Dolan, Francis William Temple

2nd Lieutenant Francis William Temple Dolan (Known as Tem)

was born at Helen's Bay on 23rd October 1911 to Francis Joseph Dolan, Butter Merchant and Marie Blanche Dolan nee Temple. They had married in the St Marylebone area of London at the end of 1908.

In April 1911, the Irish Census recorded that the family were living in house 100, Ballygrot, Bangor.  Francis and Blanche Dolan, daughters; Margaret Temple and Ellen Virginia, Emma Virginia Temple (mother-in-law), nurse Anne Kenny, servant Mary Ann McNair and cook Jane Cordner all resided in the house. Francis' (father) occupation is recorded as a Captain & Honorary Major, 9th Bn The Kings Liverpool Regiment. 

On 1st February 1933 Tem joined Northern Bank at Head Office.

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Shankill Road (1933 - Junior), Falls Road (1935 - Junior) and Ballynafeigh (1939 - Junior).

Northern Bank, Shankill Road branch

Northern Bank, Falls branch, Divis Street, Belfast

Northern Bank, Ballynafeigh branch, 2 South Parade, Belfast
(extended and now closed]

Tem was granted permission by the Bank to join the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery and finished Bank work on the evening of 14th October 1939. His initial rank was Gunner with later promotions to Lance Bombardier, Bombardier, Officer Cadet and 2nd Lieutenant by 1944. His address is recorded as 43 Adelaide Park, Belfast in the Nominal Rolls of the 23rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery.

I W Bratty served in the same battery.

Following demobilisation, on 21st November 1945 Tem resumed duty with Northern Bank at Head Office and then on Relief Staff in 1950. Transfers followed to Royal Avenue (1955 - Relief & then Control Clerk), Head Office (1957 - Teller No. 5), Royal Avenue (1960 - Teller & then Pro-Manager) and Dundonald (1971).

Northern Bank, 109-113 Royal Avenue branch

The main colour image (above) is of Tem attending the 1974 Ex-Servicemen's Association dinner.

Tem retired from Dundonald branch on 23rd October 1976.

Articles and photographs of Tem are in the staff magazine ‘The Link’ of Winter 1976 and Spring 1977.

Tem Dolan died on 19th January 1977.

In 2016, retired Area Manager, David Keith wrote:

"Frank Dolan was on the relief staff in the mid 1950s as he did summer relief in Claudy where I entered in 1954. The cashier, Pat Nelson (dec'd) had been hit by a car when on holiday so Frank was with us for a number of months. His yarns about the war were very interesting and he was a great monarchist. I found him to be a real gentleman who enjoyed a joke but was very helpful to a young man like me starting my career in the bank."

Northern Bank, Claudy branch

A colleague of Francis Dolan (Tem) writes:

"Worked with Tem in Dundonald branch. Great character. In winter he used to wear his pyjamas bottoms underneath his suit trousers for warmth. When A R McIlrath - manager was on holidays there were no loans granted. Tem said, if I don’t lend I cannot get it wrong!!"