Gilmore, William P E

William Eccles Gilmore or Gilmour

was born at 21 The Diamond, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry on 9th January 1889 to William Gilmour, Watch Maker and Margaret Johnston Gilmour nee Wallace. They had married on 16th June 1880 at the residence (in Coleraine) of Reverend Robert Wallace of the Presbyterian Church.

William Gilmour Senior died aged 43 on 6th September 1896 at Coleraine.

In 1901 William (12) was living in house 20 The Diamond, Coleraine with his mother and 3 siblings; John (19), Robert (15) and Susan (7). A servant, Margaret Taggart is also present in the property. 

The Coleraine Chronicle of 10th January 1903 reports that William did a solo performance at the New Row 'Band of Hope' concert.

The Coleraine Chronicle of 23rd February 1907 reports that William has passed with distinction his entrance examination for Northern Bank:

William joined Northern Bank later that year and is recorded as working in Bray branch. The 1924 Northern Banking Company Centenary Volume records his surname and initials as W P E Gilmour whilst the Roll of Honour records as Gilmore W E.

In 1911, a William Gilmore (22) is boarding with his brother, Robert (25) in house 54, Grove Park, Rathmines & Rathgar West, Dublin. Both are described as Bank Clerks and are from Co. Derry.

No photograph or further information on his military and banking career is available.

Galway, Albert Brice

Albert Brice Galway

was born at Kilkeel on 5th October 1898 to Brice Galway (watchmaker) and Annie Elizabeth Galway nee Reid. They had married on 29th December 1897 at Eglish Presbyterian Church.

In 1901 Albert lived in house 2, Broad Street, Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry with his parents and a servant, Jane Mawhinney (17).

Annie Elizabeth Galway died aged 37 on 31st March 1908. She was recorded as 'wife of a watchmaker'.

Mid-Ulster Mail, 27th November 1909

By 1911 the property was known as house 7. Albert lived with his father and a servant, Mary Mawhinney (18).

On 3rd April 1917 Albert joined Northern Bank at Carrick-on-Shannon branch. 

Northern Bank, Carrick-on-Shannon branch

On 5th May 1917 Galway volunteered and enlisted into the North Irish Horse as a Private with Service Number 71846. 

His Army Service Record is available and consists of 23 scanned pages. Albert records his occupation as a Bank Clerk. The first page is displayed below:

Army Service Record - A B Galway (1st page)

Later on, Albert transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps with Service Number 23921.

This section is taken from the website 'North Irish Horse in the Great War' 

"Galway enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Boyle on 16 May 1917, joining the regiment at Antrim nine days later (No.2461 – later Corps of Hussars No.71846). While in training at the regiment's Antrim base depot he qualified as a 1st Class Shot.

On 5 November 1918 Galway embarked for France with a reinforcement draft for the North Irish Horse Cyclist Regiment. They joined the regiment in the field on 22 November, eleven days after the Armistice had brought an end to the fighting.

On 7 June 1919 Galway was one of twenty-two men of the North Irish Horse Cyclist Regiment who volunteered to transfer to the Army Cyclist Corps (No.23921). They were posted to the IV Corps Cyclist Battalion at Rolsdorf, part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine."

Albert was demobilised on 31st March 1919 to the Class Z Army Reserve. It is presumed that Albert returned to Northern Bank.

Following his demobilisation, Albert was awarded the British War Medal and the British Victory Medal. He received and acknowledged receipt of the first medal on 8th May 1922.

Medal Index Card - A B Galway

Medal Roll - A B Galway

The 'North Irish Horse in the Great War' website carries a full biography of Albert Galway.

This website records Albert as dying in 1962. It has not been verified.

Forde, James Elliott

Lieutenant Theophilus James Elliott Forde CBE DL

was born on 19th May 1890 in Hilltown, Co. Down the son of Rev. Robert Forde and Elizabeth Jane Forde nee Elliott. They had married on 3rd June 1885 at Clonduff Church of Ireland, Newry.

In 1901 Elliott (10 - as per census form) lived in house 91, Dundrum, Co. Down with his parents and 2 siblings; Muriel (12) and Robert (7). In the house there was also Clarice Hayden (governess), Agnes Stevenson (servant), Patrick O'Hare (servant), and Charlotte Teggart (visitor).

The Lennonwylie website records Elliott as being educated at Campbell College:

852. Forde, James Theophilus Elliott, b. 19th May, 1890, son of Rev. Robert Forde, Dundrum Rectory, Co. Down.  Brother of 970. IV, July, 1906.  Great War: Lieut., N.I.H. and Machine Gun Corps. Chairman, Northern Bank Ltd.  Address: 34 Wellington Park, Belfast. (M.q.)

An advertisement in the Belfast News Letter of 8th August 1908 advised that Elliott Forde had won a clerkship to Northern Bank:

Belfast News Letter, 8th August 1908

On obtaining this clerkship, Elliott joined Northern Bank on 24th March 1909 in Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Virginia (1909 - Junior), Head Office (1909 - Junior) and Grafton Street (1909 - Junior).  

