WALSH, Francis John Thomas (1831-1916) — London & Southampton
Map engraver and photographer.
Baptised at St. Mark the Evangelist, Clerkenwell, 18 Sep 1831, the son of Thomas Walsh below and his wife Rhoda. Walsh was specifically recorded as a geographical engraver at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Reeve (1833-1896) at St. Pancras on 13 Jul 1856 and as a map and chart engraver on the 1861 census return, by which time he was living in Marylebone with his wife and two young children. He was appointed a civil assistant in the Survey Department in Dublin in 1863 and subsequently became an engraver for the Ordnance Survey in Southampton, possibly working in India for a time. He retired in about 1898 and was subsequently involved in a family dispute — “At Hythe Police-station yesterday (Thursday), Francis John Thomas Walsh, no occupation, of Dibden, was charged with shooting his son-in-law, Frederick Plascott, of Hilltop, Beaulieu. On Wednesday morning Plascott went to remove some faggots from Walsh’s premises, when the latter defied him and, it is alleged, deliberately shot at him three times with a six-chambered revolver, wounding him in the side, but, fortunately, not seriously. The prisoner was arrested by Sergeant Pope, and is remanded till Monday. Walsh, it is stated, never approved of his daughter’s marriage” (Western Gazette, 9 Nov 1900). Walsh claimed to have been acting in self-defence, but was charged with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He was released on bail and acquitted at the subsequent trial. A few months later his daughter left her husband, who was then summoned on charge of persistent cruelty. Walsh died in retirement 21 Jun 1916, his personal effects stated at £323.0s.6d. His son of the same name was also an engraver.
4 Walford Street, St. Pancras — 1851-1856
126 Great College Street — 1860
37 College Place, Marylebone — 1861
3 Charlton Terrace, Bevois Town, Southampton — 1878
63 Bride Street, Islington — 1881
23 Milton Road, Southampton — 1889-1895
Elizabeth House, Buttsash Lane, Dibden, Hampshire — 1900-1916
BNA. Census 1851-1861, 1881-1911.
Thank you so much for this information. This is my Great-Great-Grandfather. I believe he was actually in India, as his eldest son Francis Eustace died there. There are many photographers, engravers and surveyors in this Walsh branch of my family.
Thank you for your message. Yes – we suspected that he worked in India for a time. Please let us know if you have anything to add or correct so as to improve this entry (or that of his father).
All best wishes, Laurence Worms.
Interesting to read this information, I’m very distantly related to Frederick and always thought his wife Elizabeth (nee Walsh) had left him, glad to see she did! Does anyone know anything about her and her children John and Dorothy Plascott?
Thank you