Colonel Kelsall's Flycatcher, Camaroptera and Storm-Petrel (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Minor possible addition on …

kelsalli/kelsallii as in:

● the subspecies (Melaenornis) Fraseria ocreata kelsalli BANNERMAN 1922 (here)

Type … York Pass, Sierra Leone, 1 June, 1911. Col. H. J. Kelsall, R.A., coll.
Obs. Named in honour of Colonel H. J. Kelsall, D.S.O., R.A., who has done so much to further our knowledge of the Birds of Sierra Leone.

● the subspecies Camaroptera chloronota kelsalli SCLATER 1927 (here)

Type … near Tungea, N.N.E. of Bo, Sierra Leone, 12 Sept., 1912. Collected by Major H. J. Kelsall, R.A. B.M.

● the subspecies (Halocyptena/Hydrobates) Oceanodroma tethys kelsalli LOWE 1925 (here) as "Thalassidroma tethys kelsalli"

The race is named in honour of Lt.-Col. Kelsall, who brought back a specimen in spirit, from the St. George Expedition.

= the British Army (Royal Artillery) Officer; Captain, Lieutenant, Major … and at last, Colonel Joseph Kelsall (1867–1950), whole full name most likely was Harry Joseph Kelsall.

Or was Harry a simply a nickname for Harold? There´s also claims his first Christian name was Henry … ?

Anyone know?

See links; here, here and here (p.192) ... etc. etc...
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[mb1848]

He had a cousin a Surgeon-Major named Henry Kelsall maybe people are getting them confused? Harold has an Irish connection so they might have different customs around Harry Harold in 19th century??

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Harry vs Harold ... ?

Well, Mark, the question remains: Was his full name Harold Joseph Kelsall (as is often claimed) or Harry Joseph Kelsall … ?

Whom to trust on this one? The (quite often erroneous) Eponym Dictionary of Birds by Beolens et al (2014), here and today's (far more reliable) HBW Alive Key or the JSTORE/ITHAKAa database (link in Post #1) and the B.O.U. ... ?

Note that the OD's doesn’t tell us more than "H. J. Kelsall" (and not even that on the Storm-Petrel, but ditto confirmed in other Papers). There´s quite a few Army Officers, in that Era, by the name Kelsall, spread over various parts of the World (and the former British Empire).

However, this link, here, to The Ibis 1914 linking him to Sierra Leone and the same Era, tells us that "H. J. Kelsall" was a "M.B.O.U." ("Member of the British Ornithologists' Union") and that he, in the same issue of The Ibis (the Journal for the B.O.U. itself), is listed as "Kelsall, Major Harry Joseph " (here), member since 1894. I don´t get why this source isn´t to trust!? And I find it highly unlikely they would have used a nick-name in such a list. What original source contradicts the B.O.U. claim?

Anyone know?

Björn

PS. Wherever his years (i.e. the one's we´ve seen this far) originates from I do not know.
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[James Jobling]

Just to add to the confusion, Harry is a common vernacular form for Henry (e.g. our own Prince Harry, whose given name is Henry). The name Harold, formerly quite uncommon from its association with the Anglo-Saxon king defeated at Hastings, tends not to be shortened. I suspect that Kelsall's given name was Henry, but have not yet found the proof.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

... I suspect that Kelsall's given name was Henry, but have not yet found the proof.

Then why is it "Harold" in the HBW Alive Key ... !? Nothing there indicates any uncertainty.
:scribe:

 

[l_raty]

The only Kelsall with "H J" as initials that I find in the Hart's / British Army Lists (the "here" link #2 in Björn's first post; full access [here]) is called Harry Joseph there.
(He was born on 27 Apr 1867 [e.g., here]; was from the Royal Artillery, became a Lieutenant on 24 Jul 1886, a Captain on 2 Jun 1897, a Major on 22 Nov 1904 [e.g., here]; became a Lieutenant-Colonel on 30 Oct 1914 , was downgraded to half pay on 30 Oct 1919, and retired on 30 Apr 1920 [e.g., here].)
I'm not fully certain that the name listed there could not be a diminutive/vernacular form, though. I do find the odd Jim (=James?) and Jack (=John?) on these lists.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey: "Medal card of Kelsall, Harry Joseph Corps: Royal Garrison Artillery Rank: Lieutenant Colonel" (here and here) ...

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Thanks Laurent ... and James

Today's HBW Alive Key:

kelsalli
Col. Harry Joseph Kelsall (1867-1950) British Army, ornithologist, plant-collector in Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Colombia and the Pacific 1892-1925 (subsp. Camaroptera chloronota, subsp. Fraseria ocreata, subsp. Halocyptena tethys).

Kelsall ... over and out!

 

[Anne Kelsall]

I can confirm, as the family historian for this Kelsall line, that he was born as Henry Joseph Kelsall, on 27 April 1867 Trinidad, West Indies (Army Records, census returns). As a child, he was still recorded as "Henry", but later Army records and marriage are recorded as "Harry".

