Jenkins, Thomas Richard

Lieutenant Thomas Richard Jenkins

was born in Oldcastle on 5th December 1893 to Thomas F Jenkins, Clerk of Sessions and Mary E Jenkins nee O'Neill. They had married on 9th November 1887 at Loughcrew Church of Ireland, Oldcastle, Co. Meath.

In 1901, Thomas (7) was living in house 94, Oldcastle, Co. Meath with his parents and 5 siblings, Freddie W (12), Ethel (11), John O (8), Albert V (5) and George A (4). An aunt, Frances Jenkins, a cousin, Ida Gillespie and 2 servants, John Sheridan and Mary Anne Garry were also present in the house.

By 1911, Thomas was living in house 1, Rahaghy, Moylagh, Co. Meath with his mother, aunt, cousin and 4 siblings, Ethel, Albert Victor, George Arthur and Violet May. A servant, John McCormack was also present.

On 6th April 1911, Thomas joined Northern Bank in Head Office.

Northern Bank Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed with Dromore (1911 - Junior), Bailieborough (1912 - Junior) and Ball’s Branch, Dublin (1914 - Junior).

Cheque drawn on Northern Bank, Dromore branch

Whilst he was working in Ball’s Branch on 22nd October 1914, Thomas, aged 20, enlisted into the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as a Private with Service Number 15826. He was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant in June 1917 and later promoted to Lieutenant in January 1919 with the Durham Light Infantry. 

His first theatre of war is recorded as the Balkans from 9th August 1915. This would have been the Gallipoli Campaign and the subsequent campaign against the Bulgarians in Salonika.

T R Jenkins - Medal Index Card

On 14th February 1919, Jenkins transferred to the Military Accountancy Department, India. 

Demobilisation came in December 1919. He was awarded the 1915 Star, the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Following demobilisation, Jenkins re-joined the Northern Bank on 21st January 1920 at Head Office. Transfers followed with Ball’s Branch (1920 - Accountant & then Paying Teller).

Thomas left the bank on 25th June 1926 and emigrated to Canada in 1927.

He died on 28th April 1951 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is buried in the Mountainview Cemetery with his wife Emma.

Thomas Jenkins was commemorated in a Gallipoli Centenary event at the Northern Banking Company exhibit, Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra in April 2015.