Images of the 'Rolls of Honour' and 'War Memorials'

The 'Rolls of Honour' / 'War Memorials' are installed in a basement corridor of the Northern Bank (Danske Bank) Head Office, Donegall Square West, Belfast.  They are securely attached to the walls and are covered in glass to protect them. 

The width of the hall together with the reflective glass make it extremely difficult to take good photographs without reflections.

There is no memorial to the 3 civilian bank employees who were murdered during the Northern Ireland Conflict.

Northern Banking Company - Brass Panel with Raised Lettering - The Great War & WWII

Northern Banking Company - The Great War - Pictorial Record - Panel 1

Northern Banking Company - The Great War - Pictorial Record - Panel 2

Northern Banking Company - The Great War - Pictorial Record - Panel 3

Belfast Banking Company - Brass Panel with Raised Lettering - The Great War & WWII

Belfast Banking Company - The Great War - Pictorial Record

Northern Bank - Ladies of 1919

Northern Bank - Ladies of 1919

A number of Lady Staff photographed on the roof of the Northern Bank Head Office building in Victoria Street, Belfast.

Some of them may have joined the bank to cover the officials who had left for war service.

Northern Bank Golf Club Outing - May 1951

Amongst this group of golfers are a few ex-servicemen e.g. L McK White, J F Bristow, Wm H G Millikin and R P MacGregor.

Belfast Bank Football Team - 1930's

Amongst this group of footballers are a few ex-servicemen e.g. O. Mulholland, W A Rainey and I W Bratty.

Excerpts from Documents

25th September 1945

Temporary Lady Clerks

As the members of the permanent staff in the Forces will soon be returning to take up duty again, the Temporary Lady Clerks will, as a matter of course and in keeping with the terms of employment, be released from duty as the men return.

We are sending this notice now so that those ladies may have an opportunity of securing positions elsewhere and we shall be prepared to release them on short notice, if they are successful.

We wish to express to the Lady Clerks, our appreciation of the help that they have given in carrying on the services of the Bank to the Public during the War period.

 

 

19th March 1946

Staff

In order to avoid redundancy of staff by the return of Officials from Active Service, we have, as far as possible, restricted new entrants to our Service, and, therefore, decided not to hold an examination for Clerkships this year.  As the rate of demobilisation is somewhat slower than we expected in the case of younger men we now find that our Staff will be somewhat short during the Summer months when we are providing for holiday and sick relief.

We do not wish in any way to curtail or upset the usual holiday arrangements, and we appeal, therefore, to our Managers and Staffs, to examine the situation at their respective Branches and see if it would be at all possible to help us out of this temporary difficulty by lending us a hand for the current leave season, or by dispensing with relief.

Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated and materially help us to tide over a very difficult period.

Kerr, W G

William Gilmour Kerr

Kerr applied for enlistment but was rejected on the grounds of him having defective vision. 

Kerr was born at Agherton, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry on 25th October 1881 to Hugh Kerr, Farmer and Mary Kerr nee Keith. They were married on 12th September 1878 at Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, Portrush.

He probably joined Northern Bank about 1898/1899.

The 1901 Irish Census records a 18 year old William Kerr, Bank Clerk boarding in house
9.1 in Rugby Road, Rathmines & Rathgar East, Dublin.

The 'Belfast News-Letter' published on 23rd January 1914 reported that Mr Kerr, Northern Bank had attended a fire at Keady.

W G Kerr - Fire at Keady

The 'Irish Independent' published on 18th May 1917 records Mr W G Kerr , Northern Bank was presented with an address and a case of Treasury Notes by his friends at Keady on his transfer to Magherafelt.

W G Kerr - Transfer from Keady to Magherafelt

The 'Belfast News-Letter' of 14th February 1922 published a Family Notice recording the marriage of William G Kerr, Magherafelt to Miss Annie J (Nannie) Anderson, Tandragee. This was on 7th February 1922.

Mr & Mrs Kerr (Northern Bank House, Ballymoney) had a daughter, Margaret who took first place in a pianoforte competition in June 1934.

The 'Belfast Telegraph' of 26th April 1945 carried this interesting advertisement. It MAY be connected to this family.

Trooper H A Kerr & Miss J C Kerr, Northern Bank House, Ballynahinch

William Gilmour Kerr, 7 Salisbury Terrace, Portrush, retired bank manager died on 25th December 1949. Probate to Anne Jane Kerr, the widow. Effects £2460 11s. 10d.

Lewis, Leslie Arthur

Leslie Arthur Lewis

was born at Wine Street, Sligo at 11:30 am on 25th February 1893 to William Lewis, Flour Agent and Emily Lewis nee Brennan. A twin brother, Edgar was born at 3:30 pm and sadly died the next day. His parents had married on 11th April 1890 at Donegall Square (Church), Belfast.

