Hi again Jean, Happy to assist. Perhaps the answer to which theory is correct can be found in one of Jim Herlihy's books on the RIC, such as "Royal Irish Constabulary Officers: A Biological Dictionay and Genealogical Guide, 1816-1922". I cannot comment on the age requirements, but I was told this by the PSNI Museum on the height requirement, that the regulations changed over time: The regulation height for admission to the Constabulary during the 19th century was 5' 8" (as in The Constabulary Code Standing Rules and Regulations 1860, 1872 and 1888). The increase in admission height to 5' 9" first appears in the Constabulary Code of 1900. Unfortunately, the above information is *not* contained in another of Mr. Herlihy's books, "The Royal Irish Constabulary: A Complete Alphabetical List of Officers and Men, 1816-1922", which only states that the minimum height was 5'9", except in the case of sons of RIC men, who were accepted at 5'8". The height requirement also confused me as my gg-grandfather was 5'8" but his father was not in the RIC. Another key point that the PSNI museum was able to sort out for me was the rank. Family lore had passed down the title of "Sargent O'Neill" for my gg-grandfather, but the records show his highest rank as constable. The museum was able to tell me that the ranks were changed in 1883 so that what had been a constable by the old system was a sargent under the new. Regards, John On 2015/03/15 04:46 , Jean Bleakney via wrote: > Thanks to all for your thoughts. John, that sounds like a possibility. He was Monaghan-born, but he was 18yrs and five foot eight-and-a-quarter inches at conscription. I'm led to believe that is below the minimum requirements (19yrs, 5' 9") for all except the son of a serving RIC man. So maybe he had a Wicklow parent. Killyfole, likewise if he had a serving father, he might have started out somewhere remote. > Thanks indeedJean > > > > On Saturday, March 14, 2015 7:58 PM, Killyfole and District Development Association <gold@fermanaghroots.com> wrote: > > > It is short for Converted, probably where he enrolled and trained. Basically > it is military slang for converting a civilian to a position in the armed > services. > > > > ================================== > > https://www.google.ie/ > ================================== > http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/placenames/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to FERMANAGH-GOLD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

John, Do you have a list of abbreviations for ranks. I tried to find this on the web but what I found did not correspond to some of the abbreviations. I was thinking of adding it to our R.I.C. pages for researchers. BTW, my search for an RIC Constable came from a family member who said my husband's ancestor was Police Chief of Dublin. LOL Chris John Olson-Kennedy via wrote: > Another key point that the PSNI museum was able to sort out for me was > the rank. Family lore had passed down the title of "Sargent O'Neill" > for my gg-grandfather, but the records show his highest rank as > constable. The museum was able to tell me that the ranks were changed > in 1883 so that what had been a constable by the old system was a > sargent under the new.

Cheers John. Interesting, if complicated. Many thanks for that extra info about rank. He was a sergeant on his daughter's marriage cert, but constable in the records (albeit with one promotion). So THAT mystery is solved.  Jean On Sunday, March 15, 2015 2:54 PM, John Olson-Kennedy <semathi@softhome.net> wrote: Hi again Jean, Happy to assist.  Perhaps the answer to which theory is correct can be found in one of Jim Herlihy's books on the RIC, such as "Royal Irish Constabulary Officers:  A Biological Dictionay and Genealogical Guide, 1816-1922". I cannot comment on the age requirements, but I was told this by the PSNI Museum on the height requirement, that the regulations changed over time: The regulation height for admission to the Constabulary during the 19th century was 5' 8" (as in The Constabulary Code Standing Rules and Regulations 1860, 1872 and 1888). The increase in admission height to 5' 9" first appears in the Constabulary Code of 1900. Unfortunately, the above information is *not* contained in another of Mr. Herlihy's books, "The Royal Irish Constabulary:  A Complete Alphabetical List of Officers and Men, 1816-1922", which only states that the minimum height was 5'9", except in the case of sons of RIC men, who were accepted at 5'8".  The height requirement also confused me as my gg-grandfather was 5'8" but his father was not in the RIC. Another key point that the PSNI museum was able to sort out for me was the rank.  Family lore had passed down the title of "Sargent O'Neill" for my gg-grandfather, but the records show his highest rank as constable.  The museum was able to tell me that the ranks were changed in 1883 so that what had been a constable by the old system was a sargent under the new. Regards, John On 2015/03/15 04:46 , Jean Bleakney via wrote: Thanks to all for your thoughts. John, that sounds like a possibility. He was Monaghan-born, but he was 18yrs and five foot eight-and-a-quarter inches at conscription. I'm led to believe that is below the minimum requirements (19yrs, 5' 9") for all except the son of a serving RIC man. So maybe he had a Wicklow parent. Killyfole, likewise if he had a serving father, he might have started out somewhere remote. Thanks indeedJean  On Saturday, March 14, 2015 7:58 PM, Killyfole and District Development Association <gold@fermanaghroots.com> wrote: It is short for Converted, probably where he enrolled and trained.  Basically it is military slang for converting a civilian to a position in the armed services. ================================== https://www.google.ie/ ================================== http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/placenames/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to FERMANAGH-GOLD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message