City Marshal in Dublin?

Moocawn · 19-08-2010 11:33am #1

Hi all,

I know this is a big vague but I have a question. I was asked by a friend to try and find out whether a relation of his was a city marshal in Dublin about 120 years ago.

Would anybody be able to point me in the right direction? I presume the National Archives would be a good place to start?

Thanks very much

shanew · 19-08-2010 7:54pm

I've never heard of a City Marshall before.... but he could be listed in a directory from that time - e.g. Thom's 1894. If you want to post the name I can check for you.

Shane

pinkypinky · 19-08-2010 10:44pm

I've never heard of a city marshal either.

Alicat · 20-08-2010 1:55am

I'm sure I have heard of it before....

I'm wracking my brain to think where though! I'm nearly sure it was another genealogy forum.

Edit: Googled it, and it definitely seems to exist. ThePeerage .com state that a John Howard Parnell held the office of Dublin City Marshall at one stage.
http://thepeerage.com/p24735.htm. Actually, here he is on the 1911 census, listed as the "City Marshal Dublin and Register of Pawnbrokers Ireland". And again in 1901.

Another mention of a City Marshall for Dublin here, a Thomas Reynolds. He is also listed in the Dublin Street Directory for 1862 as the 'Marshal of Dublin'.

Also here, for 1801 "Osbrey, William, Marshal of Dublin, 2 Coppinger's Row"

Maybe try the NLI? I think you're going to have to try around a few places. I just knew I'd heard of it before

Another edit! Just remembered where I heard it! My brother's girlfriend's relation Michaelangelo Hayes (1820 - 1877) was a Dublin City Marshal

shanew · 20-08-2010 9:17am

Found one in Thom's 1894 (~120 years ago) with the same title as the entry Alicat located :

Section : Dublin City Corporation Officers

City Marshal and Registrar of Pawnbrokers , Charles Kavanagh Esq.

Shane

Ponster · 20-08-2010 9:29am

At a guess, the City Marshal was responsible for the city's jails and prisons being the top law official. One could privately fund a prison, offer it as a service to the state or city and become a Marshal. The City Marshal was though an appointed position.

johnny_doyle · 22-08-2010 10:45am

Dublin Libraries has a book entitled

"Serving the city, the Dublin City Managers and Town Clerks 1230-2006"

possibly something in there.

Moocawn · 23-08-2010 2:53pm

Hey,

Thanks for the replies guys. I have since found out that his christian name was 'Charles' and that they had a photograph of him with a sword that was undated.

Anymore help would be brilliant!

Thanks very much

Moocawn · 23-08-2010 3:25pm

Thanks guys,

I only saw all the replies there, I saw just one when I clicked the reply from my email account. Shane, that must be him! A brilliant starting place! Thanks a million!

shanew · 23-08-2010 8:53pm

found a few more of the occupants of the position... in case it helps narrow the dates :

1904 City Marshal and Registrar of Pawnbrokers , John H. Parnell, office 3 Dame St

1884 City Marshal and Registrar of Pawnbrokers , John S. Carroll. esq., 50 Rutland Sq. west

(all from Thom's)

Shane

UUCHISTORY1 · 25-08-2010 7:42pm

Moccawn, and Alite, as a final year student I have just completed a dissertation, involving Micheal Angelo Hayes and Sir William Carroll. Carroll's son John Simon, was a City Marshal of Dublin and died after becoming ill after attending Charles Parnell's funeral. John Carroll and his father both sued Hayes over caricatures and I am nearly sure Carroll was City Marshal at time of death in 1891, although I need to check this.

As mentioned during the libel trial, Hayes had been City Marshal at one stage and was displaced and succeeded by John Carroll. Would love to hear if you have any more information and would love to pass on anything that may be of interest to you. Just curious as to what the name of the City Marshal 120 years ago is?

Thanks

UUCHISTORY1 · 25-08-2010 7:47pm

you may also want to check out the Dublin City Archives

Dublin City Archives Cartlann Atha Cliath
c/o Dublin City Library & Archive c/o Leabharlann agus Cartlann Atha Cliath
138-144 Pearse Street 138-144 Sraid an Phiarsaigh
Dublin 2 Baile Atha Cliath 2

Tel/Fón: (00-353-1) 674 4996/674 4997/674 4848

who have a closer interest in the history of the Dublin corporation

Harbeck · 24-09-2010 1:36pm

Charles Kavanagh's funeral took place on 25th June 1894 and so the post of city marshal became vacant. You find a funeral report in the Irish Times of June 25: "The Funeral of the Late City Marshal". He seems to have been a very popular man whose modesty was praised in an article in the Freeman's Journal of 3rd January 1893 about the inauguration of the Lord Mayor: " ... and then came our own City Marshal, Mr. Charles Kavanagh, in a sober uniform of dark blue and silver, as unobtrusive and retiring as Mr. Kavanagh's own demeanour, as he seemed to shrink from the applause that greeted him."
Kavanagh followed Mr Carroll as City Marshall after his death in December 1891 and therefore had to be re-elected in 1892.
The city marshal regularly announced sales of forfeited pledges of pawnbrokers at 13 Capel Street.
I'd be rather interested in seeing that photograph that was mentioned at the start of the thread.

Moocawn · 25-09-2010 12:20am

Hi all,

Thanks to those of you who posted so far, much appreciated. I spend a small while in the city archives on Pearce Street a few weeks ago. I managed to get his obituary from the Irish Times, I could not find anything in the Freeman's journal about him, I must have been doing something wrong. I went back through the minutes from all the council meetings, (an absolutely brilliant resource) and found detailed information regarding his election to office as well as a report prepared in 1886 detailed the role of the city marshal. Besides from being the registrar of pawnbrokers in Ireland one of his main functions was to run the inaugural parade for the mayor. The report detailing what the marshal's duties were is report no. 76 of 1886 if anyone is interested. I also found information in the minutes that some would consider quite trivial such as the fact that he gave £9 s15 to the fund for the family of the late city marshal John S. Carroll who died in January 1892. The city marshal's office was located at number 10 St Andrew's St.

If I find anymore I will post it up.

Thanks again to those who have helped!

KBolg · 30-08-2022 9:29pm

Hi Moocawn, I have an interest in Charles Kavanagh, and some info....I know its been a good while since you posted these questions and answers, (I'm actually only seeing this post now) can you contact me please? I'm very interested in the photo of Charles, as I believe it could a copy of the only photo taken in his uniform.

Hermy · 31-08-2022 9:56am

Welcome to Boards KBlog.

Please don't drag up old threads (This one is over twelve years old).

Instead start a new thread and by all means refer to the old thread for context.

Regards,

Hermy

City Marshal in Dublin?

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