Michael Scully

Michael Scully was the eldest child of Patrick Scully and Bridget Stapleton, who had married the year before in Stradbally, Laois. He was baptised on 2nd Feb 1834 in Athy. He signed on as a private in the 11th Foot in Dublin on 11th December 1852 for which he was paid £3 10s. He was described as aged 18 and 5 foot 6 inches. He married Bridget Donovan in Portsea 17th July 1853, where he is recorded as 20 and she is 24 years old. His father is given as Patrick Scully, a mason. Her father was Edmund Donovan, a musician. Was he also in the army, and in the band? It seems very likely, because Michael had been stationed in Hythe until June 1853 and I can't see how he would have met Bridget Donovan otherwise.

By March 1854 he had been transferred to Brecon barracks, but spent most of his time in Pembroke on duty. Bridget gave birth to their eldest son John Patrick in June of that year, followed by a daughter Fanny born in November 1855. Michael deserted from the army in June 1855 but rejoined one month later. He was court martialled and sentenced to 112 days in Weedon military prison, near Northampton. He stayed in the army and was moved around the country in 1856, then in  1857 he was discharged in Buttevant near Cork. I don't know whether his family were able to follow him, or stayed in the UK. Michael and Bridget are next found in Bristol, England in 1871 with three sons, Michael, William and Edwin/Edmund. He worked as a chairmender in Bristol until he died suddenly from bronchitis in 1886.