Harry was the son of Major Henry Kelsall (1836-1874), 16th Regiment of Foot and Susan Hope Waddell (1841-1919).
Harry's grandparents were Lt Col Joseph Kelsall (1787-1863), 70th Regiment of Foot, and Sarah Holmes (1809-1883), of Dublin.
Harry's great-grandparents were Lt Joseph Kelsall (c1752-1841), 81st Regiment of Foot, and Rachel Hickson (c1764-1826).

Harry married Ellen Owens in Allahabad, Bengal, India, on 30 September 1895.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGNG-M71

There are two main lines of Kelsalls in the British Army (and Royal Navy) in the 18th & 19th Century, and almost all can be attributed to these two lineages. My own great-great grandfather, Captain Edward William Kelsall, was in the same regiment as Harry's grandfather (70th Foot), the eldest and youngest brothers together.

I can be contacted via The Kelsall One-Name Study – A web-site for Kelsall Genealogy (via Peter Kelsall), particularly those interested in family history.

Anne Kelsall
Chicken keeper, former budgie keeper, and (wild) cockatoo feeder
Second cousin (twice removed) to Harry

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Hi Anne,
Thanks for the explanation/confirmation, and welcome to BirdForum. Quite an entrance!
It's always nice when a relative of the dedicatee suddenly pops up.

Now it all make better sense.

Good luck with the Kelsall Genealogy
(and the cockatoos, of course)

Björn

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Today's (updated) Key to Scientific Names:

kelsalli
Col. Henry "Harry" Joseph Kelsall (1867-1950) British Army, ornithologist, plant-collector in Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Colombia and the Pacific 1892-1925 (subsp. Camaroptera chloronota, subsp. Fraseria ocreata, subsp. Hydrobates tethys).

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like.

 

[Anne Kelsall]

Thanks for the welcome all. It was actually my (recently deceased) cousin and co-researcher that found this link. I am more surprised she did not furnish the clarification. I am rather tickled to find three sub-species bearing his (and my!) family name.

I have yet to confirm Harry's death, but yes, there is a closely matching death recorded for Bath, Somerset 1950 - and his mother was interred there, and I have put out an email to a local entity that may confirm that entry as correct. I have had little success finding out about Harry's wife Ellen, other than an approximate year of birth. Because they were both overseas during the 1901 and 1911 census, and the locations were they appear to have been (discovering birds, being in the army!) further information will be difficult to come by, particularly as I am no longer in England, and only have scant online records.

I would add that Harry had two younger brothers that were also Lieutenant Colonels. The three Kelsalls listed here are the brothers, and the document reveals their retirement dates (Harry the eldest, retiring 30 Apr 1920):
(846) - Army lists > Half-yearly Army lists 1923 - Feb 1950 (From 1947, annual, despite the name) > 1938 > Second half - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland
There is with any luck, a chance of picking Harry up in the 1921 census, when I can access it.
Two of Harry's uncles were also Lieutenant Colonels. Harry's father died at age 38, so he only achieved Major.

Harry's aunt also a field botanist (I believe she may have studied frogs or lizards as well). Both are listed here.

As for the cockies, months ago I started feeding two pairs (I gather they were in breeding season). But they are blabber-beaks, and a marauding gang turned up the other day, I was not forthcoming. A pair turned up today, so yes, they got fed. I do not have enough leftover seed for the entire gang. They should be smart enough to figure out 'the system'.

Anne

 

[Anne Kelsall]

He had a cousin a Surgeon-Major named Henry Kelsall maybe people are getting them confused? Harold has an Irish connection so they might have different customs around Harry Harold in 19th century??

Just to respond to this point, generally because of the army careers, the Kelsalls are scattered all over the world. Harry's branch indeed has an Irish stronghold, as did a couple of other branches.

I believe the Surgeon Major Henry Kelsall you mention was born in Plymouth, Devon in 1834, and was killed at the Kyber Pass in 1880. He was a grandson of Lt Joseph Kelsall and Rachel Hickson. His son and descendants reside in Perth, Australia. The Surgeon Major's aunt was in the 'first fleet' of settlers to the Swan River colony (now Perth), but her husband and daughter drowned enroute, and she returned back to England with the remaining children.

You can now see why I have been doing this for over 30 years. Stories galore, and now avian sub-species to add to the mix!

Anne

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

I can confirm, as the family historian for this Kelsall line, that he was born as Henry Joseph Kelsall, on 27 April 1867 Trinidad, West Indies (Army Records, census returns). As a child, he was still recorded as "Henry", but later Army records and marriage are recorded as "Harry".
...
Harry married Ellen Owens in Allahabad, Bengal, India, on 30 September 1895.
...

I guess the latter phrase also does explain the true name of the dedicatee behind today's (Common) Gonolek subspecies Laniarius barbarus helenae KELSALL 1913 (here), as "Laniarius helenæ" from coastal Sierra Leone (the Type specimen was collected 30th of September, 1912), described (half a year later, in May 1913) by Major H. J. KELSALL, R.A. [Royal Army], with the following short explanation/dedication:

I have named this species after my wife.

