Stewart, Isaac Irwin

Sergeant Isaac Irwin Stewart

was born at Ballyness, Limavady on 4th February 1890 the son of George Stewart, Farmer and Margaret A Stewart nee Morrison. 

In 1901 Isaac () was living in house 42, Ballyness, Gelvin, Co. Londonderry with his grandfather, George Stewart, his parents and 7 siblings; William (), George (), Lillian (), Hugh (), Margaret (), Robert () and Kathleen (). There were 3 servants also in the property; Daniel McCloskey, Kames McCloskey and Saria Heeney.

On 8th April 1908, Isaac joined Northern Bank at Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Bray (1908), Head Office (1909) and Coleraine (1910). 

Northern Bank, Coleraine branch (courtesy of Irene Peden)

In 1911, Irwin was boarding with the Bell family in house 29, Railway Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry. He is now using the first name of Irwin and his occupation is that of a Bank Official.

Further transfers followed to Head Office (1914), Royal Avenue (1914) and Beragh (1914).

Northern Bank, Royal Avenue, Belfast branch

During his time in Royal Avenue, Irwin wrote to the bank on 1st December 1913 and gave 3 months notice of resignation. He withdrew his resignation on 20th February 1914.

Northern Bank, Beragh branch

Whilst based in Beragh, Irwin volunteered on 14th September 1914 and enlisted into the 14th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles as a Private for the duration of the war. His Service Number was 14/15980. The bank Staff Record card records him as volunteering into the 'Young Citizen Volunteers (11th Bn. RIR)'.

Isaac I Stewart - Medal Index Card - 1 - Service Number 14/15980 Royal Irish Rifles

Irwin's first theatre of war is recorded as France from 5th October 1915.

Scans of his Army Service Record is held by the author (via Ancestry & Fold3 archives). It amounts to 26 pages of which some pages were badly burnt whilst in storage in London during the Blitz. A few of the pages are displayed below.

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract
- Bank Official aged 24 years and 1 month

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract
- Protection Certificate & Certificate of Identity

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract

- personal letter returning a completed form to the army

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract

- page 1 of a personal letter re his disablement

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract

- page 2 of a personal letter re his disablement

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract

- Army Conduct Sheet - 29th July 1917 - 

charged with 'reporting himself [unclear]' 

and 'admonished, explained'

I I Stewart - Army Service Record - extract

- location report whilst serving

Irwin served at 'home' from 12th September 1914 to 2nd October 1915. He then served in the British Expeditionary Force from 3rd October 1915 to 6th July 1916 before returning to 'home' from 7th July 1916.

During his service, he was promoted through the ranks to Sergeant. He was injured once; a gunshot wound to the right hand and right leg. 

Demobilisation came in February 1919 and was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

I I Stewart - Medal Roll

Due to his injuries, he applied and was granted a pension.

I I Stewart - Pension Card (f)

I I Stewart - Pension Card (b)

I I Stewart - Pension Card Index

Following demobilisation, Stewart re-joined the Northern Bank on 10th February 1919 at Head Office. Transfers followed to Shaftesbury Square (1921), Ballybay (1926), Donegall Square (1928), Fintona (1936) and Newry – manager (1941).

Northern Bank, Shaftesbury Square branch

Northern Bank, Newry branch

He married Miss L Hamilton in September 1927.

Isaac Irwin Stewart retired on pension on 31st December 1953. He died on 3rd October 1968 whilst living in Castlerock, Co. Londonderry.

I I Stewart - Probate

Larmour, George Edward

Captain George Edward Larmour known as Ted

Larmour was born at Dromore Street, Banbridge on 11th November 1920 to Francis Larmour, Painter and Decorator and Sarah Larmour nee Dennison. They had married on 13th August 1919 at St. Anne's, Belfast.

Larmour was educated at Banbridge Academy where he was Head Boy, Hockey Captain and House Captain for Rugby.