In 1901 Leslie (8) is living in house 9 Wolfe Tone Street, Sligo with his parents and 4 siblings; Stella (10), Cecil (6), Sydney (6) and Dorothy (3).  

On 21st March 1910 Lewis joined Northern Bank at Head Office. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

The 1911 Irish Census records Leslie as boarding with Mary Ann Hawkins (52, Lodging House Keeper) and 2 other boarders, Jane Mulhall (72) and William Wood (48) in house 321, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. His employment is detailed as a Bank Clerk.

Transfers followed to Balbriggan (1910 - Junior), Ball’s Branch (1912 - Junior), Head Office (1914) and Donegall Square (1914 - Junior). 

Leslie is recorded as being on Sick Leave between 30th October 1914 to 30th July 1915. It is possible that this coincided with him applying to enlist but was rejected as being medically unfit. 

Northern Bank, Balbriggan branch

Cheque drawn on Ball & Company, Henry Street, Dublin

Northern Bank, Donegall Square branch (centre)

Further transfers followed to Hillsborough (1915 - Junior), Lurgan (1916 -  Accountant), Bailieborough (1917 - Cashier) and Raphoe (1918 - Cashier), Holywood (1922 - Cashier), Head Office (1923), Portadown (1923 - Cashier), Clones (1926 - Pro Manager), Head Office (1929) and Cushendall (1930 - Cashier). 

Northern Bank, Lurgan branch (cream & brown building)

Northern Bank, Holywood branch (building with gable facing)

Northern Bank, Portadown branch (no link with people)

Northern Bank, Clones branch

Northern Bank, Cushendall branch

On 9th June 1930 Leslie, Acreback, Whitehead married Annie Alicia Kidd D'Arcy, Etna Lodge, Clones at Armagh Cathedral.

Leslie Arthur Lewis, Garron View, Cushendall died on 31st October 1931, effects £1,941 1s 2d.

Black, John (Jack)

Taken from a 1950s Belfast Banking Company photo album

Flying Officer John Black

Black was born in the Garborgle townland close to Portstewart on 14th August 1920 to John Black, Farmer and Sarah Black nee Archibald. They had married on 13th June 1906 at Portrush Presbyterian Church.

Map showing Garborgle townland
- courtesy Irene Peden, Old Coleraine Facebook group

1901 Irish Census - Black family
- courtesy Irene Peden, Old Coleraine Facebook group

1911 Irish Census - Black family
- courtesy Irene Peden, Old Coleraine Facebook group

John Black - Birth Registration

Following his education at Coleraine Academical Institution, Black (known as Jack) joined Belfast Banking Company in 1939. His Bankers Guarantee Ledger sheet records his first branch as Limavady.

John Black - Bankers Guarantee Ledger

Belfast Bank, Limavady branch

Black volunteered and enlisted for the Royal Air Force in 1943. His son recorded in 2012 the following about his father:

“At the outbreak of WW2 my father was a “junior” in the Belfast Banking Company in Limavady. He joined the Home Guard, but felt a little left out of things as “everybody else was in uniform”. He considered the army but didn’t want to be a footslogger. He considered the Navy but didn’t want to be seasick, so he volunteered for the RAF in 1943. He was sent to Canada April 1944 for Navigator/ Bomber training at Malton, Ontario (now the airport for Toronto). Graduated top of his class (Air Bomber Course 100) and was presented with the Dominion Trophy, given by Dominion Airways. This is a silver ashtray which he always said was one of his proudest possessions. He also was asked to sign a propeller in the Officer’s Mess. I have tried in vain to trace this but no one seems to know anything about it. It is probably located in some RCAF archive somewhere. He returned across Atlantic on Queen Elizabeth as “senior” RAF officer on board. He had been an officer for about six days and outranked his friend Bert Baillie by ten minutes. He recalled rounding Malin Head and instead of looking for German Bombers he used the ships binoculars to view the home farm of Garborgle outside Portstewart. He was posted to Wigtown in Scotland. He spent time in Coastal Command looking for Submarines and downed aircraft. Transferred to Kinloss where he did more Bomber training and converted from Ansons to Wellingtons. Transferred to 1651 Conversion Unit Woolfox Lodge in Yorkshire where he converted to Lancasters and upgraded to night flying and fighter affiliation. They flew in all weathers and quite a number of his friends were killed in training. As far as we are aware he never actually dropped any bombs in anger but his crew seriously bent several aircraft. He interpreted his flight log book for me. One entry said “Bit bumpy at 10,000 ft” what that meant was that they turned a 4 engined heavy bomber upside down in a thunderstorm and after calling “mayday” had to return to base. The plane never flew again. War ended before he actually was required to night fly over Germany and he was transferred to the RAF School of Accountancy and was a paymaster in Northern Ireland before being demobbed and returning to the Belfast Banking Co. Ltd in Ballymoney”.

