Delacourt Dillingcourt, Delacoat & Delicoat brickwall

[apowell]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone maybe able to help me in my research because I've hit a complete brickwall but here's what I have found so far by blood sweat and tears

My research started from my Black Country roots in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England when I discovered my x5 Grt Grandfather Thomas Dellicoat living with his family. Thomas born abt 1794 gave on census returns his place of birth Banff, Scotland and profession Chelsea pensioner and after many hours of searching I found out that he served with the 66th Regiment and married Mary Watts in 1813 Trowbridge, Wiltshire. I've been able to find the Baptisim records for his children and was amazed at the different ways the surname was spelt eg Dillingcourt, Delacoat, Delicoat, Drillingcourt, Dalincourt and Delacourt.

I've searched the Scottish census records and only could find one family called Delacourt and the head was Peter Delacourt born abt 1799 Glasgow, Scotland who was also a Chelsea Pensioner. On Peters death certificate it states his father was Joseph soldier of the 32nd Regiment and mother Rachel nee Wallace interestingly my Thomas's parents were given on records Joseph & Rachel. I managed to find Peter's military service papers on the National Archive website and his surname is spelt Dellicoat so I'm thinking Thomas and Peter were most likely brothers.

I then turned my search to Joseph and found a marriage entry 1793 Glasgow for Joseph Dellicoat of the Breadalbane Fencibles and Rachel Crosbie (not Wallace but maybe Rachel was previously married). I've researched the Breadalbane Fencibles and found out that they were stationed in Glasgow & Ireland.interestingly I've found Town records dated 1794 from Banff which mentions a gift to the Breadalbane Fencibles soldiers for help with putting out fires in the town. This could put Joseph & Rachel at Banff in 1794 where my Thomas was born.

I've obtained Thomas Dellicoats' military service records but it doesn't shed any light on his family.

I need to find out:
1. Where Joseph born abt 1773 family were originally from (Scotland?).
2. What was the original spelling of the surname and is it a Scottish name.
3. Rachel Wallace or Crosbies' family information.

I'm sorry my post reads like a novel but just wanted to give all the information just in case someone could help.

Many thanks everyone for your time.
Adrian

[LesleyB]

Hi Adrian
... and welcome to Talkiing Scot

Sounds like you have been doing a fair bit of research so far and what you suggest would seem to hang together.

On Peters death certificate it states his father was Joseph soldier of the 32nd Regiment and mother Rachel nee Wallace interestingly my Thomas's parents were given on records Joseph & Rachel.

I would not take the surnames given at death as 100% accurate. Parent names (both first names and surnames) on death entries are sometimes completely incorrect, but more often "close" but not quite accurate - it all depends on who the death informant was.

2. What was the original spelling of the surname and is it a Scottish name.

There does not seem to be a name similar to this in Blacks "The Surnames of SCcotland" so it is not looking like that is the origin of the name. Sounds possibly French in origin to me... but that is just a guess. A seach here http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/ shows most "Delacourt" to be in Rochester in 1881. Might be worth trying with other spelling variations just out of interest. Remeber though that this is based on the 1881 census, so again, speilling may be very variable...!

I'm sorry my post reads like a novel but just wanted to give all the information just in case someone could help.

No apologies needed!! These are the sort of posts we generally like here - a good deal of background info, so we know what you have found already, and where you have looked. =D>

Best wishes
Lesley

[Currie]

Hello Adrian,

The only occurrence of the name Dellicoat in the 18th & 19th Century newspapers that I can access is in 1851 in Salisbury when a fellow by the name of William Dellicoat was convicted of stealing one penny.

In Belfast in 1865 a Sub-Constable Drillingcourt summoned a beer retailer in breach of licensing laws and later that year summoned a man who was cruel to a cow.

In Belfast in 1867 a Charles Dillingcourt had a jug of boiling water thrown over him.

In 1873 a shopkeeper named Drillingcourt, of Sandy Row, Belfast, appeared as a witness after he was sold adulterated milk.

Delacourt crops up too many times to mention, almost always in English newspapers.

Here’s a report of the Banff fire from the London Chronicle, Saturday, October 11, 1794.
Extract of a letter from Banff, Sept. 29.
“On the night of Friday last, the 26th inst, a most alarming fire broke out on board a small vessel in the harbour of this place, owing, as is supposed, to the carelessness of a boy. The vessel was lying close to some others, and as the tide was low, the fire threatened destruction to every ship in the harbour; but happily, by the timely and very spirited exertions of the inhabitants, and of the officers and men of the second battalion of Breadalbane Fencibles, it was got under without doing any damage, except to the vessel in which it broke out, and which was nearly consumed. The Magistrates and Council returned their unanimous thanks to the officers and soldiers for their laudable conduct on the occasion, and gave the private men a suitable gratuity. One of the soldiers was considerably hurt by the falling of a log of wood.”

Hope that’s useful,
Alan

[grannysrock]

Hello Adrian

On the catalogue at the National Archives there is a record for a Joseph Dellicott ( another variant ?)
Born MENTERBURN, Tyrone. Served in Breadalbane Fencibles; 5th Reserves; 32nd Foot Regiment. Discharged aged 47. Covering dates (1792-1814) give year of enlistment to year of discharge. Kilmainham Reference: A7985.

