Rupert Meyricke

[Guest]

Hi,

I have just purchased the War medal of Major R Meyricke. Read all posts regarding him with great interest. Is there a picture in the Chronicle? Someone on another forum - Military Images ( quoting correct NA reference ) claims he killed himself in hospital and there was a court of enquiry.

Dave 

[Mark1959]

Welcome!

There is a pic in Illustrated London News 26/2/16

Edited 25 March , 2019 by Mark1959

[The Inspector]

Hi

Rupert John Chabbert Meyricke died 25/27.1.16 in the Royal Naval Hospital in Malta. His body was found in the grounds of the hospital. Suicide by shooting. Aged 38 yrs.  (B.19.6.1877)  Tree on Ancestry, no Army history. PM'd the owner.

Regards Barry

Edited 26 March , 2019 by The Inspector

[David26]

The story of Rupert John Chabbert Meyricke is rather a sad one.  I've included a short biography here: https://58fab.com/personnel/.  As others have said, he committed suicide by shooting himself with a small automatic pistol he had smuggled into the hospital.  Interestingly he did so a few hours before he was due to be evacuated back to the UK - he had wanted to stay on Malta so as to be able to rejoin his battery.  It was the third time he had been repatriated due to sickness (from South Africa in 1899, and India in 1903) since he appeared to suffer from epilepsy.  I have long thought that he probably killed himself from fear of being cashiered due to the epilepsy.

 

His twin elder brothers were also army officers and both also died while serving: one from disease in South Africa in 1900, the other from an accident in an army steeplechase event in 1905. 

 

David.

 

 

 

On ‎25‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 22:51, Mark1959 said:

Welcome!

There is a pic in Illustrated London News 26/2/16

Mark,

 

is that picture still available on line?  Or might you by any chance have a copy?

 

  David.

[Guest]

Hi ,

Thank you very much everyone. 

Dave

[Tidelineart]

Hi there, I wonder if anyone could tell me if Rupert JC Meyricke was related to John Chabbert Meyricke who died of injuries received at the siege of new orleans in 1815. I know it was a lot earlier but I'm trying to find links to JC Meyricke. Thank you! Nicola 

[David26]

Hello Tidelineart,

 

welcome to the Forum.

 

Yes, they are related, though exactly how, I am not sure.  Both appear on Meyricke family memorials in St Laurence's church, Ludlow, Shropshire.  Here are photos of the memorials:

http://tothemothercountry.blogspot.com/2013/08/this-is-to-hold-second-set-of-images-of.html

The third photo down includes Rupert John Chabbert Meyricke, the fourth photo down mentions Rupert's twin elder brothers (Robert Evelyn Meyricke and Edward Gelly Meyricke) as well as the John Chabbert Meyricke you are interested in.

 

There is at least one further memorial to the Meyricke family in that church, a photo of which is here: 

https://traveltalk.me.uk/2015/09/09/the-parish-church-of-st-laurence-ludlow/#jp-carousel-11416

 

In case it helps map the family out to establish the actual connection between RJC and JC Meyricke, then RJC, JE and EG Meyricke were the sons of an Edward Meyricke who was born in about 1844 in Ludlow.  RJC Meyricke's memorial says that he was the grandson of the Revd R Meyricke who was therefore presumably Edward's father.

 

David.

Edited 9 November , 2020 by David26
Improving grammar

[Tidelineart]

Thank you very much David for your prompt response. That's really useful.  Im very interested as I have here letters written by the Meyrickes including one informing JC Chabbert's uncle of the death of JC Chabbert of his wounds at the siege of New Orleans.  The writing is very hard to read but Im trying to decipher them all. I wonder if there are any living relatives as if so I would be keen to let the know, but my ancestry research is proving difficult!!  

[David26]

It does look as if the Meyricke family re-used names from generation to generation which makes separating them out a bit difficult and like you I have struggled to find JC Meyicke in much detail on Ancestry.  There is a private family tree that looks to have a bit about him, so you could of course ask the owner for information.

 

However, what I can find is that a different John Chabbert Meyricke was born in 1763 and died in 1835.  This is the 'Captain John Meyricke' on the memorial 

 

 

(Image courtesy of 'tothemothercountry' blog)

 

This identity is confirmed by his will and probate: 

 

 

(Image courtesy of Ancestry) 

This shows that this JC Meyricke's son was the Revd Robert Meyricke - RJC Meyricke's grandfather.  Revd Robert Meyricke was born in about 1802 so my suspicion - though as I say, I cannot currently offer any proof - is that the JC Chabbert you are interested in was another son of Captain JC Chabbert and so was Revd Robert's elder brother.  If that is right, then 'your' JC Meyricke would have been the great uncle of RJC Meyricke.

 

In terms of living descendants, I'd suggest again that the private Ancestry tree might be your best bet.  I do not believe that any of Edward Meyricke's three sons (RE, EG and RJC) had any children.  I don't know if his daughters did.  

 

David.

[Tidelineart]

Thank you so much David that is hugely useful. I'll have a look on ancestry later. I greatly appreciate your help. I'll let you know how I get on. 

Nicola 

[David26]

2 hours ago, Tidelineart said:

Thank you so much David that is hugely useful. I'll have a look on ancestry later. I greatly appreciate your help. I'll let you know how I get on. 

Nicola 

Thanks Nicola.  Please do!