Genealogy Chat

I just found out thatmy grandfather was in the black& tans in ireland- I know nothing about it at all.
How does one find out where he was staioned and information on him while out there
can anyone help. thank you Anne

From this site: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/black_and_tans.htm

The Black and Tans as a subject still arouses controversy in Ireland. The Black and Tans were mostly former soldiers brought into Ireland by the government in London after 1918 to assist the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in their work.

My uncle was also in the RIC - there are some records on Ancestry but they do not give much info. I don't think they were still serving British soldiers (my uncle wasn't) so their records are probably in Ireland and not with the MOD.

There is quite a lot of info if you Google.

Hi DavidAlba,

I was always told that the Black and Tans were older British soldiers that were brought over to Ireland to help the R.I.C. keep control here in Ireland, They were so called because of the colours of their uniforms only.

Many thanks sorry for delay. My grandfather was in the balck & tans - out there around1921 from what I can gather. but was sent back to UK reasons unknown. Just would like to find out why and when he went.

There are RIC records at the National Archives, Kew.

I THINK THE BLACK AND TANS WERE DISLIKED(TO PUT IT MILDLY)IN IRELAND,DURING THE TROUBLES,I DONT KNOW WHY BECAUSE I HAVE NOT GOT THAT FAR IN MY RESEARCH,MAYBE SOMEONE CAN GIVE MORE INFO ON THE SUBJECT THAN I CAN, :-) :-)

Hi Annie,

Even today the 'Black & Tans' from history are not liked in Ireland.

The Movie - The Wind that Skakes the Barley - will give you some idea of how they were used, and why they are so disliked.

In Dublin, they were stationed in the Barracks known to the locals as 'Beggars Bush'. The building is still there, though no longer used as a Barracks.

GinaS

I AM TRYING TO FIND IMFORMATION ON SOMEONE WHOS SURNAME WAS O NEIL HE WAS LIVING IN ENGLAND FOR A TIME IN CHELSEA LONDON ABOUT 1926 TO1929 HE WAS THEN POSTED BACK TO IRELAND HE WAS IN THE BLACK AND TANS

Welcome to the Boards Iris.

It might be best for you to start a thread of your own, rather than tag on to this one.

On the new thread, give as much information as you can such as
His full name - O'Neil is a common name
Year and place of birth
The names of any known relatives such as parents and siblings
If he married - name and where.

Basically
Who
What...do you know
When... was he born & where + details of death if known
Where... did he live and when & die

It also helps if you can tell us what research you have done for yourself.

Hello Iris, welcome to the boards.

Do you mean that you want to find out more about his connection with the Black & Tans or more about him in general? If the latter then we'll need more than his surname.

I doubt he was posted back to Eire (Southern Ireland) in 1926/29 as that country was then independent from England - he could have been posted to Northern Ireland (Ulster)

Iris....They were disbanded 1922....

Hi,
this is spooky, cos I have just started researching again, (I hit so many brick walls with my husbands side that I got "fed up" to the say the least. Sooooo I have decided to have a go on my side.... and guess what I have remembered my mother saying that my Gdad was in the Black & tans, a much disliked outfit in Ireland, so I am pleased that I am not on my own..... not got that part yet but will let you know how I get on ;-)
Regards. M.

Wellybobs, Ancestry have RIC Indexes which give a little Info - it does say that the source is an online database but I can't find it.

Held in Kew
Royal Irish Constabulary Auxiliary division
Find service records for temporary constables (or 'Black and Tans') who served in the Auxiliary division in HO 184/50-51. These files are arranged by service number. To locate a service number first consult the book Royal Irish Constabulary: a complete alphabetical list of officers and men.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/royal-irish-constabulary.htm

What no-one has mentioned is that quite a few of the 'Black & Tans' were not all ex-army.

There were also some 'pardoned' criminals in there as well... And I think they were the men who gave the whole regiment the bad name which has stuck.

DazedConfused

You are correct that not all recruits were ex/serving British Military however the vast majority were those who had served in WW1
There is absolutely no evidence to support the myth that "criminals" pardoned or otherwise were recruited to the RIC......

The "Tans" were so called because of their original uniform mis match....Black of RIC and Dark Khaki of the British Army.....(The name was coined in Limerick by a reporter....) They all eventually wore the Green of the RIC.....

There was no "Tan" Regiment and it was the atrocities the "Tans" perpetrated on the Civilian population more than anything that caused their notoriety.

The Black and Tans are a very bad memory best forgotten.
Don't go there.

As Iris has only posted the once, I have sent her a PM to tell her how to get back to her thread :-D

The RIC uniform was black not green