Perhaps this is Thomas' father ?

Sally

[apowell]

Hi Sally,

Wow well done Sally because I've searched and searched for many hours on the National Archive for Joseph military records without any luck. This is fantastic news and thank you so much for this information because the place of birth given MENTERBURN, Tyrone may connect with my Thomas. After this post I rechecked the national archive website and found:

THOMAS DILLICOTT alias THOMAS DELLICOT; THOMAS DILICOTT; THOMAS DELICOTT; THOMAS DELLICOTT.
Born BANFF, Durham.
Served in 66th Foot Regiment; 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion.
Discharged aged 33 after 5 years 7 months of service.
Residence or place where pension paid stated in document.
See film image 106
Covering dates 1826

THOMAS DELECOAT alias THOMAS DELLICOAT; THOMAS DELICOTT
Born MINDERBURN, Armagh
Served in 66th Foot Regiment; 9th Royal Veteran Battalion
Discharged aged 27 after 4 years 9 months of service
See film image 304
Covering dates 1821

The first entry which I'd already obtained from the national archive matched my Thomas and I assumed Banff, Durham was a mistake and it was Banff, Scotland but I hadn't found the other entry for Thomas born Minderburn. This however also fits with the Regiment and date of service that may mean both of these entries are for the same person. Thomas's place of birth MINDERBURN, Armagh will also connect with Joseph's entry so I could be onto a winner with your help =D> . I'll order both records to investigate further but the Irish connection was a possibilty because of the surname and maybe a French Hugonet connection which would be exciting. Dellicott spelling also fits because that was the spelling that was used by Thomas's sons and is still used to this day by their ancestors in West Bromwich.

I'll order theses records and let you know what information I get and fingers crossed they may match.

Many thanks for all your help and what a wonderful, friendly forum.
Adrian

[apowell]

Hi,

I've done a little research on MENTERBURN, Tyrone and MINDERBURN, Armagh mentioned but I think the spellings are incorrect, however I found this which could be the place mentioned:

"The area referred to as Minterburn is the triangular wedge of south Tyrone lying between Armagh and Monaghan counties. It is an elevated area bounded on the south-east and south-west by the River Blackwater which forms a boundary with those two counties. The village of Minterburn lies centrally along the northern edge that area and the town of Caledon "

Let's hope these two entries are for the same Thomas

Regards
Adrian

[grannysrock]

Hi Adrian
I hope the army records solve your problem. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way of searching the catalogue with a wildcard ( and with a surname like Delacourt that would be very handy ) - What I did do was a search for Joseph AND Breadalbane - presumably it would also work with other army regiments .

I don't know if you have this already but on Scotlandspeople there is a birth/baptism in 1798 of a Peter Dalcots to a Joseph Dalcots and Rachel Crosbie in Troqueer, Kirkcudbright. I haven't looked at it , but Dalcots seems even rarer than Delacourt ..

regards
Sally

[apowell]

Hi Sally,

That was great detective work to find that information and I'd never in a month of Sundays thought about searching the Breadalbane connection on the national archive website. Once again you're a star because the birth/baptism in 1798 of a Peter Dalcots to a Joseph Dalcots and Rachel Crosbie matches perfectly. Finding information on this family with all the different spellings of the surnames and all the different places they seemed to have moved too Is like getting teeth extracted

I'm confident the Delacourt surname wasn't the original spelling because it seemed to have been used only by Peter and his family from the 1841 census onwards and the spelling of Dellicot, Dillicot or Delicoat seemed to have been used from the earliest time.

I'm confused with the entry of Rachel Crosbie because it conflicts with the documents of Peter Delacourt who gives his parents details on documents as Joseph soldier 32nd Regiment & Rachel nee Wallace (no mention of Crosbie). On the marriage entry for Joseph Dellicot it confirms he married Rachel Crosbie and I was wondering if Rachel maidan name was Wallace and she married a Crosbie before she married Joseph. The problem is I've been unable to find any information on Rachel Wallace or Crosbie.

I think I'll post a request about Rachels details on the forum and hope someone can help.

Once again many thanks and I've requested copies of the military records held at Kew today and will let you know what I uncover.

Regards
Adrian

[nelmit]

No help with your family but putting the Dilcots variation you found with Sally's help in to FREECEN 1841 throws up a few Delicates, a Dalicote and a Delicott all born and living at Wiltshire.

Regards,
Annette

[apowell]

Hi Annette,

I found the same lots and lots of Delicates, a Dalicote and a Delicott's living in and around Wiltshire and given that Thomas married Mary Watts in Trowbridge, Wiltshire led me to the conclusion the family must have originated from Wiltshire and many fruitless hours searching the Wiltshire archives. This was until I found the Banff, Scotland and possible Northern Irish connections which has made me rethink my ideas but it's possible the family may have served in the Army for many generations and moved around the Country.

The problem is what was the original surname and if I can confirm this it should give me a big clue to where the family were originally from (well that's the idea anyway

Too be honest I've only got ideas at the moment but hey isn't this fun .

Regards
Adrian