Sergeant Ruttle, the 'Member in Charge' of Passage East Barracks and his family make a fine image to end our week on. In 1907 when this was taken the world order was seemingly rock solid, peace prevailed, the empires blossomed and all was well with the world. Within a few short years that would all change, change utterly and how, I wonder, would the Ruttle family fare out in the unravelling?...
...And the answer we received has reminded us why we've (re)labelled this group the 'Photo Detectives'. With thanks to incredible inputs from
Sharon.corbet,
BeachcomberAustralia,
Niall McAuley,
O Mac,
John Spooner, and
Bernard Healy (which included various census entries, obituaries, and even an
image of the family plot) we know that the Ruttles didn't fare too badly :) With:
•
Michael Ruttle (Sgt RIC of Tipperary) born in 1864 to a Hugenot family(?), served in various RIC barracks, lived in Portlaw Waterford in his later years, died aged 83 in 1947
•
Olivia Ruttle (originally of the Stewart family of Mountrath) was born 1869, died aged 85 in 1954
•
Olivia Annie Ruttle (girl w/racket), 4 in this picture, married a man name Walker, and lived to 96!
•
Ouida Victoria Ruttle (older girl), 9 in this picture, lived til 1984, aged 86
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William E.P. Ruttle (boy w/boat), aged 7 in this picture, is possibly the William Ernest Patrick Ruttle who was serving with the Leinster Regiment in 1919, lived til his 89th year and is perhaps buried in Deansgrange, Dublin
•
Henry Samuel Ruttle (the baby), is almost certainly the
H.S. Ruttle who played rugby for Leinster and captained the London Irish, was called to the bar after studying law, was a Flight Lieutenant (and Judge Advocates General/JAG officer) with the RAF during WWII, served as a circuit court Judge for 20 years, and was joint editor of ‘The County Court Practice’ journal. He died as recently as 1995.
There were certainly a lot of varied hats worn in this family - in more ways than one!!
Photographer:
A. H. Poole
Collection:
Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford
Date: c.26 August 1907
NLI Ref:
POOLEWP 1681
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at
catalogue.nli.ie
Info:
Owner:
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Source:
Flickr Commons
Views: 32477
sharon.corbet
Here is Sgt. Ruttle's family in the 1911 census. There's a note on the actual form explaining that the Head of Family was captured in the Barracks return form, meaning that the M.R. here is probably Sgt. Ruttle.
sharon.corbet
Michael Ruttle, his wife Olivia and their two daughters, Ouida and Olivia (Walker) Ruttle are all buried in Dungar, Co Tipperary.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
26 August 1907 was a Monday. I like William E.'s toy boat. Wonder what happened to him?
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet Michael lived to 83, his wife to 85, and Ouida, the older girl here, lived to 86. Olivia Annie (with the racket) lived to 96!
John A. Coffey
up The Déise
Niall McAuley
The 1901 form tells us they lived in Tramore and Wm's middle name is Ed.
sharon.corbet
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Whereas Olivia lived to 96. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] I think that he is buried in Deansgrange meaning he was 89 when he died. I'm not certain, but I think that H.S. Ruttle (the baby) is His Honour Henry Samuel Ruttle who was a Flying Officer during WW2, and a judge.
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet If so, the baby played rugby for Leinster and London Irish, was later a Circuit Judge and Justice of the Peace, and died aged 89!
Niall McAuley
In 1911, they lived in the RIC Barracks in Bunmahon, which was here then (GeoHive link) but is gone today.
Niall McAuley
They were in Passage East at the time of the photo. That barracks is also gone [Edit: Not so! See below...]
Niall McAuley
Hey, the Tramore barracks (1901) survived! here is the cryptic MR in 1901. The family were living in a different 3 window house on Queen Street at that time, perhaps one of these. Makes sense, as James Hagan is recorded as the head of household on the buildings return for the barracks in 1901, so the cryptic JH was the MIC there in 1901, not our MR.
O Mac
Wife's christian name and children's ages from the 1911 tally. Marriage.... "Olivia Stewart of Mountrath f. Robert Stewart to Michael Ruttle RIC of Maryboro 1896 22nd Apr No 41 witness Thomas and Martha E. Stewart" From. www.thestewartsinireland.ie/author/georgevstewart1/page/3/ They were 11 years married when photo was taken.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] Here is the proof that Judge "Henry Ruttle [was the son] of a sergeant in the RUC" - books.google.com.au/books?id=pTSc60VV1b0C&pg=PA265&am... And Henry wrote a book published in 1972 - www.abebooks.com/County-Court-Practice-1972-Ruttle-Henry/...
Bernard Healy
The cap on the floor is interesting. Zooming in on the badge, it seems that the badge consists of the arms of the four provinces rather than the usual harp cap badge of the RIC. Might it be part of the little boy's sailor costume rather than his father's uniform cap?
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardhealy] There is another shot in the archive in which the Sarge is wearing his hat with a regular harp cap badge, and the small cap is still on the floor. Olivia Annie looks like she is ready to brain Mr. Poole in that one, so it may be later.
La Belle Province
Ouida is a name you don't see very often. It was popular from 1880 - 1920.
Bernard Healy
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley Ah! That other photo gives a much clearer look at the cap badge. I'd be pretty sure that it has the British Royal Arms... From the other picture we see that the ladies' straw hat (on the floor) is maritime-themed with an anchor and the the word 'Minerva' (ship name, I presume) on the ribbon. There's also a compass rose on the top of the straw hat. Do we think that the maritime costumes and props belong to the photographer?
John Spooner
A picture of 'baby' His Honour Henry Samuel Ruttle which appeared in his obituary in the London Times on 22nd September 1995
and a small part of the obituary.
Ulster? (Shome mishtake, shurely? Ed)
ofarrl
www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley/ The building that was the constabulary Barracks is still there. It was used after 1922 by the Garda, this is a photo of it in the mid 1950's.
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] Aha! I misread the 25" map. In that case, revised Streetview.
Bernard Healy
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] It looks like he did a spell in the Leinster Regiment. www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31337/supplement/5997/d... That's the notice in the London Gazette showing a temporary promotion from Cadet to 2nd Lt for William Ernest Patrick Ruttle. I'm assuming he's the same as our William Ernest from the photo. He was just young enough to have escaped serving in the Great War.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Amazing sleuthing from the Photo Detectives! Right up there with any other previous stand-out investigations and insights! Thanks [https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner], and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardhealy]. It was difficult, but I've attempted to summarise the main points from your incredible inputs today. PS - Don't forget that the aptly-named Photos Detectives exhibition will run in the National Photographic Archive (Temple Bar) from 13 September....
silverio10
Buena serie de fotos antiguas .
Niall McAuley
Registrar's record for the marriage of Michael Ruttle to Olivia Stewart at Mountrath. Birth of Ouida Victoria, Moneygall, William Earnest Patrick at Tramore and Henry Samuel Jacob in Passage East. Michael is a Constable in 1900 in Tramore, and a Sergeant in Passage E in 1906.
ofarrl
Here are a couple of Facebook posts regarding Michael Ruttle www.facebook.com/groups/126602292427/permalink/1015629542... www.facebook.com/groups/126602292427/permalink/1015524048...