Bates, Arthur Henry

Sunday 30 July 2023

Bates, Arthur Henry

Major Arthur Henry Bates

Bates was born at 27 Upper Mount Street, Dublin on 17th October 1907 to Arthur Henry Bates, Kings Council and Mary Kyle Bates nee Knox. They had married at St Patrick's Church, Jordanstown on 3rd April 1900. Arthur is recorded as a Barrister. He had been studying law since about 1873. Mary Kyle was the daughter of R Kyle Knox who was a Northern Bank official who had served in the Great War.

In 1911 Bates (3) was living in house 27.2 Upper Mount Street, South Dock, Dublin with his mother and 3 siblings; Victor (10), Theodore (8), Phyllis Victor (6). An aunt, Margaret Jane Bates (72) and 3 servants; Mary Christie (28), Jane Fitzgerald (25) and Maggie Doran (21) were also present in the house.

Arthur Bates Senior was visiting house 3, Annadale Avenue, Belfast on Census Day 1911.

The Northern Whig of 10th May 1912 reported that Arthur (Senior)'s brother Edward Bates of St Columba, Knock, Belfast had left his estate to his brother and to Henry I Johns of the Belfast Banking Company.

Bates (Junior) joined Northern Bank on 15th September 1925 at Head Office (Relief). Transfers followed to Markets (1925 - Junior), Head Office (1926), Markets (1926) and Head Office (1928).

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Northern Bank, Markets branch

Bates was transferred to the bank Solicitors Department in 1930.

The Belfast Telegraph of 19th May 1934 carries a report into a legal case where the Right Honourable Sir Dawson Bates and Arthur Henry Bates are the Plaintiffs. Arthur's brother Theodore Bates was killed in the accident.

Bates married a Miss Sylvia Pring on 8th September 1934 at Whiteabbey. This photograph appeared in the Belfast Telegraph of 10th September 1934:

Bates was reported in 1937 to be the Sub-Manager of the Stock Department of Northern bank.

The bank Staff Record card has an annotation that Arthur was allowed to apply for a commission in the army. Subsequently, on 21st August 1939, he was ‘Called up for Active Service’ and joined the 23rd Battery, Royal Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant with Service Number 87448.

In 1940 he was promoted to Captain in the 8th Anti Aircraft Regiment. In 1941, he was to hold the rank of War Substantive Major.

Bates is recorded as serving with H M Gabbey (Belfast Banking Company).

On 12th November 1945, Arthur resumed duty in the Bank at Head Office with a transfer to Royal Avenue soon after.