Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:43 am
Whatever happened to the young O'Neill in the Tower of London?
Dear Ms Morrow
I’m afraid there are no definitive lists of the prisoners held in the Tower of London or their eventual fates. Generally the lists that have been compiled reflect what we have found so far –records are incomplete and have been lost over the years, and although we try to cross reference searches, this is not always possible.
The most up to date compilation by Brian Harrison was published by the Armouries in 2004, but sadly is not fully referenced – however the entry reads:
O’NEALE Con: son of Tyrone “Taken from school and sent to the Tower in August 1622”. Still a prisoner 9th October 1623. Nothing more is known.
However the Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials of St Peter ad Vincula (the Chapel in the tower – well one of about 6, but the residents’ one generally) has the following entry – I will have to check some of the palaeography with a colleague tomorrow –
“1623 Irish[?] sp [?] for [?]
Mr Cormork ONeale / Buried ye xiijth of January” [in modern dating that would be January 1624].
Note Hugh O'Neills brother is not on the plaque but is in the records
Allowing for variable spelling it seems quite a coincidence that an O’Neale is last claimed for as a prisoner in 1623 (I presume that it is from one of these returns Harrison found the lad) and that an ONeale is buried 3 months later.
So I cannot swear that this entry refers the same O'Neill, but it may well do. To find out anymore, you would have to go hunting in the records at the National Archive in Kew – and success is not guaranteed.
Good luck with your researches, please let me know if you uncover anything more.
· ---------------
Strange to say the least..........
It should also be rembered that O’Donnell, Sir Niall Garv was Hugh's son in law and married to one of his daughters therefore this is perhaps why he is listed as Sir Donyell O’neale”. I never really noticed this before but all the deaths and dates are registered but Conns Say nothing? Yet another O'Neill Puzzle
Dear Ms Morrow
I’m afraid there are no definitive lists of the prisoners held in the Tower of London or their eventual fates. Generally the lists that have been compiled reflect what we have found so far –records are incomplete and have been lost over the years, and although we try to cross reference searches, this is not always possible.
The most up to date compilation by Brian Harrison was published by the Armouries in 2004, but sadly is not fully referenced – however the entry reads:
O’NEALE Con: son of Tyrone “Taken from school and sent to the Tower in August 1622”. Still a prisoner 9th October 1623. Nothing more is known.
However the Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials of St Peter ad Vincula (the Chapel in the tower – well one of about 6, but the residents’ one generally) has the following entry – I will have to check some of the palaeography with a colleague tomorrow –
“1623 Irish[?] sp [?] for [?]
Mr Cormork ONeale / Buried ye xiijth of January” [in modern dating that would be January 1624].
Note Hugh O'Neills brother is not on the plaque but is in the records
Allowing for variable spelling it seems quite a coincidence that an O’Neale is last claimed for as a prisoner in 1623 (I presume that it is from one of these returns Harrison found the lad) and that an ONeale is buried 3 months later.
So I cannot swear that this entry refers the same O'Neill, but it may well do. To find out anymore, you would have to go hunting in the records at the National Archive in Kew – and success is not guaranteed.
Good luck with your researches, please let me know if you uncover anything more.
· ---------------
Strange to say the least..........
It should also be rembered that O’Donnell, Sir Niall Garv was Hugh's son in law and married to one of his daughters therefore this is perhaps why he is listed as Sir Donyell O’neale”. I never really noticed this before but all the deaths and dates are registered but Conns Say nothing? Yet another O'Neill Puzzle
My ipad controls my spellings not me so apologies from it in advance 
lol
lol