William Hopley : Short Biography

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Good morning Ireland XO,

Hope all is well over in your beautiful Isle.

I'm having trouble finding previous messages. I haven't been on the site for a while as I went blind with cataracts. But had my eyesight is restored now and I purchased a computer. I'm not actually very good at this.

I thought that I had put the father of William Hopley (my great x2 grandfather) onto this site but he's missing.

His name was John Hopley, born in county Cork in 1784 or 1785. He married Elenor Lumsden in 1809, County Cork and he died in Lancashire, January of 1849.

Their son, William Hopley was born about 1811 in Tipperary. He came to Australia (as a Colour Seargent) with the Devonshire 1/11 Regiment, in 1845, which was highly respected, especially in Sydney.

Anyhow I would like help as to how I research exactly, or as close as possible, for where in Cork that John Hopley was born.

It doesn't seem to be an Irish surname from what I can gather. I don't know if Lumsden is either.

Any help is much appreciated. Please forgive me if you have already spoken to me about this.

Sincerely yours,

Alana Halsey (nee Cropper).

Alana Fae

Sunday 29th October 2023 05:17AM

Hello Alana

I am also researching John HOPLEY, father of William who came to Australia with the 11th Regt in 1845.  Am I correct in thinking you are in the below line?

John HOPLEY m. Ellenor LUMSDEN

     William HOPLEY m. Margaret RIDDLE

          Alice Jane HOPLEY m. Richard SEYMOUR

               Louisa Jane SEYMOUR m. Samuel Clement CROPPER

I am researching on behalf of my husband Ray INNES who is a descendant of Alice's older brother William Henry HOPLEY born in 1835 and death yet to be confirmed.

The main record I found of interest was in rootsireland.ie.  It is a baptism record for William HOPLY for 26/7/1810 in Clonmel. Father John HOPLY and mother Eleanor HOPLY.  On the same record is the following detail:

*MILITIA. REG. 29/7/1810*

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Officiator: Hill James.

Church: Clonmel.

Register: B/1809-1829.

I checked rootsireland.ie for any other children of John and Eleanor with nil result.

My husband and I were lucky enough to visit Ireland and Co. Wexford a few years back.  I spoke to a Librarian in the Central Library in Wexford who was very knowledgeable about the Wexford Militia.  With his help, and the military record found on Fold3, I've come up with the following detail for the father John.

• born around 1/2/1778 (calculated from his date of enlistment minus 15yrs 134 days) in Kilscoran Wexford
• labourer
• enlisted Wexford Regt Militia on 15/6/1793 age 15yrs 134 days for 'unlimited service'
• served in the army for 35yrs 144 days after the age of 18
  • Private 1793-1799
  • Corporal 1799-1800
  • Sergeant 1800-1829
  • discharge approved 27/5/1829 due to 'hernia of the right side and worn out in service'
  • 'general conduct of soldier has been good'
  • description on discharge '51yrs, 5ft8 1/2", sandy hair, blue eyes, fresh complexion, trade labourer'
  • death unknown
• Townlands in Kilscoran in Wexford were researched further and in the Tithe applotment books there were the following HOPLEY's in 1833.  The relationship with John, if any, is unknown.
  1. Joseph HOPLEY in Townland Ballycorboys Little, Parish Killinick, Co. Wexford
  2. Joseph HOPLEY in Ballycorboise, Parish Killinick, Co. Wexford
  3. Joseph HOPLEY in Ballycorboise, Parish Killinick, Co. Wexford
  4. Jas HOPLEY in Eardownes, Parish Ladysisland, Co. Wexford
  • (no. 1, 2 & 3 look identical, but the way they're presented in the Tithe applotment books suggests they are individual farms)

One last tidbit of interest found in the online catalogue of the National Archives of Ireland was correspondence of ex militia men from Co. Wexford seeking positions in the police force with catalogue number CSO/RP/1829/1618.  It's dated 14/11/1829 and includes the names George LUMSDEN and William HOPLEY.  The name LUMSDEN appears elsewhere in the Archive - William LUMSDEN, Chief Constable of Charleville in 1829 (there is a town Charleville in both Co. Wexford & Co. Cork).

Apologies for the information overload - I hope you get to see it and find it of interest.  It would be great to compare notes, but perhaps by email rather than this online chat.

regards,

Maureen Innes,

Brisbane, Australia

Maureen I

Tuesday 16th April 2024 11:59AM