to restore or replace the memorials about the Battle of Khalunga, restoration of the generals grave etc and the creation of gardens associated with the memorials . It includes a reconstruction of the Fort   Now I always remember a photo or picture of the fort from my early years ,and Dad tell me what it was, but I don't have the  info to access on this side of things.( YES I WAS STITCHED UP OVER INHERITANCE) Now has anyone seen a picture of the fort in contemporary press or later, because the Archaeological service want this information? Anything gratefully received.

[rowlie]

Incidently all the literature still comes back to what my father , G father, ggf, and, gggf  have provided. It is very difficult for me to improve on this. You can analyse the information and glean snippets such as he was quite a one for a pretty girl,and sometimes that made work secondary to the job in hand, even if the General was married.  "Campaigners Grave and Gay" is a great read.  YES ,I still have the texts provided for most of these books but such was the quality provided by my forbears - I can't improve on it.  I have been asked questions such as   "What was the involvement of the Nepalese people in the campaign".  I have difficulty here in that all aspects of describing it can only come from our perspective.  I am not explaining this too well  but I am sure you know what I mean.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Photographs
A photographic image of Kalunga; Fort or Nalapani Ko Ladain is in www.khukurihouseonline.com/Content/Gurkhas/


Books
Hernon, Ian Blood in the Sand several editions eg Hardcover: Sutton Publishing
2001

[rowlie]

Yes I read Blood in the Sand. Unfortunately the picture isn't Khalunga Fort. The fort has been flattened. It is a on a small plateau.  A few stones can be seen sticking out of the ground in a pleasantly wooded area. Jyoti Thapa's grandfather bought the site in 1880 to preserve it and she still owns it. Jyoti sent me pictures of it Her family is from the area.
Best wishes