Ferris, William Thompson

Staff Lieutenant William Thompson Ferris

was born at Vicars Hill, Armagh on 12th March 1890 to Walter Ferris, Merchant and Rachel Ferris nee Kennedy. They had married on 19th November 1885 at First Presbyterian Church, Coleraine.

In 1901 William lived in house 19, Mall, Armagh with his parents and a servant Sarah Wylie.  

On 17th May 1909 he joined Northern Bank at Head Office as Junior. Transfers followed to Lisburn (1910 - Junior) and Head Office (1914 - Junior).  

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Northern Bank, Lisburn branch.  Later replaced in 1920s

By 1911, William is living in house 21, The Mall, Armagh with his parents and a servant Susan Glaskin.  He is described as a Bank Clerk.  The family were of Presbyterian faith. 

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

Photo courtesy of LennonWylie

On 15th September 1914, William volunteered and enlisted into the 6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) as a Private with Service Number 2159.  His first theatre of war was in France from 2nd May 1915.  He served with the British Expeditionary Force, was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant.  Further promotion followed to Lieutenant and then Staff-Lieutenant 1st Class.  William saw action in the Second Battle of Festubert May 1915, Vimy Ridge 1916 and the Somme 1916.  An injury occurred on 29th July 1916 at High Wood.  The Belfast News Letter of 7th August 1916 reports:

Mark Duffy (a 'Belfast' Black Watch researcher) has kindly sent me a a couple of group photographs that include W T Ferris.

"William Thompson Ferris is rear right. Rear left is Harry Dann (Belfast), he won the Military Medal and was also taken POW. Front right is Arthur D. Hutchison, a Scotsman, he was working in the Irish Department of Agriculture in Dublin before the war. Front left may be Joseph Russell (Belfast) but not quite sure on him yet. All went out with the 6th Black Watch on 2nd May, 1915."

W T Ferris, 6th Bn. Black Watch

"This is a group from the Irish detachment of the 6th Black Watch. William T. Ferris No. 21."

W T Ferris, 6th Bn. Black Watch

Demobilisation came on 14th July 1919. He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 29th August 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal. His address in Army records was 2 Gosford Place, Edinburgh.

William T Ferris - Medal Index Card

William T Ferris - Medal Roll

Following demobilisation, Ferris re-joined the Northern Bank on 22nd September 1919 and was transferred to Newry as Junior and later as Cashier.

Northern Bank, Newry branch

On 12th July 1920, Ferris retired and took up his father’s business, 'Walter Ferris, wholesale grocer and spirits, Market Street, Armagh'. 

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