John King Irwin Esq (1833 - 1868)

Born 18 Jul 1833 in Portadown, County Armagh, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Isabella Mary (Gubbins) Torrens — married 14 Apr 1858 (to May 1868) in Ardara, County Donegal, Ireland

Descendants

Died 17 May 1868 at age 34 in Raphoe, County Donegal, Ireland

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Biography

John was born in 1833 to Charles King Irwin and Elizabeth Ensor.^[1]

He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary at the age of 23yrs, eventually rising to the rank of Sub-Inspector. His Service No. was 21859. Members could not serve in their native counties. His service record notes his religion as Protestant, native county as Armagh and "friends in Londonderry" so he was posted first to Donegal for 2 years in 1857, then Mayo and back to Donegal again in 1861.

Under the Summary Jurisdiction Act it became illegal to leave a cart unharnessed on a public road; to leave stones, timber, dung, or turf 'so as to cause danger'; to have dogs unmuzzled or unlogged within 50 yards of a road; to carry loads that projected more than 2 feet beyond the wheels of carts; to allow pigs to wander on the roads; to sell beasts on a road, or to fly a kite from a road. Finally, continuing a process of labelling that had begun with the census, the ordnance survey, and the tenement valuation, all carts had to display their owners' names 'in legible letters not less than an inch in height'. Between the 1850s and the early 1880s, the Constabulary were given the power to search poachers on the public road; the compulsory registration of births, deaths, and marriages was established in 1864; dogs had to be licensed; the opening hours of public houses were further restricted, and Sunday closing was introduced. -- Extract from Landlords & Tenants in Mid-Victorian Ireland by WE Vaughan.

A sample of the types of cases he brought before the courts can be found in the Glenties Petty Sessions Oct 1857-Dec 1858 (search Page using 'Irwin'). Interesting highlights of his career include the Inspector General's approbation of his "zealous conduct in detecting fraud on the part of Const. Abercrombie" (Mar 1858); approbation of his "exertions in arresting Ribbonmen" (Aug 1862); being granted Good Service Pay in Oct 1863; having a favourable record for "successful prosecution in a case of forgery" (Mar 1868).

He married Isabella Mary Gubbins in 1858.

MARRIAGES. -- .April 14, at Ardara, County Donegal, by the Rev. Knox Barrett, Incumbent, assisted by the Rev. M Cox, John King Irwin Esq., Sub-Inspector of Constabulary, Glenties, eldest son of the Rev. Charles K. Irwin, Rector of Magherafelt, to Isabella Mary, second daughter of Blakeney Gubbins Esq., late Sub-Inspector of Revenue Police.^[2]

Children: John King Irwin Charles King Irwin. Reverend. George King Irwin, born 1859. Died 22/10/1879, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Hugh King Irwin. Edward Ensor Irwin b. 1864 Raphoe, Donegal poss. died 1881 Newry. Francis Irwin, born approx. 1866. Died 27/2/1931 in Tauranga, New Zealand (accidentally drowned).^[3] William John King Irwin, born 21/10/1868 Rich Hill, Armagh.^[4]

Son Hugh King Irwin was explicitly written out of the will of his grandfather , Rev Charles King Irwin, for reasons that are not explained.^[5]

He passed away in 1868.

Irwin.--.May 17 at Raphoe, of malignant scarlation, John King Irwin Esq., Sub-Inspector R.I.C., aged 35 years.

IRWIN John King. Effects under L800. 6 June 1868. Letters of Administration of the personal estate of John King Irwin late of Raphoe County Donegal Sub-Inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary deceased who died 17 May 1868 at same place were granted at Londonderry to Isabella Mary Irwin of Raphoe aforesaid the Widow of said deceased.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ >Irwin's of Co. Tyrone (Ireland), Australia, Canada & New Zealand: Other Irwins [website]. Last revision: 2nd July 2015. Layout & charts (c) David Powell - http://tolharndor.org/ft/irwin-other.html - accessed 13 Feb 2019
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Belfast Newsletter (Birth, Marriage and Death Notices), 1738-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 - https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2193&h=33002&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=70826
3. ↑ Auckland Star Feb 28, 1931, p.1 -https://newspaperarchive.com/auckland-star-feb-28-1931-p-1/
4. ↑ Irwin's of Co. Tyrone (Ireland), Australia, Canada & New Zealand: Other Irwins [website]. Last revision: 2nd July 2015. Layout & charts (c) David Powell - http://tolharndor.org/ft/irwin-other.html - accessed 13 Feb 2019.
5. ↑ Register Report for Robert Irwin [PDF Online Document] compiled by Graham Irwin - http://www.compassion-in-business.co.uk/graham/robert-irwin-register-report.pdf - Last revised May 2012, accessed 13 Feb 2019.
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. Web: Ireland, Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Orig: National Archives of Ireland - http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/reels/cwa/005014888/005014888_00133.pdf

• Ancestry.com. Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Belfast Newsletter (Birth, Marriage and Death Notices), 1738-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors - https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2193&h=1133474&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=gSB2084&_phstart=successSource

• Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922: Officers' Register - Volume 1 [FindmyPast]. Orig: The National Archives, Kew, HO184 1817-1884 - https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=IRE/RIC/HO184/0238008