I am still looking for my Great Grandfather Thomas Jones.
He came from Wexford Ireland He was born around 1830 - joined the Royal Irish Constabulary and served for a few years before coming to Queensland Australia. No information regarding his parents appears on his Marriage Certificate or Death Certificate. Information from R.I.C. states he was a Protestant.
He married a Mary Purcell in Toowoomba Queensland and served in the Police Force for a few years before taking up a selection of land outside Toowoomba.
Hoping someone can help with his early life.
Regards Judy Hess(Jones)
judithjones
Saturday 25th Jul 2020, 12:47AMMessage Board Replies
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There are a number of Thomas Jones listed in the R.I.C. records, the one with service number 19519 seems to be the one that matches the details you have for your Thomas.
This Thomas is recorded as age 20 when he signed up in 1855, so born c1835, ‘P’ Protestant, born County Wexford, previous trade or occupation ‘School Master’, he was assigned to King’s County (County Offaly) and resigned from the force on the 15th May 1862, also included is a note that the reason was ‘to emigrate to Queensland’,
Included in the record is the name of the person who recommended him when he signed up - a Mr. J. Rowe J.P. - could be a possible clue to his where he came from in County Wexford...
‘Protestant’ can refer to a number of denominations but most commonly Church of Ireland, unfortunately very few Church of Ireland records for County Wexford are available online at the moment, so it would be difficult to research him or his family. If his father’s name could be located from Australian sources, e.g. an obituary, then it might be worth searching for him on Land Valuation records etc.. a search for Jones properties in County Wexford on Griffith's Primary Valuation shows just over 200 entries, although there wouild be duplicates among these, and a probaly a mix of occupiers and lessors. This valuation is dated around 1853 for County Wexford.
I suspect that the J. Rowe mentioned may be John Rowe of Ballycross townland County Wexford who was a magistrate in the 1850s. Ballycross townland is in Kilmore civil parish. The townland is located to the north of the town of Kilmore, see the entry on the Placename Database. For Church of Ireland purposes the area was part of a Parish Union of Tomhaggard. Historic records for this parish go back to the early 1800s, and are held by the Representative Church Body Library in County Dublin, they are not available online anywhere as far as I know. I would say it's worth keeping an eye out for any update of RootsIreland or the Anglican Records Project that include this parish union...
On a second search of Griffith's Valuation for any Jones properties in this Parish Union (Tomhaggard, Kilmore & Kilturk) for any Jones properties as occupier or landlord, did not show any matches at that time..
Previous Query for reference : Thomas Jones
Shane Wilson, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 25th Jul 2020, 09:07AM