Army Families 1880's

dizzyme

dizzyme

Goes out of her way to help
The marriage certificate for Ellen Sullivan 13 Apr 1884 at Sabathu, India, has her Rank or Profession as '2 Cheshire Regiment'. Her father is listed as Thomas Sullivan but no occupation for him. I take from it, that she is the daughter of a soldier & the family is travelling with him, which was the norm in those days.

Ellen Sullivan.JPG

Would welcome thoughts :)
 
FS.
Subathu, Bengal India
13th April 1884
William Burke
Crpl. 2 Cheshire Regiment
Age 26
Birth year 1858
Single
White
American
Ellen Sullivan
Age 20
Birth year 1864
Single
Father Thomas Sullivan
No father for William on the marriage.
 
Name Ellen Sullivan
Sex Female
Possible Spouse's Name William Burke
Marriage Date 1884
Marriage Place Ambāla, Punjab, India
Marriage Place (Original) UMBALLA, INDIA
Source Collection Title GRO Index Army Marriages (1881 to 1955)
Line Number 117
Page 189
Reference ARM2
Affiliate Publication Title British nationals armed forces
 
It looks like there are 3 children at least. Family Search
Francis Edmund 1885, Dagshai Bengal
Vincent 1888 Dagshai Bengal
Kathleen 6/1/1887 Umballa (as above in the marriage GRO)
 
Do you have Ellen before her marriage? Birth, census etc.
It is possible that Thomas was in the regiment, it had been in Rawalpindi as a garrison since c1851 and in 1883 an arsenal was established there. But Ellen could also have gone there later as a governess or teacher or even a nurse where she met William.
 
Archie's Mum said:
Do you have Ellen before her marriage? Birth, census etc.
It is possible that Thomas was in the regiment, it had been in Rawalpindi as a garrison since c1851 and in 1883 an arsenal was established there. But Ellen could also have gone there later as a governess or teacher or even a nurse where she met William.
Click to expand...

Don't have records for Ellen prior to her marriage to William, where she states she is 20 yrs old so a birth year 1863/64. Census records, her ages change giving a range of birth from 1860-1864. The 1901 & 1911, is more consistent with 40 & 51 years old (1911 Census: RG14/464/12/23840).
She gives her place of birth as Cork, Ireland possibly Ballincollig.
 
I thought an Irish birth might be the case.
Another marriage which to me is bit of a coincidence is that of a William Henry Burke born 8/11/1862 marries a Margaret Russell in the same place but in 1882. This William was also of American ethnicity born in Milford Massachusetts. Not that it means anything but thought it a coincidence, 2 William Burkes both American in the same regiment.
 
I've had a poke around and came across some info on Ballincollig. It had a large military barracks built by the British Armed Forces in 1810 to protect the gunpowder mills along the river. Ballincollig was one of 12 barracks in southern Ireland. The only reference to which regiment I can find was the Royal Artillery so Thomas possibly could have been a soldier in Ballincollig and went to The Punjab later. There are quite a few old photos on line of the Rawalpindi Camp of the 2nd Cheshire Regiment.
I couldn't find a baptism, either civil or parish for Ellen, father Thomas but then again I ran out of patience as there are hundreds of Ellen Sullivans born in Cork. Try the Irish Genealogy site, lots of info there. You might be more patient than me.:rolleyes:
 
There is a Thomas Sullivan 2580 Collar Maker Sergeant Royal Artillery 1879 and 1882. Collar maker made the oval draught horse collars. Those dates fit well with being in the Punjab. National Archives would give you more info on him. Then again there are probably more than one Thomas Sullivan in the Royal Artillery.
 
The 1901 census in Manchester is interesting. Ellen is widowed but with her is Bridget Stewart (Burke????) 75 who states she is born in Ireland and is her mother in law. William Burke states on his marriage that he was American. Then there are the Walden siblings who are stated as being nieces and a nephew all born in India.
 
In 1891 William V Burke is married to Ellen, so they are back from India. He is a bandmaster GvB Klr, whatever that is........Josephine Walden and siblings were born in India to Joseph Walden and Ann. Ann appears to be William Burkes sister. And no he wasn't American (as on his marriage to Ellen) because on this census he is born in Lancashire.
 
Yew Tree Cemetery west Derby Find a Grave
William Burke, the son of Thomas Burke and Bridget, nee Pickett (or Piggott) was born in Manchester, England in 1858. He was baptised on the 8th of August at St Mary's Church, "The Little Gem", Mulberry Street, Manchester. He joined the Cheshire Regiment as a boy soldier age 14, served mainly in India, and progressed to become a Sergeant Bandmaster. He married Ellen Sullivan, a Nurse, in Subathu, India on the 13th April 1884. The couple had 5 (five) children:-
Francis Edmund, born 1885, died 1886 in India
Kathleen, born 1887, died 1895
Vincent William, born 1888, died 1920
Mabel Teresa, born 1890, died 1963
Bernard, born 1892, died 1965
William Burke died in Mill Road, Hospital, Liverpool and was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery on the 14th May 1899.
Ellen was nurse :D
 
Thank you very much @Archie's Mum for all your hard work!
A lot of the info going forward I do have but did miss that Ellen was a nurse :oops: As you say, she could have been there as a single woman working in one of the professions you mentioned. Think the only way I maybe able to trace her is thru DNA matches...

Thanks for the Baptism of William, which I didn't have. His parents were Irish, his father Thomas was in the 2/22nd Cheshire Regiment along with my 2xgt grandfather Joseph Walden & he married their eldest daughter Ann(ie) Burke. So they are all related by marriage/birth.

There must have been a mix up when transcribing William's ethnicity as he definitely wasn't American and there is nothing on the Church marriage record above.

Thomas Burke (snr) died in India in 1877 & Bridget remarried in 1878 to a George Stewart, (marriage found by the much missed @Huncamunca) another soldier, but he also sadly died in India in 1880.

Will have a look at the Irish Genealogy site, something maybe lurking :)

Thank you again!
Karen
 
upload_2022-1-19_8-43-29.jpeg

This is a 19th Century snap of the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment Band. It looks like, with the tropical shutters that it could be taken in India.
Please remove if it cant be shown here.
 
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