Richardson, James Alexander

2nd Lieutenant James Alexander Richardson

Richardson was born on 17th October 1911 the son of William Richardson, Publican and Mary Richardson nee Lafferty. They had married on 10th September 1907 at St Matthew's Church of Ireland, Belfast.

Richardson joined the Belfast Banking Company on 1st July 1930. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee giving his address and occupation as Tobermore and Auctioneer. He worked in Portrush branch (Belfast News-Letter of 16th August 1930). A further transfer to Head Office occurred in 1931 and then on to Strabane in 1932.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Portrush branch

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

Belfast Bank, Strabane branch

The Londonderry Sentinel of 10th September 1935 records him as Secretary of Strabane Rugby Club.

It is probable that Richardson volunteered and enlisted into the Territorial Army around 1937. The Belfast Telegraph of 25th September 1937 reports on a J A Richardson being an usher at a Castlederg wedding between Williams and Sinclair.

In 1939 Richardson  was a member of Strabane Tennis Club.

The London Gazette (1941) records a 2nd Lieutenant J A Richardson with Service Number 90355 serving with the Royal Artillery TA. He served as a Desert Rat in Egypt.

 
Following his return from Active Service, Richardson was transferred to Ballymena (1947) and later back to Strabane.

Belfast Bank, Ballymena branch

During the 1950's he was Treasurer of the Ballymena Services Club.

W R Richardson (son) has provided some of the information above.

An anonymous comment was left saying "James Richardson's brother Walter also served as a Desert Rat during WWII as part of the Coleraine Battery, serving likewise in Egypt and elsewhere. He took-over the family public house which their father had founded in 1911, and is still run by James' brothers family to this day."

Nesbitt, Edgar David

Lieutenant Edgar David Nesbitt

Nesbitt was born in the Dublin Registration area on 6th May 1905 to Jonathan H M Nesbitt (Dentist Assistant) and Dora Nesbitt nee Jamison. They had married on 23rd December 1897 at Dundalk.

Jonathan died at 2 Clare Street, Dublin on 28th October 1906. 

In 1911 Nesbitt (5) was staying with the Jamieson family in house 196, Tullyvallan, Newtownhamilton,  Co. Armagh. The family were his uncles and aunts; Charles Ingram Jamieson (41), Edgar H Lloyd Jamieson (34), Hessie Anderson Jamieson (33) and Mabel Anna Jamieson (30).

In 1911, Nesbitt's mother, Tysie Theodora Nesbitt  was living in house 7 University Avenue, Belfast with her children; Doris Janey (12), Cyril Wm R (7) and Jack Hamilton (4). Her brother, Sidney Jamison (26) and a servant, Lizzie Marron were also in the house.

Nesbitt was educated at Shaftesbury House.

The Belfast News-Letter of 3rd May 1922 reported in an advertisement that Nesbitt had passed his bank entrance examination. Soon after, he joined the Belfast Banking Company. Tysie Theodora Nesbitt originally signed his Bankers Guarantee. Later it was signed by Reverend Sidney Jamieson and Louise Laurie Nesbitt (Edgars wife). He is recorded as working in Head office.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

Transfers followed with Portadown in 1924 and Portrush in 1925.

Belfast Bank, Portadown branch

Belfast Bank, Portrush branch

On 29th September 1938 Nesbitt volunteered and enlisted into the Ulster Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve (1939 UK Navy List).

In 1942 Nesbitt married Louise L Verling-Brown at Kensington, London. Their engagement had been announced in the Surrey Advertiser of 18th April 1942.

The Tatler of 19th August 1942 reported on their wedding:

The 1945 UK Navy List records E D Nesbitt as a Temporary Lieutenant from 26th November 1939.

Nesbitt was demobilised and returned to the bank from Active Service on 21st January 1946.

The Northern Whig of 8th April 1948 reported the birth of a daughter on 29th March 1948 to Lawrie Nesbitt of Rockfield, Helen's Bay, Co. Down.

Mrs E D Nesbitt was the Honorary Treasurer of Bennett House, the Royal British Legion convalescent home in Helen's Bay (1966).