At the age of 17, in April 1938, Larmour joined Northern Bank at Head Office. The bank soon realised that this was a 'mistake' as he was not eligible for work until he was 18 in November 1938. He was permitted to stay on in the 'Letter Department'. 

His address on the staff record card at that time was Castlewellan Road, Banbridge. 

Transfers followed to Head Office (1938 - Letter Department), Crumlin Road (1941 - Junior) and Head Office (1942).

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Northern Bank, Crumlin Road branch (1970s)

On 8th March 1943 Larmour was ‘Called up on Active Service’ into the Royal Ulster Rifles as a Private. Promotions followed to Officer Cadet and 2nd Lieutenant with Service Number EC14755. 

The 'Belfast News-Letter' of 2nd December 1944 reported as below. The Belfast Telegraph, Larne Times and Ballymena Weekly Telegraph also carried this story.

G E Larmour - Indian Army

Capt G E Larmour, Banbridge, Co. Down, Ulster
(Courtesy of Facebook page - Banbridge District Museum)

In August 1946 Ted Larmour married Miss W M Chand.

Ted Larmour left the army with the rank of Captain and resumed duties with Northern Bank on 19th June 1947 at Head Office. Transfers followed to Stationery Department (1948), Hillsborough (1952), Shaftesbury Square (1955), Windsor (1960), Lurgan (1961), Lisburn (1963), Omagh (1965), Lisburn (1968) and Regional Director (1976).

Northern Bank, Shaftesbury Square branch

Northern Bank, Windsor branch (right of picture)

Northern Bank, Lurgan branch

Northern Bank, Lisburn branch

Northern Bank, Omagh branch (on right)

The Staff Magazine ‘The Link' carried various articles:

Ted Larmour was a member of the Bank Ex-Servicemen's association. These photos of him have recently turned up.

Ted Larmour to right

Ted Larmour second from right

Ted Larmour died on 10th August 2016. The family resided in Lisburn.

Taylor, Cyril William

Trooper Cyril William Taylor

was born at 'Woodbine', St John's Park, Belfast on 23rd November 1898 to William Alexander Taylor, Bank Inspector and Elise Corinne Taylor nee Blythe. They had married on 5th September 1896 at St. Anne's, Belfast.

In 1901 Cyril (2) is living in house 1, Bridge Street, Banbridge with his parents, sister Nora Elise Evelyn (3) and step-sister Gladys Helene Blythe (11). A servant Rose Downey and a visitor Helena Pauline Crawley are also in the house. This property would be the Northern Bank House, Banbridge where William Taylor is the branch manager.

Northern Bank House, upper floor, Banbridge

Cyril's father, William Taylor had been killed in 1910 in a tragic accident at Northern Bank House, Donegall Square (West), Belfast when he fell down an accommodation lift shaft.

By 1911, Cyril is living at 54 Botanic Avenue, Belfast with his mother and 3 siblings/step siblings; Herbert John Blythe (23), Norah Elise Taylor (14) and Muriel Maud Taylor (8).

Cyril was a pupil of the Masonic Orphan Boys' School. 

On 12th January 1915, Cyril joined Northern Bank at Head Office. His address in the bank records was house 4, Copeland Terrace, Carrickfergus. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Whilst based in Head Office, he volunteered and enlisted into the North Irish Horse as a Trooper aged 17. He moved to the Royal Garrison Artillery before being demobilised in January 1919.

The excellent website North Irish Horse has the following biography for him:

On 12 January 1915 he joined the Northern Bank at its Head Office in Belfast. Later that year, or during 1916, Taylor enlisted in the North Irish Horse (regimental number unknown at present). At some point he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery. Whether he served overseas is not known at present.
 
Taylor was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, in January or February 1919. 

Following demobilisation, Taylor re-joined the Northern Bank on 10th February 1919 at Head Office. Transfers followed to Dromore (1923), Coleraine (1925), Kilrea (1937) and Lisburn – sub-manager (1944).

