Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

Henry Flynn (1852 - 1885)


 

 

Private Henry Flynn was a trumpeter in the band of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards. He died at the young age of 33 and was buried at Weaste Cemetery, Plot 33/DISS/49 in 1885.


He was born in Manchester in April 1852 and baptised on 8th August 1852 in Manchester. His father was Bernard Flynn, who was a Volunteer in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards and his mother was named Mary Ann. On 14th June 1859, at the age of 7 years and 2 months, Henry was enrolled in the Royal Military School in Chelsea, and was discharged on 4th April 1866, age 14. Later in 1866, he was enrolled in St Philip Free National School, Hulme, Manchester. The following year, the Aldershot Military Gazette of 12th September 1867 reported that Henry had taken part in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, athletic sports for 100 yards under 16s and won first prize of 5 shillings.


By 1871, Henry had enlisted in the *4th (Royal Irish) Dragoons Guards and was stationed at the Cavalry Barracks, Queen Street, Hulme, Manchester. The 1881 census reveals that Henry was stationed at the Aldershot Military Barracks, South Camp, in Hampshire. He was aged 28 and single, and was a trumpeter in the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards band.


The Manchester Guardian of 1st April 1882 reported a Court case where Henry had been robbed of his watch and chain. He was on furlough and living at 114 Hulton Street, Ordsall Lane, Salford, and went for a drink. He met a young man who he had seen previously and invited him back to his house for dinner. Henry took off his watch and chain (valued at £23) and put them on the mantelpiece. The next day he noticed they were missing and went looking for the thief, found him, and accused him of the theft. The young man admitted the theft and said he had pawned them for £4 - 10s. He was committed for trial at the Sessions.


On 4th July 1885, Henry Flynn died at Hulton Street, Salford. The Manchester Courier of 11th July reported: FLYNN – on July 4th, late of the band of the 4th Dragoon Guards, aged 33, was interred by Rev Johnson of Regent Road Chapel at Eccles (New Road, Weaste) Cemetery on July 9th. By the kindness of Colonel Shaw Hellier, his comrades were allowed to follow him to his grave, he having been much respected by the men of his late regiment. The band sang at the grave the hymn "Days and moments quickly flying."


*The 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in Ireland in 1685 and fought at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. It fought in France in 1795, then returned to Ireland in 1798 during the Irish Rebellion. The regiment was deployed to the Peninsula War in 1811 and 1812, and also took part in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava in 1854 during the Crimean War. It also took part in the Anglo Egyptian War in 1882. The 4th Dragoons returned to England in late 1882, but went back to Egypt from 1884 to 1885 and then to Ireland in 1886.