Harrip, John Wesley

Sergeant John Wesley Harrip

was born in Togherdoo, Dromore, Co. Tyrone on 20th May 1885 to David Harrip, Farmer and Caroline Harrip nee Henry. David had married Caroline on 4th December 1883 at Derryloran Methodist Church, Cookstown.

David Harrip died on 4th February 1886 aged 44. Caroline Harrip remarried a Neville Gibson on 25th June 1891 at the Independent Church, Magherafelt.

In 1901, John is living in house 25 Drumskinny, Dromore, Co. Tyrone with his mother, Caroline Gibson and her husband, Neville Gibson. There are 5 step-brothers of John's living in the house; Edward H, Neville H, Frederick J, Walter H & Henry C [Gibson]. A servant, Jane McGahey is also in the house.

John joined Northern Bank on 6th January 1903 at Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Officer, Victoria Street, Belfast

The 'Freeman's Journal' published an advertisement on 12th February 1903:

J W Harrip - Skerry's College - Northern Bank Clerkship

Transfers followed to Clones (1903 - Junior), Downpatrick (1905), Newry (1907), Head Office (1907), Londonderry (1908), Southern (1910) and Head Office (1911). 

Northern Bank, Clones branch

Northern Bank, Downpatrick

Northern Bank, Newry branch

Northern Bank, Londonderry

By 1911, John was boarding with the Lewis family in house 8, St. Anne’s Villas, Merchant’s Quay, Dublin. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Clerk.

Harrip played golf in the first Northern Bank golf outing on 21st March 1913 at Dunmurry:

Photo courtesy of LennonWylie

In July 1914, aged 29, John volunteered and enlisted into 'B' Company, 14th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles (Young Citizen Volunteers [YCV]) as a Private for the duration of the war.  His Service Number was 14/14850. His first theatre of war is recorded as France from 5th October 1915.

J W Harrip - Medal Index Card

Battalion records record his address on enlistment as Togherdoo, Dromore, Co. Tyrone and his next of kin as his mother with surname Gibson.

John was later transferred into the 16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles (Pioneers). He was promoted to Corporal on 4th April 1916 and was a Signaller in the battalion. Further promotion to Sergeant followed.

John saw action at Somme 1916, Messines 1917, Langemarck 1917 (Ypres), Cambrai 1917, St. Quentin 1918 and Passchendaele 1918.

In August 1916 he was photographed by Cpl George Hackney at Ploegstreert, Belgium, close to Messines.  In the photograph he is managing the battalion mail and Hackney describes the men in the photograph as 'Postmen'.

A N Other & J W Harrip
Photograph by Corporal George Hackney
via Mark Scott Photography

Demobilisation came in January 1919.  He was awarded the 1914/15 Star (dis-embarked on 5th October 1915), the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.  

J W Harrip - Medal Roll

Although the Medal Index Card indicates his rank was Corporal, it is the Northern Banking Company Centenary Volume that records him as being promoted to Sergeant.  The original medals and leather service number tags have been framed along with those of another Northern Banking Company official, J E Bullick.

[Courtesy of David Wilson]

Following demobilisation, Harrip re-joined the Northern Bank on 20th January 1919 at Head Office (Interim Manager - 1921). 

The 'Northern Whig' published on 19th March 1921 carried an article about a visit to the Belfast Branch of the Comrades of the Great War.   

J W Harrip - Comrades of the Great War

John was promoted to Assistant Inspector (1927), Inspector (1932) and Assistant Chief Accountant in 1937 (Reported as Chief Accountant in Belfast Telegraph, 22nd November 1937). A transfer as Manager followed in 1940 to Connswater branch.

Retirement on pension came on 30th June 1948.

It is thought by Mark Scott that John Harrip is in these two photographs:

John continued his involvement with the Royal British Legion and was appointed Employment Officer in the Portrush branch in 1959 and Treasurer in 1962.

John Harrip died on 2nd September 1968 with probate being reported on PRONI as:

"Harrip, John Wesley of 36 Causeway Street Portrush county Antrim retired bank manager died 2 September 1968 at Hopefield Hospital Portrush Probate Belfast 21 November to John Thompson Gibson farmer. Effects £6341 19s."

The Staff Magazine ‘The Link (August 1981)’ contains a photograph of Harrip in a 1913 Northern Bank Staff Golf outing.

Also see the biography on J E Walsh.

Some of the information in this biography has been supplied by Mark Scott.

The photographs of George Hackney featured in a BBC NI television documentary shown in November 2014.