Cheque drawn on Northern Bank, Dromore branch

 

Northern Banking Company, Coleraine branch

Northern Bank, Kilrea branch (courtesy Irene Peden)

Northern Bank, Lisburn branch

Whilst in Coleraine, Cecil had to appear as a bank witness in a trial covered in the 'Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser' of 12th July 1928:

C W Taylor - witness in trial

The 'Lisburn Standard' of 27th October 1944 reported C W Taylor as Manager of Northern bank and Treasurer of the 'Lisburn Army, Navy and Air Force Fund'.

Cecil Taylor retired on 31st December 1959.

Derek Taylor, a descendent of C W Taylor attended the 2000 re-dedication ceremony of the Rolls of Honour.

Ross, John Alexander

Trooper John Alexander Ross

was born at Gransha, Islandmagee on 15th June 1893 to Thomas Ross, Farmer and Annie Ross nee Ross. They were married on 1st April 1891 at Larne Presbyterian Church.

In 1901, John (7) lived in house 32, Gransha, Islandmagee, Co. Antrim with his parents and 3 brothers; Thomas (5), William (2) and James (9).

On 13th December 1910 John joined Northern Bank at Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

By 1911, John is still living with his family in Islandmagee. His occupation is recorded as a Bank Clerk.

Transfers followed to Bray (1911.) and Ball’s Branch (1914). 

Cheque drawn on Ball's branch, Henry Street, Dublin

On ‘Ulster Day’, Saturday, 28th September 1912, John signed the Ulster Covenant at Islandmagee Orange Hall giving his address as Mullaghboy.

John volunteered and enlisted on 7th December 1915, aged 22, into the North Irish Horse as a Trooper with Service Number 2032. 

J A Ross - Medal Index Card

The following biography is from the excellent website North Irish Horse.

John Ross embarked for France in 1916 or early 1917, where he was posted to C Squadron of the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment.

In September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and most of its men were transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Like most of the men, Ross was transferred on 20 September. He was issued a new regimental number – 41317 – and was posted to C Company.

Ross saw a great deal of action with the battalion over the following year. On the night of 3 November 1917, C Company mounted a major raid on the German trenches near Havrincourt on the Cambrai front. The battalion war diary for that day states:

At 4.30 p.m. 'C' Coy left Ruyaulcourt and marched up to the line to carry out a raid. The enemy's front line was successfully penetrated, from the Canal ... to about 150 [yards] E of it. The fighting was very severe as the enemy refused to surrender. Our men stayed in the enemy trenches for twenty min. and bayonetted and shot at least forty Germans. We suffered some casualties, mostly from bombs:- 1 officer severely wounded; 1 officer slightly wounded; 1 N.C.O. killed; 3 O.R. missing, believed killed; 13 O.R. wounded; 1 R.E. (N.C.O.) severely wounded.

John was wounded in the arm. He recovered, however, re-joining the battalion later that year or in the early months of 1918.

Following the retreat from St Quentin from 21st to 28th March 1918 he was one of the many of the battalion initially posted as missing. It was later learned, however, that he had been wounded, again in the arm. Later that year he was able to re-join the battalion and take part in the Advance to Victory offensive in the final months of the war. During that time he was wounded again, this time in the left knee.

John was evacuated to the UK for treatment. On 14th March 1919 he was discharged, being no longer fit for military service due to his leg wound (paragraph 392 xvi King's Regulations). He was granted a pension, his level of disability having been assessed as 40 per cent.

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

J A Ross - Medal Roll

Following demobilisation, Ross re-joined the Northern Bank on 2nd June 1919 at Head Office. Transfers followed to Portaferry (1920), Lurgan (1926 - pro manager) and Markets (1934 – pro-manager).

Northern Bank, Lurgan branch

Northern Bank, Markets branch, Victoria Street, Belfast

He died at his home, The Crag, Whitehead, County Antrim, on 2nd January 1940, leaving a widow, Winifred Mary. The bank staff record card records him as 'dying suddenly'. His estate, valued at £795 was left to his widow, Winifred Mary Ross.