Following his return from Active Service, he was transferred to Ballymoney on 15th April 1946. His address is recorded as Coorong, Lodge Road, Coleraine.

Belfast Bank, Ballymoney branch

 

He married Elizabeth (Betty) Christie and they had two children, John (b. 1946) and Valerie (b. 1951).

Black is recorded in the 1966 annual accounts of the Belfast Banking Company as being manager of Ballymena branch.

Belfast Bank, Ballymena branch

A transfer in 1962 took him to Kilkeel branch as Manager.

Belfast Bank, Kilkeel branch

The Staff Magazine ‘The Link’ (Autumn 1974) records his retirement from Kilkeel on 30th June 1974 (see below).

Black attended the 2000 re-dedication ceremony of the Rolls of Honour. He died in 2006.

Black's name is recorded in Portstewart Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour book:

Photo by Nigel Henderson

Grant, Andrew Walter

Lieutenant Andrew Walter Grant

was born at 96 Donegall Pass, Belfast on 5th April 1893 the son of James Grant, Clerk and Mary Grant nee Walsh. They had married on 17th July 1878 at Hillsborough Parish Church.

In 1901 Andrew (7) was living in house 96, Donegall Pass, Belfast with his parents and 7 siblings; Amelia Florence (3), Mary Rosina (5), Eliza Eleanor (21), Frederick William (19), Arthur Hill (15), James Herbert (12) and Robert John (10). An uncle, Robert Grant was also in the property.

Andrew joined Northern Bank at Head Office on 17th June 1910. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed with Drumshanbo (1910 - Junior) and Londonderry (1912 - Junior).

Northern Bank, Londonderry branch

By 1911, Andrew was boarding with the Dowler family in house 41, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim. His occupation is described as a Bank Official. A possible colleague, John Lous (27, Bank Official) is also boarding in this house. 

Whilst in Londonderry branch, Andrew volunteered and enlisted into the 6th Bn. Black Watch with Service Number 2486.

A W Grant - Medal Index Card

He was promoted to Corporal in April 1915, Sergeant in June 1915 before being Gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Later he was promoted to Lieutenant and attached to HQ 16th (Irish) Division. His first theatre of war is recorded as France from 2nd May 1915. Andrew saw action in Festubert 1915, Somme 1916 and Messines 1917. He received 3 gunshot wounds in separate incidents. 

Demobilisation came on 21st May 1919 and he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

A W Grant - Medal Roll 1

A W Grant - Medal Roll 2

A Pension Record card exists for Andrew Grant in respect of his injuries received.

A W Grant - Pension Card

Following demobilisation, Grant served in Kells (1919 - Cashier), Newry (1920 - Teller), Head Office (1925 - Relief), Ballymena (1925 - Cashier), Newry (1927 - Sub Manager), refused Dungloe branch (1932), Londonderry (1935 - Sub Manager), Willowfield (1938 - Manager) and Ballynahinch (1944 - Manager).

Northern Bank, Newry branch

Northern Bank, Ballymena branch

Whilst in Ballymena branch, Andrew took an interest in the County Antrim Agricultural Association by becoming a member.

Northern Bank, Londonderry branch

Northern Bank, Ballynahinch branch (on left)

Andrew married Miss Margaret Chalmers Dempster Kerr of Newry at Rostrevor Presbyterian Church on 9th February 1926 (Silver wedding announcement - Belfast News Letter - 9th February 1951).

Andrew Grant of 7 Fairway Crescent, Belfast, retired bank manager died on 15th May 1970 leaving an estate with value of £17,011 (Belfast Telegraph - 20th February 1971). An Ancestry family tree states that A W Grant is buried in Magheradroll Parish Churchyard, Ballynahinch, Co. Down.

Also see his brother James Herbert Grant, Belfast Banking Company.

A grandson of A W Grant has left the following comments:

How wonderful to come across this tribute to my late grandfather. Andrew and Margaret (or Daisy as she was always known) had two children, June and my father Tony. Andy finished his career with the Northern Bank as Manager of the O'Connell Street branch in Dublin. My father was born in the Newry branch, and grew up above the shop in Ballynahinch. I never knew about Derry or Willowfield. Andy brother Bob was headmaster of Upper Sullivan.

I see from the Gazette that Andy was commissioned in Nov. 1916. This would seem to support a story he told to my maternal grandfather in the 1960s - that he had been withdrawn from the Somme trenches on 30th June 1916 for officer training, therefore missing the big push the next day In which most of his unit lost their lives.

The Grant family grave is in Hillsborough Parish Church graveyard. 

Grant family grave - Hillsborough Parish Church