Looking for first wife of John Power Clarke

[jennifer 150]

My 2 X Gtgrandfather was John Power Clarke b 1810 Paris France only because his father was a Trumpeter with the 7th Hussars so presume they were in Paris for some war. His name was John Power Clarke as well and it seems they were from Dublin Ireland. They were both in the Royal Hibernian school at some point. My 2 X Gtgrandfather was married to Eliza Wyatt in 1859 Northampton but states he was a widower. His son Onslow Charles Henry Clarke was born 1852 in Scotland but can not find out who his mother was. John Power seems like he moved about a lot as he was a Bandmaster who stayed in this country and never went abroad. I have a few bits of information on him but nothing for his first wife. He died in 1888.
Any help please
jenny

[Jan1954]

Hello Jenny,

Well, Scottish BMD certification did not start until 1855, so that will not be a help in finding a birth certificate for Onslow, with him having been born in 1952. Hmm...

Have a read of the "stickies" that Lesley has posted at the top of the Scotland forum. You may get some clues there.

Meanwhile, have you found Onslow on an English Census at all, which could narrow down his place of birth? That might help with identifying which parish records to search.

[benny1982]

Hi

You could try looking for any Clark/e deaths in the Northampton reg district for a few years prior to his 1859 marriage. One of them could have been his previous wife.

Did he have any other children besides Onslow?

Ben

[Lincoln Lad]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but Bandmasters were usually associated with the military, my Greatgrandfather was described as Late Bandmaster on his sons marriage certificate, turns out he was from Ireland as well, and was previously a member of the Royal Irish Rifles. Does his second marriage certificate give any clues as to military service? If it does and you can get his military records, that will be a great bonus as they usally contain next of kin details.

[jennifer 150]

Thanks Jan and Benny, some things to look into.
Lincoln lad yes he was military and i do have his military history but it only gives his second wife as next of kin, no info before that. On the marriage certificate it says Bandmaster 11th Hussars address at that time Aldershot Hampshire Oxendon Maqua

[benny1982]

Hi

I have looked on FreeBMD and the IGI for a possible first marriage but coundnt find any. He may have wed in Scotland.

Ben

[jennifer 150]

My Gt Grandfather was Onslow Charles Henry Clarke and all i know is he was born in Edinburgh in 1852
His father was John Power Clarke who was a Bandmaster who travelled around a lot. Think Onslows mother died as John power married again in 1859 to Eliza Wyatt.
Would very much like to know who his mother was.
Think Scotland was just a place they stopped re his military time and that the wives travelled with them.
Any help please
jenny

[Kerrywood]

My Gt Grandfather was Onslow Charles Henry Clarke and all i know is he was born in Edinburgh in 1852
His father was John Power Clarke who was a Bandmaster who travelled around a lot.

Army discharge papers for a John Power CLARKE born about 1827 in Paris, Bandmaster in the Scots Guards, can be downloaded from the paysite Find My Past. Could this be your man?

[Mutley]

I can see Onslow's marriage and also see him in 1891.
Do you have him in previous census, 61, 71 or 81 with any older siblings.

He will not appear on the 1851 and John P. Clark/e as a husband/father is a very common name.

[gasser]

John Power Clark is mentioned in the books ..."A hundred years of military music: Being the story of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall" and "Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Volumes 22-23"
below is what I have managed to unearth from google book search......
[I]"An excellent example is the case of John Power Clark (1816-89). As a young man he served as a bandsman in the 61st Regiment and the 7th Hussars, where he received his earliest musical training. Purchasing his discharge so as to devote himself more thoroughly to the study of music, he betook himself to the violin and organ, being already well acquainted with wind instruments. In 1844, at the recommendation of Jullien,he was appointed Bandmaster of the 47th Regiment, but there being a vacancy in his old regiment, the 7th Hussars, he went to the latter in 1846. When at Holyrood Palace with his band he waspersonally complimented by the late Prince Consort. His regiment being ordered to India, he, as a civilian Bandmaster, transferred his services to the 11th Hussars, then under the Earl of Cardigan. That was early in 1853, and he stayed with the regiment until about 1861, when he went tothe 36th Regiment, but soon left for the 83rd Regiment. When this regiment went abroad he was offered the bandmaster ship of two regiments at thesame time, the 43rd and 54th Regiments, these being in neighbouring lines at Aldershot, This position he accepted, but when the former regiment left for Jersey, Clarke went with it, remaining there until 1873, when he became Bandmaster of the Royal Irish Constabulary.Two years later he was appointed to the Scots Guards. He was a remarkably versatile instrumentalist, and in his infantry band days, when the bandmaster led " his band with an instrument, he would, at a concert, have three or four instruments at hand for solo performances. ..."

It might be worth a letter to the director Royal Military School of Music - Kneller Hall