Rankin, Hugh Edwin

Lieutenant Hugh Edwin Rankin

was born at 28 Vicinage Park, Belfast on 5th February 1888 to Hugh Rankin, Clerk and Maria Rankin nee Hannah. They had married on 7th November 1883 at Elmwood Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

Rankin's father, Hugh (40) died at 35 Newington Avenue, Belfast on 14th May 1894.

Maria Rankin, widow, married John McIlroy at Cliftonville Church on 5th July 1898.

In 1901 Rankin (13) is living in house 14, York Street, Belfast with his mother Maria (45) and his sister Evelyn (14), his stepfather John McIlroy (50) and McIlroy children; Hugh (20), Margaret (19), Elizabeth (17), Jane (16), Robert (15) and James (11). A servant Sarah McMillan (17) also lives in the property.

Following his education, Rankin joined the Belfast Banking Company about 1906/07 and is recorded as working in working Central branch and Markets branch. An Evelyn Creighton signed his Bankers Guarantee (Photo out of focus, unfortunately).

Belfast Bank, Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Central branch (Donegall Square North, Belfast)

Belfast Bank, Markets branch (Victoria Street, Belfast)

In 1911 Rankin is boarding with the Sterritt family in house 37, Dunfanaghy Town, Co. Donegal. It is presumed that he was working in the Donegal branch of Belfast Bank.

Belfast Bank, Donegal branch
(Following partition, this would late become a branch of Royal Bank of Ireland)

Rankin volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Irish Rifles. He later transferred to the Machine Gun, Tanks Section. He had attained the rank of Lieutenant. His first theatre of war is recorded as France from 16th June 1916.

H E Rankin - Medal Index Card

Following demobilisation, Rankin was awarded the British War Medal and the British Victory Medal for service in the Great War.

Rankin returned to work for the Belfast Bank.

He later married Sara Maria Whiteside. She may have been known as Sally (Northern Whig of 24th March 1945). They had a daughter, Sara Evelyn Rankin on 11th January 1921 (Ancestry).

The brass Roll of Honour records him as ‘H F’ and the paper Roll of Honour with photographs records him as ‘H E’.

Hugh Edwin Rankin died on 22nd March 1945 at Thurlow, Old Dundonald Road, Dundonald. He is buried in plot E5 182 in Dundonald Cemetery. PRONI Wills records:

Rankin Hugh Edwin of "Thurlow" Old Dundonald Road, Dundonald, Co. Down, retired bank manager, died 22 March 1945. Probate Belfast 24th August to Sara Maria Whiteside Rankin, the widow. Effects £4476. His widow died on 28th December 1961 (Ancestry).