F Cunningham 75th of Foot and Michael T Hollywood KORLR

[croasdale]

Hi All

I'm looking for a starting point for the two above mentioned soldiers (Francis Cunningham and Michael Thomas Hollywood) thery both lived in Barrow in Furness and were both born in Ireland. From the bits of info I got they were both in the Army pre WW1, I have some pension papers from 1914 (Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment??) for Michael Hollywood but he was unsuitable for service. The interesting note was that he said he was in the Army previously stating - R.E Official No 18324, I assume he was in the Royal Engineers but what would be my next search area?

As for Francis Cunningham I have found him in the 1861 Census based in Kent with the 75th of Foot and he was 30 yrs old? What regiment was that?

I know this is all very vague but looking pre WW1 seems abit tougher to get going? and the fact that they were born in Ireland also makes finding things out harder again

Thanks

Mark

[annswabey]

The first place to look would be the soldiers discharge papers, ref WO97 at Kew. Not online so you'd have to go to Kew or get someone to go for you, but there is a 3 year project to put surviving discharge papers online, if you can wait! It's good news that you know the regiment for the earlier one. If there are no discharge papers for Francis Cunningham, there are other options, such as muster rolls, but this would be a longer search. Again - not online - you would have to go to Kew.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Mark

The 75th Highland Regiment was raised in 1787 becoming the 75th oF Foot in 1809. In 1881 the Regiment became the 1st. Battalion The Gordon Highlanders.

Dave

[croasdale]

Thanks all, I'm going down to London in April and now have a mounting list of research to do!!

Cheers again

Mark

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Here's some matches from the UK National Archives that might help your search for Francis Cunningham

WO 12/8171 General Muster Books and Pay Lists 75th Foot (a Highland Reg) 1860 - 1861

WO 12/8172 75th Foot (a Highland Reg) 1861 - 1862

WO 97/1610 75th Foot: Ada - Ful 1855-1872

[Northern Soul]

Hi Mark,

I can't add anything further to what you already know about Michael Hollywood snr. but you may be interested to know that one of his sons, Michael Hollywood jnr., served in the R.A.F. in WW2 and died in early-August, 1941. Other than the fact that his death was registered in the Ulverston district in the September 1/4 of 1941 (8e 1316) the newspaper reference below is all the information I have but I do not know whether he had actually been discharged from the R.A.F. at the time of his death. Certainly, he is not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (and I have not yet sought out his Death Certificate to check whether he would be entitled to be). Perhaps he should be? - do you have any other information?

Best wishes.

Andy.

SERGT. M. HOLLYWOOD, ULVERSTON.

The interment of Sergt. Michael Hollywood, R.A.F., of 5, Kent-square, Ulverston, who was 37 years of age, took place at the Ulverston Cemetery. Requiem Mass was conducted at the Roman Catholic Church by the Rev. Father Morrisey, prior to the interment

The mourners were: Mrs. Hollywood, widow; Mr. Hollywood father; Mr. Sharples, father-in-law; Mr. and Mrs. F. Hollywood, brother and sister; Mr and Mrs. J. Banks, brother-in-law and sister; Miss Sharples, sister-in-law; Mrs. W. Sharples, aunt; Mrs Calvert, cousin; Miss S. Walker, Mrs. M. Doyle; Mr. John Tooney, Mr. Smith, Mr. J. Miller, Mr P. J. Murphy, Mrs. Wareing, and others.

Sergts. Cleaver, Lamb, Mepham, Cawthra, Fineburg, and Corpl. Angus represented the R.A.F. and acted as bearers.

There were many floral tributes. Messrs. T. H .Cragild and Sons. Ulverston, carried out the arrangements.

-: Barrow News, Saturday, August 9, 1941; page 4.

[croasdale]

Hi Andy

Thanks for the info we never knew any of this?? this is all on my wife's side and we've only just got started so don't have to much. From what I understand we wouldn't be able to get hold of the service docs unless your the next of kin?

Michael Hollywood was born 9/10/1903 and had 4 brothers Thomas (1896) Francis and Joseph (1907) Peter (1911) and a sister Theresa (1902) his parents Michael Thomas Hollywood (1866) and Ellen Cunningham (1873) had 5 other children who had died by the 1911 census.

Francis Cunningham (75th of Foot) was the father of Ellen. We're not sure when they all came over from Ireland but the Cunninghams came via the Isle of Man

Thanks again

Mark

[Northern Soul]

If the Cunninghams came from the IoM then it would appear that this man is some distant relation then too;

Frank Cunningham

His father (Hugh) was from the IoM and (I assume) he was the brother of Francis, although I have not worked back through the Census records. I have no ther details on him unfortunately.

Are you going to get a copy of Michael Hollywood's Death Cert.? His Service Records will only be released to the next of kin, although who is to say that isn't your wife?............................

Andy.