James Roy

Abt 1827 -

• Name	James Roy
  Born	Abt 1827	Co Antrim, Northern Ireland
  	See notes about research into his date of birth.
  Gender	Male
  Employment	1837	Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland
  Royal Irish Constabulary
  	Enlistment of James Roy into the Royal Irish Constabulary
  Employment	18 Dec 1850	Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland
  Resignation from the Royal Irish Constabulary
  	James Roy resignation from the Royal Irish Constabulary
  Occupation	station master  [1]
  Died	Northern Ireland
  	Is one of these "our" James Roy: 1867 Death registration Lisburn, Antrim 1869 Death registration Ballycastle, Antrim 1881 Death registration Banbridge, Armagh 1885 Gravestone in Belfast (Shankil). 1896 Belfast City Council records a death 26 Jun aged 68
  Notes	According to one source, James 2 was born abt 1827. This means he was married at age 23. This seems more feasible than 35 and it means that he was 37 when his third son Thomas was born. However it does conflict with the Constabulary records (see next note) where he enlisted 19 Jul 1837 at age "22". Our research is based on the birth of his son in Enniskillen about 1850. He is listed as station master on his son Thomas's marriage registration on 31 Mar 1886. We don't know when James Roy became a station master. His three (known) sons are railway engine drivers. This suggests a railway family! Family lore also suggests that their origins are Co Antrim. Options: 1. James Roy married Catherine Thompson in 1850 in Enniskillen and is identified as a Constable in his marriage record. They are both "aged 22" with a note "Ages given as full over 21". Both their fathers are farmers. But where are they from? 2. The Royal Irish Constabulary records 1816-1921 list a Jas Roy, aged 22 (= over 21?) when he enlisted in 1837 [therefore born 1815] with birthplace Antrim and formerly a labourer. He was transferred to Limerick 1 Dec 1850 but resigned on 18 Dec and married on 20 Dec. This James would have been 35 when he married. If he is the father of James, John and Thomas he was 49 when Thomas was born. Ellie Roy has done some considerable research that included contact with Royal Ulster Constabulary Historical Society museum and received this explanation about Constables and marriage from researcher Robert Davison: There is nothing in the 1837 Standing Rules and regulations regarding the transfer of Constables. The regulations did state that a man was not to serve in his or his wife's native areas. Regarding marriage: 'No Head Constable, Constable, or Sub Constable is to marry without permission from the Inspector General, and this indulgence will only be granted to well conducted men, after two years' service, and on the production of satisfactory references as to the conduct, character and respectability of the female to whom the Constable or Sub-Constable may wish to be united.' Each county was allowed only a certain number of married men and their number was usually pegged in a ratio to the unmarried in each. The number of married men was intentionally kept low, as it was easier operationally to manage single men who could be moved without the burden or consideration of the family ties of wives, children and out of barracks lodgings. I can only speculate that in this case his wife-to-be may have been pregnant and the authorities knowing this punished him by posting him away to Limerick. Transfers were and remain a common means of punishment inside the police. Marrying without leave was a dismissible offence, as would have been fathering a child outside wedlock, so I suspect James jumped before he was pushed. And further correspondence from Robert (7 Sep 2015): I have been to PRONI and looked at the microfilm of the R.I.C. records. 2526 James ROY is shown as being from Co. Antrim and a Presbyterian. He was 22yrs. of age so would have been born c.1815. Reading along the entry he is shown as being married 20 Dec 1850 and Appointed 19 Jul 1837. Under ALLOCATION he is shown as Fermanagh from Limerick 01 Dec 1850. Now it gets a bit complicated! Under "PROMOTIONS OR REDUCTIONS" he is shown as Con. 01 Aug 1845 but there is no indication anywhere that he had obtained any rank which would lead to a reduction. If he had continuous service from 1837 he would have had 8 years service in 1845. However, policemen had to have 7 years service before they were eligible to apply for marriage. If James had broken his service then he would not have been eligible from 1845. His date of marriage is shown on the record as 20 Dec 1850 when he would have been 35yrs. of age. There is a Column to show the County of origin of the bride but there is nothing in this Column. Then the final entry shows "Resigned 18 Dec 1850" which again is strange considering his record was still showing an event (the marriage) 2 days after he had resigned! Looking at the chronology of events, the marriage record in GRONI shows that James ROY was "Full age" which just means that he was over 21yrs. It was the same for Catherine THOMPSON. They were married at Enniskillen Registrar's Office on 05 Apr 1850 which is 7 months prior to the transfer from Limerick! Registrar's Office weddings usually indicate a "mixed marriage". The Occupation would of course have been correct as James was still serving then. I checked the GRONI Marriage Index from 1845 to 1851 and there was only that one James ROY marriage Registered in Enniskillen. I can't figure out why the R.I.C. record shows the date of marriage as 20 Dec 1850, unless of course it was in what is now the R.O.I. and perhaps was a Church wedding.
  Person ID	I831	Roy~Royes | Roy
  Last Modified	8 Feb 2020

  
  

  Father	James Roy,   b. Abt 1795
  Family ID	F1274	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catherine Thompson,   b. 1828
  Married	5 Apr 1850	Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland   [2, 3]
  		Marriage registration: James Roy and Catherine Thompson, 1850
  Notes	We have James's son James born somewhere around 1850 in Enniskillen. I have assumed that the marriage of a James Roy to Catherine Thompson on 5 Apr 1850 in Enniskillen is our James Roy sr.
  Children	+ 1. Living + 2. John Roy,   b. Abt 1854, Antrim, Northern Ireland ,   d. 20 Aug 1909, Station House, Duke St, Waterside, Londonderry, Northern Ireland  (Age ~ 55 years) + 3. Thomas Roy,   b. Abt Aug 1864, Belfast, Northern Ireland ,   d. 23 Jul 1889, Glengormley, Antrim, Northern Ireland  (Age ~ 24 years)
  Last Modified	20 Oct 2016
  Family ID	F52	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Abt 1827 - Co Antrim, Northern Ireland Employment - Royal Irish Constabulary - 1837 - Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland Married - 5 Apr 1850 - Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland Employment - Resignation from the Royal Irish Constabulary - 18 Dec 1850 - Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Ireland Died - - Northern Ireland  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Overviews		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

  Albums

  Living (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)

  
  

• Sources

  [S30] Ulster Historical Foundation, Marriage registration of son Thomas. This is the only evidence for his being a station master. [S437] Ireland, Select Marriages, 1619-1898. [S372] Ireland, Civil Registration Marriages Index.