John Prendergast Walsh facts for kids

John Prendergast Walsh (born in Ireland in 1798, died 1867) was a brave soldier who fought in the Battle of Waterloo. He was part of the special 95th Regiment and sadly lost a leg during the battle. After his time in the army, he became a clergyman, but it was hard for him to find work in the Church of England because of his military background. He faced money problems throughout his life.

Early Life and Military Service

John Prendergast Walsh came from a family where many men became clergymen in the Church of Ireland, like his father and grandfather. His great-grandfather, Rev. Philip Walsh, was an important church leader in County Wicklow. However, other men in the Walsh family joined the army.

When John was seventeen, he chose the army. On May 5, 1814, he joined the 95th Rifle Regiment as a junior officer. Just over a year later, he was fighting in the famous Battle of Waterloo.

The 95th Rifle Regiment

The Rifle Corps started around 1800. It was an experiment to see if rifles could be better than muskets, which were the usual weapons. Muskets only worked well up close. The 95th Regiment used the Baker rifle, which could shoot accurately from over 200 yards away!

These soldiers developed new fighting styles, using their rifles to skirmish (fight in small groups). They also wore green uniforms with black belts and buttons, which helped them hide. In 1802, the group was officially named the 95th Regiment of Foot.

Fighting at Waterloo

Walsh, who had studied at Trinity College, was a junior officer in the 2nd Battalion. At the Battle of Waterloo, his battalion helped defend an area near Hougoumont Farm. It was a very tough fight. Walsh's battalion lost many soldiers: 33 were killed, and over 200 were wounded or went missing.

Walsh himself was badly hurt and lost a leg. Even with an artificial leg, he stayed in the army for a while.

Family Life

In 1825, John Prendergast Walsh married Isabella Christian Francis Langton. Her father was Colonel James Langton. Their first four children were born in Mallow, County Cork, which suggests Walsh might have been stationed at the army barracks there. In 1829, he retired from the army with half pay, but it seems he returned around 1833. His father, Rev. John Ravell Walsh, died that same year.

He is buried in St Saviour Churchyard, Jersey, in the Channel Islands.

A New Path: Becoming a Clergyman

By 1838, John Prendergast Walsh was known as "Reverend" J. Prendergast Walsh. He even published a book called One Catholic & Apostolic Church. In 1840, he worked as a minister in Newport, England.

However, he soon faced problems. The Bishop of Exeter decided Walsh could not continue working there. This was because of a rule in that area that didn't allow former soldiers to be licensed as clergymen. Before this, he had also been refused a job in London, supposedly because he was from another country (Ireland).

This was a difficult time for Walsh. He had eight children to support. After another bishop, the Bishop of Norwich, also refused him a license, he faced serious money troubles.

Finally, on October 12, 1845, Walsh was ordained into the Church of Ireland by the Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe.

Facing Hard Times

In 1847, Walsh had a hearing in London because of his money problems. He explained that he had lost several jobs in the Church of England because of his army career. Many people felt sorry for him, especially since he was a war hero from Waterloo. Newspapers even said it was a shame how he had been treated. He was allowed to continue his ministry without his character being harmed.

However, Walsh continued to struggle with debts. In 1852, there was a public notice about a debt of over £200 that he owed. Later, in 1857, a newspaper article mentioned a Rev. Walsh, known for his wooden leg and for fighting at Waterloo, who had many unpaid bills. People even went to his house asking for money. Walsh wrote to the newspaper, denying the accusations and blaming a few "lower order of tradesmen." But then, a secretary from a trade protection group wrote that he had been trying to collect debts from Walsh for years, mentioning other towns where Walsh had lived and left unpaid bills.

Challenges in Hoghton

In 1860, Walsh was appointed as a temporary vicar in Hoghton, Lancashire, while the regular vicar was away due to illness. Walsh and his family moved into the rectory. There was a misunderstanding about how long Walsh would stay. The regular vicar thought it was for one year, but Walsh believed it was for two years and refused to leave.

The people of the parish were unhappy with Walsh's actions. They formed a committee and made accusations against him, including details about his past money problems. These were published in a local newspaper. Walsh responded with a long letter, denying many of the accusations. However, he didn't answer all of them, which some people took as a sign of guilt.

Eventually, Walsh was asked to leave the rectory, and the Bishop of Manchester took away his license to preach. He threatened to sue, but nothing came of it. In 1862, a Rev. J. P. Walsh was appointed to Kittisford, Somerset, which seems to have been John Prendergast Walsh.

His grandson, Langton Prendergast Walsh, later wrote a book and shared that his grandfather spent most of his later years in Avranches, France, returning to England only in the summer.

Family Life

John Prendergast Walsh and Isabella Christian Francis Langton had ten children. Sadly, at least three died when they were babies, and three others died in their early adulthood. Their middle son, Colonel Thomas Prendergast Boles Walsh, served in India. One of their grandchildren was Brigadier-General Mainwaring Ravell Walsh, who was a very important military officer.

Walsh also had notable cousins, including Major-General Arthur Sandy Stawell Walsh of the Royal Marines. His nephew was William Walsh, who became the Bishop of Dover.

Images for kids

• 

  The coat of arms for the Walsh family.