Northern Bank, Virginia branch

Former Northern Bank, Grafton Street, Dublin

In 1911, Elliott is boarding in house 8, Woodville, Sandford, Rathmines & Rathgar East, Dublin. He is described as a Bank Clerk. 

On 24th December 1915, aged 25, Elliott volunteered and enlisted into the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps (OTC) as a Private. He was gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Res Regiment of Hussars, transferred as a 2nd Lieutenant into the North Irish Horse, served with the British Expeditionary Force and seconded into the Machine-Gun Corps before re-transferring into the North Irish Horse. 

Medal Index Card - Lt T J E Forde

His address on the Medal Index Card is recorded as c/o Northern Banking Company, Coleraine, N. Ireland. 

On 21st May 1917 the Belfast News Letter reported that Mr. T. J. E. Forde, elder son of the Rev. R. Forde, Dundrum has being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the reserve regiment of Hussars. 

He was later promoted to Lieutenant.

Action was seen in the Allied Retreat 1918, the Allied Advance 1918 before being demobilised in March 1919. Forde was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal. 

Medal Roll - Lt T J E Forde

On 23rd January 1919 the Belfast News Letter reported that T J E Forde ceases to be employed with the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) from 18th December 1918 (North Irish Horse, Special Reserve).

Following demobilisation, Elliott re-joined the Northern Bank at Ball’s Branch, Dublin. Further transfers followed to Grafton Street (1919 - Donnybrook sub-office ), Coleraine (1921 - Sub-Manager), Grafton Street (1925 - Sub-Manager, Joint Manager) and Donegall Square (1928 - Manager). 

Former Northern Bank, Coleraine branch

Northern Bank, Donegall Square

In 1930 J Elliot Forde was a member of the Select Vestry of St. Thomas's Church.

The Rev. Robert Forde (aged 78) died at his son's residence, 34 Wellington Park, Belfast on 11th July 1935.

Elliott was appointed as a Director of Northern Bank on 1st February 1943 to replace Mr A P Tibbey after 54 years of service to the bank. 

J E Forde was Chairman of the Save the Children Fund.

Belfast News Letter, 5th October 1955

He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Years Honours list of 1956. His wife, Elizabeth Forde died on 6th February 1959. In 1961 J Elliott Forde was made a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) of Belfast. Elliott was later to be appointed Chairman. 

He retired on 17th January 1964. His death was reported in the Belfast Telegraph on 13th January 1977.

Fitzsimons, Charles Kevin

Private Charles Kevin Fitzsimons or Fitzsimmons

was born on 9th November 1890 at 80 Hill Street, Newry to James Fitzsimmons and Elizabeth Fitzsimmons nee Keegan. His birth was registered as Charles Edward Fitzsimons and the bank staff records show him as 'known as Kevin'. His parents had married on 28th November 1882 at the North City Roman Catholic Cathedral, Dublin.

Kevin joined Northern Bank on 10th June 1909 at Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

In 1909 Kevin was transferred to Mohill branch.

Northern Bank, Mohill branch

By 1911, Kevin is boarding in house 58, Main Street, Mohill with a colleague, William Harris Boyd (27). Kevin is described as a Bank Clerk and William Harris, a Bank Cashier.

Later transfers took Kevin to Ballycastle (1912) and Shercock (1914).  

Northern Bank Ballycastle branch

On 11th July 1912 the Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser reports C K Fitzsimons as a competitor in the Ballycastle Regatta and Sports Day.

Former Northern Bank, Shercock branch

On 6th October 1914 (aged 23), whilst based in Shercock branch, Kevin enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a Private with Service Number 42865.  

Medal Index Card - Pte C K Fitzsimons

Kevin served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and saw further action during the Suvla Bay landings at Gallipoli and in Salonika.  

On 18th November 1915 the Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser published a letter from the 'Front'. Kevin wrote about his service with the 32nd Field Artillery, RAMC in the Mediterranean and the Dardanelles.

'Letter from the Front' by C K Fitzsimons

Later he transferred to the 2nd Bn. Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) with Service Number 52066. Further action was seen in Suvla Bay, Serbian Retreat, Struma Valley, Gaza and Nablus (Palestine).

On 25th May 1916 the Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser has an article with a personal letter from C K Fitzsimons entitled a 'Letter from the Balkans'

'Letter from the Balkans' by C K Fitzsimons

Kevin was awarded the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal. 

Medal Rolls - Pte C K Fitzsimons

He was demobilised in 1919 and re-joined the Northern Bank on 23rd April 1919 at Shercock as Cashier. 

Transfers followed to Ballycastle (1919 - Accountant, Cashier), Shercock (1921 - Manager). Further transfers followed with Dowra (1921 - In charge), Skerries (1925 - Cashier), Head Office (1925), Oldcastle (1934 - Sub-Manager) and Head Office (1935 - Ledgers, No. 3 Teller, Sort).

Northern Bank, Oldcastle branch (branded as National Irish Bank)

Retirement came on 30th June 1941. 

Kevin died on 10th March 1953 aged 62. A family member has advised that he is buried in Wandsworth Cemetery, London.

Kevin was commemorated in a Gallipoli Centenary event at the Northern Banking Company exhibit, Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra in April 2015. Video of the event here.

Photographs courtesy of History Hub Ulster