In researching this gentleman, I found a number of sources of varying depth of detail. I have listed the two most important of them here. Most of the books listed in the Hurricane Bibliography page also contain some, usually very limited, data about the man. I have also had various snippets supplied by visitors to the site, and he is mentioned in a couple of Hansard records. There are a number of various details available on the internet.
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Henry KaneImage obtained from the Castleknock "SVC 1916-1917 Annual Chronicle". Please do NOT use it without their permission. The medals are, I would presume, as awarded following the Egyptian campaign of 1882/4. The one on the right is most probably the "Khedive's Star", and the one on the left the "Egyptian Medal". My great-grandfather, William Isaac Thorndale, also took part in this campaign, as a sailor on HMS Sultan, and later as a member of the "Naval Brigade" ashore, as did the then Lieutenant Kane. My ggf's medals also include these two medals, one of which can be seen on the WIT Epilogue page. I am not sure of the date of the photograph. An expert in Naval uniforms (which I am not) might be able to identify the rank, which would then guide us to the date. It looks splendid to me, so I would guess it to be when Kane was made Rear-Admiral in 1897. It might equally be when he was Naval Attache, in 1882/3. |
So this is the best biography of Henry Kane that I have been able to compile. The data is presented in good faith, and as I said earlier, has been gleaned from many diverse sources, so is hopefully accurate.
Henry was born on the 15th December, 1843, most probably in the Booterstown township a few miles along Ireland's eastern coast south of Dublin. His father was the celebrated Research Scientist, Sir Robert Kane (1809-1890). He wrote a very influential book in the history of Irish Independence, called "The Industrial Resources of Ireland". Kane's mother Katharine (1811-1886), nee Bailey, was also a celebrated author, one of her works was "Irish Flora", reported in some sources to be named "Irish Fauna". It is reputed that a mis-directed proof of one of Katharine's works was sent in error to Sir Robert, and it was his returning it to her personally that made their initial introduction.
The couple had seven surviving children (from nine) and Henry was the second son. The family lived their early years in Gloucester Street, Dublin. Henry was baptized in Booterstown Roman Catholic Church on the 21st December, 1843.
The name "Kane" is believed to be an anglicised version of the Gaelic Ó Catháin dating back (at least) to the 12th Centrury in County Derry.
At the age of around 11 years, Henry, like some of his siblings, joined St. Vincent's College, Castleknock, Dublin. He spent three years at the college, and seems to have enjoyed his time there immensely. He joined the Royal Navy at age fourteen on HMS Illustrious as a Naval Cadet.
Kane's Naval Service Record covers three pages. The originals are hand-written, dog-eared, 170 years old, spent many years folded up in a box in an archive, and have faded, and were then photo-copied for microfilming, from which I took a print. Consequently, the images are horribly difficult to read. Even the final entries at the end of his naval career are little better than the initial records. The original manuscripts may be easier to interpret, but I don't know how to request to view them. Click the link for a scan of the top half of the first page of the Service Record to see what I mean.
Kane had a long and distinguished naval career, and this is my best effort at transcribing the record. The "Comments" in black text are transcribed from the record, those in blue text are mine.
This table has been compiled from pages 1 and 2 of Henry Coey Kane's Service Record.
