Orr, Frederick William

Lieutenant Frederick William Orr

was born at Loughgall, Co. Armagh on 24th May 1887 to Samuel Henry Orr, Postmaster and Mary Albin Orr nee Orr. They had married on 7th July 1885 at Loughgall. Both came from farming families in the area.

 

On 14th June 1905, Frederick joined Northern Bank at Head Office.

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

 

Transfer followed to Ballinamore (1905 - Junior) and Downpatrick (1907 - Junior & Accountant). 

Northern Bank, Ballinamore branch

Northern Bank, Downpatrick branch (branded as Danske Bank)

In 1911, Frederick is boarding in house 17, Church Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Clerk. A possible colleague, James Acheson Barrett (19 – Bank Clerk) is also boarding in this house.

His parents are residing in house 20 in Maghery Glebe (Maghery, Donegal). Samuel's occupation is recorded as a Church of Ireland Rector.

On ‘Ulster Day’, Saturday, 28th September 1912, a Frederick William Orr signed the Ulster Covenant at the City Hall, Belfast giving his address as 210A Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast.

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

Photo courtesy of LennonWylie

On 8th December 1915, 28 year old Frederick Orr volunteered and enlisted into the Cadet Company, 19th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles. Promotion to 2nd Lieutenant followed. His first theatre of war was to Salonika with the Salonica Expeditionary Force from 5th February 1918. He was later posted to the 6th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles and promoted to Lieutenant. Service was seen in Gaza (Beersheba) and Palestine. 

F W Orr - Medal Index Card 

with his address annotated as

 Northern Bank, Whitehead branch

Frederick received a gunshot wound to the knee and subsequently lost his right leg. A Pension Card records his wounds as a 'gun shot wound to the left leg (ampt presumably amputated)'.

F W Orr - Pension Card 

with his address annotated 

as Northern Bank, Donegall Square, Belfast

Demobilisation came in November 1919 when he was invalided out of the service. He was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal for service in the Great War.

Frederick Orr re-joined the Northern Bank on 24th November 1919 at Head Office. He was allowed 1 years seniority. Transfers followed with Donegall Square (1920 - Accountant), Royal Avenue (1923 - Pro-Manager), refused Portaferry (1926) and Whitehead (1934 - Manager). 

Northern Bank, Donegall Square branch

Northern Bank, Royal Avenue branch

Northern Bank, Whitehead branch

Frederick Orr retired from the bank on 31st December 1950 and died at Moyle hospital on 24th July 1954. He is buried in Islandmagee New Cemetery. He had been a member of Chichester R.A.C. No. 313 and was Vice President of the Royal British Legion, Whitehead branch.

The Belfast Telegraph published on 5th February 1955 reported in their Ulster Will column that F W Orr of 70 Cable Road, Whitehead left £23,147 with legacies of £1,500 to Dr Barnardo's Homes and £100 to the RNLI.

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

The Staff Magazine ‘The Link (August 1980)’ contains a photograph of Frederick in Royal Avenue branch in 1930.