In the Key explained as:

• ...
• Helen or Ellen Kelsall née Owens (1873-1930) wife of Colonel H. J. Kelsall, collector in tropical Africa 1910-1913 (subsp. Laniarius barbarus).
• ...

Anne, anything to add on her, as well?

/B

PS. Earlier (in late May, last year) also dealt with in thread; Laniarius barbarus helenae Kelsall, 1913 (here)

 

[Anne Kelsall]

Helen/Ellen née Owens has been more elusive at this point. However, your information about "Laniarius helenæ" named after his wife gives me another line of enquiry, that will now make me focus on Helen, rather than Ellen.

Their marriage was in Bengal, India, on 30 September 1895, with her age given as 21, name as Ellen, and father stated as Peter Owens. Unfortunately, this entry is a transcription in a database, and no parish record currently available to me. The parish records quite often record more detail such as the father's occupation (and possibly rank in this occasion, if he was also military). Transcript found here.

Ancestry and some of its users have taken the baptism of an Ellen Owens, dau of Peter Owens & Mary Healy on 08 March 1873 in Ireland as the match, however, my instinct was to reject that possibility as she would have been aged 22 at marriage. So either the marriage transcription is incorrect, or this is not her baptism. My (current) position is that it is the latter.

I see that the newer thread that you linked to has taken that information at face value. I suggest that not all trees recorded on Ancestry (or Family Search) should be taken at face value, for a number of reasons. The first being inexperience as interest in genealogy has dramatically increased in recent years; that some of these 'researchers' are more collectors to obtain lists of names of everyone they think they are related to, with sometimes wild assumptions. Both Ancestry and Family Search also 'generate' 'trees' which can lead you on a wild goose chase (I experienced this recently, and had to go into the primary sources to resolve the issue). Genealogy is quite the (methodical) art form, and where possible, each detail should be verified by a number of sources, as there are mistakes even within the records, but every conflict should be attempted to be resolved, or justified, or disproven, by some logical means, eg timing or geographical location, etc. It would seem that Harry and I have somewhat similar dedication and methodology to our respective 'hobbies'. Although I cannot say I approve of his talk of skinning birds.

 

[PScofield]

Hi Anne, you may be right about Ellen/Helen's birth being guessed at but the probate shows she definately died on 18 Sept 1930 in Somerset, England interestingly the probate document dated 11 Mar 1931 gives her name as "Helen" alias "Aileen".

A Peter Owens was the father of a Helen Owens born in Barrackpore 3 May 1870. She wouldn't be the first to lie about their age at marriage.

 

[Anne Kelsall]

Hi Anne, you may be right about Ellen/Helen's birth being guessed at but the probate shows she definately died on 18 Sep 1930 in Somerset, England interestingly the probate document dated 11 Mar 1931 gives her name as "Helen" alias "Aileen"

Yes, you preempted me by one minute (I was just gathering my sources).

The probate calendar of 1931 is the most accurate/reliable of all:

KELSALL Helen otherwise Aileen of Tir Na'n Og Wrington Somersetshire (wife of Harry Joseph Kelsall) died 18 September 1930 Administration London 11 March to the said Harry Joseph Kelsall D.S.O. retired lieutenant-colonel H.M. army.

I therefore also did some searching for "Aileen", and turned up empty.

The GRO England & Wales Civil Registration (deaths) has a registration in the September quarter of 1930, as ELLEN Kelsall, aged 60, registration district of Axbridge. The registration district includes Wrington, the death is recorded in the correct quarter. However, the age (if referring to the marriage entry) should be 55-56, and of course, again recorded as Ellen, not Helen. I therefore officially reject the Irish birth in 1873.

However, I did discover a very close, very promising, match for a birth & baptism in Barrackpore, Bengal, India. Birth 03 May 1870, bapt 11 June 1870, for HELEN OWEN. Father is given a Peter OWEN (no 'S') and Mary Ann. I am willing to overlook the lack of 'S' (or indeed, the possible addition of the 'S' for the marriage, a common error). Peter Owen was a gunner, Royal Artillery, 16th Brigade. Normally I would be cautious on the class difference (Peter was not an officer), but that he is Royal Artillery, and so was Harry, makes me inclined to accept this as the most likely record of her birth. Also, the recorded age at death is an exact match. It is possible that she was being 'coy' about her age at marriage, which was fashionable. Or, that could simply be a transcription error in the database, and she was actually 25. I was able to view the Army BDM original entries for the birth.

On balance, despite some minor discrepancy, I have reasonable confidence that 1870 was the year she was born. 1930 was the year she passed. That she was born Helen, but other variations remain up for speculation. I will officially record her as Helen Owen/s (1870-1930) in my records. The 'Ellen' business may also be a result of a mishearing of the name at both the marriage and death registrations. Aileen is more difficult to discount/rationalise.

At this stage, it does look as if Harry and Helen were childless. I have not seen any hint of children, but nor can I rule out that they did have issue, given some of the locations they were in the earlier part of their marriage.