| Ship | Rank | Period | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.M.S. Illustrious | Naval Cadet | 6th Mar 1858 to 15th Oct 1858 | Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. Brunswick | Naval Cadet | 20th Oct 1858 to 11th Jan 1860 | Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. Brunswick | Midshipman | 12th Jan 1860 to 2nd Mar 1860 | |
| H.M.S. Melpomene | Midshipman | 3rtd Mar 1860 to 20 Mar 1863 | Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. Defence | Midshipman | 21 Mar 1863 to 8 Jul 1863 | |
| H.M.S. Defence | Sub-Lieutenant | 9th Jul 1863 to 15th Jul 1863 | |
| H.M.S. Defence | Sub-Lieutenant | 16th Jul 1863 to 3rd Jul 1864 | I do not know why this entry is separated from the previous one. |
| H.M.S. Victoria & Albert | Sub-Lieutenant | 4th Jul 1864 to 29th Sep 1864 | There are some unreadable content in both the period column and the comment colukmn, plus an additional line. |
| H.M.S. Excellent (for study) | Lieutenant | 30th Sep 1864 to ??? Feb 1866 | Unreadable, but may indicate the date of Kane's promotion to Lieutenant. |
| H.M.S. Hector | Lieutenant | 18th Feb 1866 19th Mar 1867 | |
| H.M.S. Excellent | (3rd) Lieutenant | 25 Mar 1867 to 18 Apr 1869 | First class in... plus additional unreadable content. |
| H.M.S. Caledonia | Lieutenant | 19 Apr 1869 to 25 Nov 1870 | |
| H.M.S. Lord Warden (On ??? ?? Reserve from 13th Feb 1874) | Lieutenant | 26th Nov 1870 to 2nd Mar 1874 | Whilst on fleet manoeuvres in the Bay of Biscay on 7th September, 1871, Kane will have observed HMS Captain capsize and sink on her maiden voyage. |
| H.M.S. Duke of Wellington (for leave) | Lieutenant | 3rd Mar 1874 to 27 Apr 1874 | This and the previous two lines have been bracketed together, seemingly to total the service period. |
| H.M.S. Volage | Lieutenant | 6th Jul 1874 to 21 Jan 1877 | |
| H.M.S. Volage | Commander | 22nd Jan 1877 to 16 Mar 1879 | Commander 22nd Jun 77... plus additional unreadable content. |
| H.M.S. Northumberland | Commander | 30th Oct 1879 to 6th Sep 1882 | Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. Alexandra | Commander | 7th Sep 1882 to 5th Dec 1882 | Much unreadable content, but "Captain" and "Brigade" discernible. |
| Naval Attache | Captain | 6th Dec 1882 to 17 Jan 1887 | Appointment continued for one year from ?? Sep 86 plus additional unreadable content. |
| Unreadable. | Captain | 18th Jan 1887 to ?? Jan 1887 | Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. Calliope | Captain | 25th Jan 1887 to 1st May 1890 | |
| Half Pay 14/6 | Captain | 2nd May 1890 to 30 Jun 1890 | The significance of the "14/6" entry is unknown. |
| H.M.S. Inflexible | Captain | 1st Jul 1890 to 24th Apr 1891 | |
| Half Pay 14/6 | Captain | 25th Apr 1891 to 28th Dec 91 | Once again, the significance of the "14/6" entry is unknown. |
| H.M.S. Victory Flag captain to ??? for commissioning of "D of W". Almost certainly, HMS Duke of Wellington". | Captain | 29th Dec 1891 to 19th Feb 1894 | Committee of... Unreadable. |
| H.M.S. President for temporary service at Admiralty | Captain | 20th Feb 1894 to 4th Mar 1894 | Unreadable. |
| Director of Naval Ordnance | Captain | 5th Mar 1894 17th Aug 1897 | Unreadable. |
| In receipt of half pay 16/6 | Captain | 5th Mar 1894 17th Aug 1897 | These dates are the same as the previous entry. Once more the significance of "16/6" is unknown. Much unreadable comment. |
| Half Pay 14/6 | Captain | 18th Aug 1897 to 25 Dec 1897 | Unreadable. |
| Half Pay 25/- | Rear-Admiral | 26th Dec 1897 to 24 Aug 1899 | G.S.P.Explanation unknown. |
| Retired pay £650 a year | Rear-Admiral | 25th Aug 1899 29th May 1903 | Retired (own request) from 25 August 1899...Unreadable. |
| Retired pay £650 a year | Vice-Admiral | 30th May 1903 to 7th Feb 1907 | |
| Retired pay £650 a year | Admiral | 8th Feb 1907 to 30th Jan 1917 | D.D. Discharged Dead. |
The third page of Henry Coey Kane's Service Record gives some details about his Naval Career. They seem a little haphazard at times.
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Sir Gazette {19/6/11, 30/6/11 31 August 1864 Lieutenant Henry Coey Kane K.C.B (June 1891) Passed First Class Gunnery 16 Dec 65 22 January 1877 Commander Still under construction. |