 
Known as Paddy, he may also have worked in Stationery Department.

Louise Lawrie Nesbitt died in 1999 (Ancestry).

Shortt, James Alexander

Lieutenant James Alexander Dickson Shortt (RNVR)

Shortt was born at 222 Grosvenor Road, Belfast on 4th December 1917 to James Shortt, Mechanic and Agnes Mary Shortt nee Diamond. They had married on 13th December 1911 at University Road Methodist Church, Belfast.

An older sister, Sarah Jane Hamilton Shortt was born on 1st October 1916.

Education was at Methodist College, Belfast. The Belfast News-Letter of 14th May 1931 records Shortt at a MCB sports day.

On 1st April 1937 Shortt joined Northern Bank at Head Office. His address is recorded as 266 Stranmillis Road, Belfast. 

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Windsor (1937 - Junior), Portadown (1939 - Relief), Windsor (1939 - Junior) and Head Office (1940).

Northern Bank, Portadown branch

Shortt applied to the bank and was given permission to volunteer and enlist for Active Service on 15th February 1939. He joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve.

He was 'Called Up' on 30th December 1939 and is recorded on the bank staff record card as serving on an armed cruiser. In 1941 he was gazetted as a Temporary Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant (RNVR).

Shortt married Aileen Betha Leuria in Lifford, Co. Donegal in late 1943.

The 1946 Navy List records James as a Temporary Lieutenant.

Shortt resigned from the bank in 1946 and later took up a position as Secretary to the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital Management Committee 

The Northern Whig of 11th August 1955 carries this report mentioning James:

James Shortt died on 30th September 2001 in Lincoln where he was cremated. He and his wife had 4 children; Michael, Mark, Marianne and Bill.

A family member (presumably) has commented:

"Although James Shortt died in Lincoln, his ashes are scattered in Strabane. His wife Bertha Aileen died 27 April 2015 and her body donated to medical science at Queens University."

Mulholland, Oswald Stanley Hanson

Lt. Commander Oswald Stanley Hanson Mulholland (known as Pat)

Mulholland was born at Balnamore, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim on 26th June 1912 to Hugh Mulholland, Clerk and Margaret Anne Mulholland nee Peacock. They had married on 12th August 1898 at Drumreagh Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney.

In 1911 Hugh (25 - Railway Clerk) was still living with his family in house 2, Ballinamore Town, Seacon, Co. Antrim.

The Northern Whig of 1st August 1931 reports that Mulholland passed his bank examinations.

The Larne Times of 26th September 1931 reports that Mulholland has 'entered Head Office' of the Belfast Banking Company.

Belfast Bank, Head Office, 2 Waring Street, Belfast

His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him and gave his address as  Railway View, Ballinamore, Ballymoney. Mulholland is recorded as working in Central branch (Donegall Square North, Belfast). 

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Central branch

Mulholland enlisted and served with the Ulster Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). This was reported in the Portsmouth Evening News of 22nd December 1937. He entered as a Probationary Paymaster Lieutenant. He was promoted to Paymaster Lieutenant on 17th January 1939 with seniority back to 17th December 1937.

On 18th August 1940, Mulholland departed Liverpool on the Avoceta (Yeoward Line) for Lisbon, Portugal giving his occupation as 'Consular Shipping Agent'.

Mulholland served again in the RN between 1941 and 1945. The 1946 Navy List records him as a Lieutenant Commander.

He married Diana "Didi" Winifred Tait. She was the daughter of Geoffrey Murat Tait and Winifred Mair nee Bartlet of Oporto, Portugal.

O S H Mulholland - Newspaper Cuttings via Ancestry

Mulholland died on the 15th December 1948 (Ancestry) in St Francisco Hospital, Oporto, Portugal during / after an operation. 

O S H Mulholland - Probate

Mulholland and Didi had one daughter, unknown name, born 4th May 1949 (Ancestry) in Oporto, Portugal. Didi remarried Harold Lindo on 25th July 1950.

[Much of the personal information came from an anonymous comment made on 9th July 2014, some verified via Ancestry].