Rankin, Hugh Edwin

Lieutenant Hugh Edwin Rankin

was born at 28 Vicinage Park, Belfast on 5th February 1888 to Hugh Rankin, Clerk and Maria Rankin nee Hannah. They had married on 7th November 1883 at Elmwood Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

Rankin's father, Hugh (40) died at 35 Newington Avenue, Belfast on 14th May 1894.

Maria Rankin, widow, married John McIlroy at Cliftonville Church on 5th July 1898.

In 1901 Rankin (13) is living in house 14, York Street, Belfast with his mother Maria (45) and his sister Evelyn (14), his stepfather John McIlroy (50) and McIlroy children; Hugh (20), Margaret (19), Elizabeth (17), Jane (16), Robert (15) and James (11). A servant Sarah McMillan (17) also lives in the property.

Following his education, Rankin joined the Belfast Banking Company about 1906/07 and is recorded as working in working Central branch and Markets branch. An Evelyn Creighton signed his Bankers Guarantee (Photo out of focus, unfortunately).

Belfast Bank, Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Central branch (Donegall Square North, Belfast)

Belfast Bank, Markets branch (Victoria Street, Belfast)

In 1911 Rankin is boarding with the Sterritt family in house 37, Dunfanaghy Town, Co. Donegal. It is presumed that he was working in the Donegal branch of Belfast Bank.

Belfast Bank, Donegal branch
(Following partition, this would late become a branch of Royal Bank of Ireland)

Rankin volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Irish Rifles. He later transferred to the Machine Gun, Tanks Section. He had attained the rank of Lieutenant. His first theatre of war is recorded as France from 16th June 1916.

H E Rankin - Medal Index Card

Following demobilisation, Rankin was awarded the British War Medal and the British Victory Medal for service in the Great War.

Rankin returned to work for the Belfast Bank.

He later married Sara Maria Whiteside. She may have been known as Sally (Northern Whig of 24th March 1945). They had a daughter, Sara Evelyn Rankin on 11th January 1921 (Ancestry).

The brass Roll of Honour records him as ‘H F’ and the paper Roll of Honour with photographs records him as ‘H E’.

Hugh Edwin Rankin died on 22nd March 1945 at Thurlow, Old Dundonald Road, Dundonald. He is buried in plot E5 182 in Dundonald Cemetery. PRONI Wills records:

Rankin Hugh Edwin of "Thurlow" Old Dundonald Road, Dundonald, Co. Down, retired bank manager, died 22 March 1945. Probate Belfast 24th August to Sara Maria Whiteside Rankin, the widow. Effects £4476. His widow died on 28th December 1961 (Ancestry).

Pyper, Thomas Watters

Sergeant Thomas Watters Pyper

was born in 1884 to James Pyper, Teacher and Annie Pyper nee Ryan. They had married Annie Keenan nee Ryan (a widow) on 25th October 1881 at Galway Church.

In 1901 Pyper (17) was living in house 9, Ballygilbert, Bangor, Co. Down with his parents and brother William (18). He is described as a Bank Clerk. 

Thomas would have joined the Belfast Bank around 1901 and was believed to have worked in Navan branch. His Bankers Guarantee was signed by his father, James Pyper of Crawfordsburn.

T W Pyper - BBCo Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Navan branch

The ‘Bangor Golf Club 100 Years’ booklet describes their member (1904), T W Pyper winning the prize for best nett with a score of 88 gross. Playing off 14, his nett score of 74 also won him £3.

In 1910, Pyper was recorded as the Accountant in the Newtownards branch of the Belfast Banking Company. 

Belfast Bank, Newtownards branch

By 1911 the family property is described as house 17, Ballygilbert, Bangor, Co. Down. He describes himself as a Bank Clerk and an aunt, Isabella Pyper (58) is also living ion the property.

Pyper volunteered and enlisted into the North Irish Horse with Service Number 1783. He later transferred to the Corps of Hussars with Service Number 71558.

T W Pyper - Medal Index Card

T W Pyper - Medal Roll

The excellent North Irish Horse website writes:

"Pyper enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 2 and 7 December 1915 (No.2023 - later Corps of Hussars No.71675). He remained at the regiment's reserve at Antrim throughout the war, rising to the rank of sergeant, and acting as squadron quartermaster-sergeant.

"After the war Pyper was one of a number of men recognised for his work on the home front. According to a report in the Londonderry Sentinel of 2 September 1919:

The following list of names brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for War for valuable services in the Northern District, Irish Command, was issued officially on Friday evening, but will not be gazetted. ... Sergeant (acting Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant) T. Pyper, North Irish Horse.

"After the war he resumed work for his banking firm. He died at Rathmines, Dublin, on 28 November 1944.

According to the Comber War Memorial, a ‘T Pyper’ volunteered and served in World War I.

Following demobilisation, Pyper returned to work for the Belfast Banking Company.

On 31st March 1921 at St Mary's Church, Donnybrook Thomas, Bank Clerk of Club House, Navan married Catherine Eileen McIlroy of The Schoolhouse, Donnybrook.

Following partition and the creation of Northern Ireland, the Belfast Banking Company sold all its branches (and staff) to the Royal Bank of Ireland. This explains why the Pyper detailed below came to be residing in Royal Bank House, Duggan Place, Rathmines.

Belfast Bank, Rathmines branch 

later to become the Royal Bank of Ireland branch (AIB)

Thomas Pyper is buried in the Mount Jerome Cemetery, Part 1, Dublin. No.81 - In Memory of THOMAS WATERS PYPER, Royal Bank House, Rathmines, died 28th November 1944 and of his wife, KATHERINE EILEEN PYPER, died 11th March 1977, their daughter, AILEEN ANN (PEGGY) ROBINSON, died 25th Aug. 2005. "Till day break".

The bank building was later restored and turned into a restaurant.

BBCo, RBoI and later AIB Rathmines branch

Pyper, Robert Brownlow

Robert Brownlow Pyper

Pyper was born on 27th May 1922 to James North Pyper and Mrs Dora Evelyn Lyn Barkley nee Barkley. They had married on 4th June 1919 at Duncairn Presbyterian Church.

 
A daughter, Mary Barkley Pyper was born on 9th June 1920 at 29 Hughenden Avenue, Belfast.

Pyper was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI), Belfast and left there in 1938.

Following his education, Pyper joined the Belfast Bank and is recorded as working in Western branch. His father, James North Pyper signed his Bankers Guarantee.

Belfast Banking Company- Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Western branch (Shankill Road, Belfast)

A Robert Brownlow Pyper is recorded on the UK Navy List as a Temporary Lieutenant from 1943 to 1945.

Following demobilisation, Pyper continued his education and left Trinity College, Dublin in 1948. The
Belfast Telegraph of 13th June 1949 records Robert as winning a Scholarship in History.

At some stage Pyper appears to have moved to Canada and returned home to Ireland for his wedding.

On 5th November 1951 Pyper married Margery Patricia Gamble at St Patrick's Church, Greystones, Rathdrum, Dublin. His address is recorded as 603 Huron Street, Toronto, Canada as reported in the
Belfast News-Letter of 5th December 1951.

The Wicklow People of 10th November 1951 reported on the wedding:

There are a number of sports press reports featuring a R B Pyper playing golf.

Pyper (48) died at 10 Frithwood Avenue, Northwood, Middlesex on 13th August 1970 and is buried in Dundonald Cemetery with his parents and his sister who died in 2006.  

Probate was recorded as £29,205.