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Friday 20 May 2022

Martin, James


Captain James Martin
was born in Aghanloo, Limavady on 24th May 1880 to James Martin, Farmer and Elizabeth Martin nee McMains. James and Elizabeth had married on 31st January 1867.


James Martin - Birth Registration - 24th May 1880


James Martin & Elizabeth McMains - Marriage Registration - 31st January 1867

My thanks go to Eileen Reid (a great-niece of James Martin) and also to Stephen McCracken for helping decipher the family name and address & also for the McMains house photo below.


The Martin family home

James joined Northern Bank on 16th June 1897 at Head Office.


Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

A transfer to Downpatrick followed in 1904.


Northern Bank, Downpatrick branch

In 1901, James is boarding with the Keller family in house 42, Cromwell Road, Cromac Ward, Belfast. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Clerk.

By 1911 he has moved to Downpatrick and is boarding with Elizabeth Teggart in house 51, Saul Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down. He is recorded as a Bank Cashier. There is one other boarder.

On ‘Ulster Day’, Saturday, 28th September 1912, a James Martin signed the Ulster Covenant at the Assembly Hall, Downpatrick.

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


Photo courtesy of LennonWylie 

Whilst in Downpatrick, James, aged 35, volunteered and enlisted into the Cadet Company, 19th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles as a Private with his colleague, F W Orr and an Ulster Bank, Downpatrick official named J R Buchanan who was later to die from wounds in 1st April 1918 in a Red Cross hospital in Rouen.

James volunteered for the Officer Training Corps (OTC) based in Ballykinlar. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the 19th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles and later promoted to Lieutenant and Acting Captain. 

Later he was posted to the 10th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles and then attached to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He saw service in Messines on 7th June 1917.

James received a severe gunshot wound to his right shoulder.

Demobilisation came in January 1919 when he was invalided out. He was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Following demobilisation, Martin re-joined the Bank on 1st April 1919 in Downpatrick.

A transfer to Castlewellan as Manager followed in 1924. The Northern Banking Company Limited Centenary Volume 1824 to 1924 lists a J Martin as Manager of Castlewellan.


Northern Bank, Castlewellan branch

James Martin retired on 30th June 1941 and died on 3rd May 1953. He is remembered on the Roll of Honour in Downpatrick Presbyterian Church.

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