Marcus Fitzell SPARLING / Catherine CONNOLLY

INDEX

[115] Kathleen Bryant, author of Over the Hills and Far Away: Tracing the Sparlings, in a letter to Dianne Campagna dated 15 December 2002, wrote the following:

Marcus Sparling married Catherine Connolly twice, first in Dublin then, some six months later, in Athlone (Ireland).

24 Dec 1848 at St. Peter's Parish Church, Dublin
Marcus Sparling, of full age, Bachelor, Soldier 4th Dragoons, resident at 20 Albert Place, son of John Sparling, Organ Builder, married
Catherine Connolly, of full age, Spinster, resident at the same place, daughter of James Connolly, carpenter.

Banns had been called. Officient, John A Jacob. Witnesses Abraham Davidson andAmelia Cooke.

2 June 1849 at St. Peter's Parish Church, Athlone
Marcus Sparling, of full age, Bachelor, Soldier in the 4tt Light Dragoons, resident at the Barracks, Athlone, son of John Sparling, Organ Builder, married
Catherine Connolly, of full age, Spinster, Resident at Claremont in the Co. of
Dublin, daughter of James Connolly, Carpenter.

Banns had been called and W B Askin, Curate of St. Peter's had officiated.
Witnesses were William Sothers and John Howze.

Marcus' Career:
Marcus Fitzell Sparling enlisted in the 4th Light Dragoons (a cavalry regiment) on17 March 1846 at Hounslow Depot, West London. He was aged 20 and 5' 8" tall. He was given a bounty of �5/18/6d.
The regiment marched from London to Manchester via Banbury (Oxfordshire) in March/April. By Sept. 1846 they were in Dublin. In the spring of 1847 Marcus spent 12 days in hospital but by July had become a member of the Band. In spring 1848 the regiment were posted to Newbridge, C. Kildare. He spent 16 days in hospital between 1 Jan and 31 March and 17 days in hospital between 1 April and 30 June. After that he regained his health. Marcus was granted furlough between 15th and 31 December 1848. He must have taken his leave in Dublin as this is where he got married. In Jan. 1848 the regiment moved to Athlone and remained there till April 1850. On 18th March 1851, after 5 years service, Marcus got extra pay of 1d a day as Good Conduct Pay which he drew until he left the service.

The uniform of the 4th Light Dragoons was a double breasted blue jacket with
scarlet facings and two rows of brass buttons, eight per row. The collar, cuffs and turnbacks of the jacket were in scarlet. Trousers were dark blue with two stripes of scarlet running down the outside leg. Headwear was a 'chaco" or shako, a cylinder of black beaver bound round with gold lace with plate of cross pattern with the point and regimental arms in front and a large drooping plume falling from the point. The regimental motto was Mente et manu (with heart and hand).

In July 1851 the regiment returned to the UK, to Uxbridge, Hampton Court, then, in Oct. 1851, to Woolwich. In April 1852 they moved on to Ipswich.
Marcus decided that he wanted to leave the army and bought his discharge by
paying �20. He was discharged on 6 Sept. 1853. Just why he wanted to leave we do not know, but the regiment was decimated in 1855, part of the famous Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. The notes on the man at this time of his discharge firmly link him in with our Irish Palatines.
Marcus F. Sparling, No 1242, Born in Aglish, Co. Mayo, a printer by trade when he enlisted on 17 March 1846 purchased his discharge for �20. This took place on 6 Sept. 1853 at Canterbury.

Your lovely photograph of Marcus Sparling, photographic artist, assistant to Roger Fenton ties in with what I have been able to find out about his life after leaving the army.

The record of St. Pancras church shows the baptisms of two children:

16 July 1854, Alfred, son of Marcus and Catherine Sparling of Calvert's Cottages, artist, born 5 Feb 1854. Christened by W B Galloway.

30 December 1855, Omar, son of Marcus and Catherine Sparling of Crown Terrace, artist, born 29 Sept 1855, Christened by G Alford.

The matching birth certificates are enclosed.

St Pancras District, Regent's Park.
5 February 1854 at Calverts Cottages, Princesses Terrace, Alfred, boy, son of
Marcus Sparling and Catherine Sparling formerly Connolly, Father's occupation
Photographic Artist. Informant Marcus Sparling, father, of 5 Calverts Cottages,
Princesses Terrace, Regent's Park, off Pancras, registered on 8 March 1854.
St Pancras District, KentishTown.

29 Sept at 17 Palace Street, Prince of Wales Road, Omar, boy, son of Marcus
Sparling and Catherine Sparling formerly Connolly, Father's occupation -
Photographic artist. Registered by M Sparling, father, of 1 Crown Terrace, Prince ofWales Road on 2 November 1855.


Our next known fact is the death of Marcus.
19 April 1860 at 57 Gerard St. Liverpool Marcus Sparling, male aged 39 yrs,
Photographic Artist. Cause of death, Hepatitis 6 week, Palore-absess Certified.
Informant Jane Ball, present at death at 57 Gerard St. Liverpool Registered on 20April 1860.

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Wrote:
Theory and Practice of the Photographic Art: Including Its Chemistry and Optics (1856)

http://archive.org/details/theoryandpracti00spargoog

[338] There is a marriage in Australia for Marcus F G Sparling and Mary Clark in 1884 at Sydney, New South Wales. Registration Number: 1354. We have no other Marcus'

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