Morrison, James Leslie

James Leslie Morrison

Morrison was born at 141 Ravenhill Road, Belfast on 12th September 1921to James E N Morrison (Custom & Excise Officer) and Florence Mary Morrison nee Steel. They had married on 12th June 1919 at St James' Church, Belfast. His address is recorded as 5 Ireton Street, Belfast and hers as 141 Cavehill Road, Belfast.

Morrison would have joined the Belfast Banking Company around 1938/39. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee and gave his address and occupation as 21 Lansdowne Road, Belfast and civil servant.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

The Forces Ward Record website records a Driver J L Morrison (Service Number T/95408) as serving in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). He was reported as 'Missing' on 24th December 1941 in the Western Desert only to be reported as 'Previously reported Missing now not Missing' on 21st January 1942.

No further information can be found.

Nixon, William James

Leading Writer William James Nixon

Nixon was born at Clough, Co. Down on 16th November 1922 to John Nixon and Mrs Nixon nee Rainey. They were married on 11th January 1922 with the marriage being registered in Lisburn. 

Nixon joined the Northern Bank on 8th April 1941 at Head Office.  

Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed to Fivemiletown (1941 - Junior), Shankill Road (1942 - Junior), Head Office (1943) and Connswater (1943 - Junior).

Northern Bank, Fivemiletown (in there somewhere)

Northern Bank, Shankill Road, Belfast

Nixon resigned from the bank on 31st October 1944 to volunteer and enlist into the Fleet Air Arm branch of the Royal Navy. His final rank is detailed as Leading Writer.

Royal Navy - Leading Writer

On 27 January 1947 Nixon resumed duty with the Northern Bank at Head Office. Transfers followed to Grafton Street (1947 - Junior), Coleraine (1948 - Assistant Accountant), Ballymoney (1949 - Accountant), Ballinamore (1953 - Cashier), Carndonagh (1956 - Cashier), Grafton Street (1956 - Cashier), Armagh (1958 - Cashier and Assistant Manager), Markets (1967 - Sub-manager), Dromore (1969 - Manager) and Trevor Hill, Newry (1971).

Northern Bank, Grafton Street, Dublin branch

Northern Bank, Coleraine branch

Northern Bank, Ballymoney branch (Danske Bank)

Northern Bank, Ballinamore branch

Northern Bank, Carndonagh branch

Northern Bank, Armagh branch

Northern Bank, Markets branch

Northern Bank, Dromore branch

Northern Bank, Newry branch

The Belfast Telegraph of 17th August 1961 reported on the marriage of William Nixon to Miss Margaret Jean Moira Thompson of Tara, Donaghadee at Knock Methodist Church, Belfast.

McCord, William George

William George McCord

McCord was born at Ballymacrevan, Glenavy on 17th May 1913 to George Richard McCord, Farmer and Lily Susan McCord nee Harrison. They had married at Magheragall on 2nd September 1907.

The Northern Whig of 19th April 1930 reports that he passed the Belfast Bank examinations held on 28th February 1930 in an advertisement for Hughes Academy.

McCord joined the Belfast Banking Company on 1st May 1931. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him and gave his address as Eglantine Cottage, Lisburn. He is recorded as working in Head Office.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

McCord married a Clara Abbott of Hillsborough on 7th October 1939.

He volunteered and enlisted into the Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.

The 'Forces War Record' website records a William George McCord as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and rising to be a Captain & Temporary Major in the School of Anti-Aircraft.

Following his return from War Service, McCord was transferred to Central branch on 1st December 1945. 

Belfast Bank, Central branch

The Northern Whig of 9th January 1948 reports that Clara nee Abbott, wife of W G McCord, Micdene, The Green, Dunmurry has given birth to a daughter on 2nd January 1948.

A William George McCord, born 17th May 1913 died around August 2003 aged 90 at Hastings and Rother, East Sussex.

McManus, Hugh

Hugh McManus

[Photo courtesy of Gemma Crutchley]

McManus was born at xxx on 26th September 1921 to Hubert McManus, Bank Official and Kathleen McManus nee Pyper. They had married on 5th October 1920 at Fortwilliam Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

McManus joined the Belfast Banking Company on 17th April 1939. His father, Hubert signed the Bankers Guarantee and Hugh is recorded on it as working in Larne branch. Hubert address is recorded as Head Office and 21 Hughenden Avenue, Belfast.

Bankers Guarantee Ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Larne branch

In November 1939 McManus was transferred to Londonderry branch where he remained until joining the army in September 1940.

Belfast Bank, Londonderry branch

From that date, McManus served, mainly with the Royal Artillery, in England, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and finished up in Austria where he was demobilised in August 1946.

 

Following his return from Active Service on 4th November 1946, McManus was posted to the Foreign Department based in Head Office.

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast (1940s wartime picture)

Belfast Bank photo album

The Ballymena Weekly Telegraph of 5th May 1950 reports the success of H McManus is his 'Institute of Bankers in Ireland' banking examinations.

Later transfers took McManus to Bradbury Place/South End (1953), Head Office, Coleraine (1960), Ballymoney, Shipquay Street, Londonderry (1967) and Altnagelvin (1967).

Belfast Bank, Bradbury Place branch

Belfast Bank, Coleraine branch

Belfast Bank, Ballymoney branch

The Northern Bank staff magazine of Autumn 1974 published an article about him on his promotion to Altnagelvin branch.

[Courtesy - The Link, Autumn 1974 issue]

The Electoral Register for 2005-2010 via Ancestry records a Hugh McManus as living at 276, Coast Road, Ballygally, Co. Antrim.

Magee, Frederick William Henry

Captain Frederick William Henry Magee

Magee was born at Abbey Street, Armagh on 19th September 1882 to David Magee, Head Constable, Royal Irish Constabulary and Essie (Esther) Magee nee White. They had married on 9th September 1881 at Duncairn Presbyterian Church, Belfast.

In 1901 Magee's parents are living in house 29, Church Street, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. A servant, Thomas Cummins also lives in the property. David Magee's occupation is now District Inspector, RIC.

Magee joined Northern Bank on 3rd February 1900 in Head Office. At that time, his address was recorded on the bank staff record card as Strokestown. 

Northern Bank Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Transfers followed with Londonderry (1900), Ballyclare (1900) and Mohill (1900). 

Northern Bank, Londonderry branch

Northern Bank, Ballyclare branch

Northern Bank, Mohill branch

In 1901 Magee was boarding with the Payne family in house 15, Hill Street, Mohill. 

Transfers followed to Head Office (1903), Holywood (1905), Whitehead (1907), Head Office (1911) and Ball’s Branch (1911).

Northern Bank, Holywood branch (gable wall)

Northern Bank, Whitehead branch

By 1911, Magee was living in house 9, Promenade, Templecorran, Co. Antrim with his parents and a servant, Ella McAllister. He is recorded as a Bank Official. 

Aged 33, Magee was based in Ball's branch when he volunteered for a Commission in the Royal Field Artillery. The Northern Whig of 23rd October 1915 reported his commissioning. His first theatre of war is recorded as France from 26th November 1915.

F W H Magee - Medal Index Card
(Address recorded as Northern bank, Sackville Street, Dublin)

He was promoted to Lieutenant in January 1917 and then to Captain in August 1917. Magee saw action in the Somme 1916 (Thiepval and La Boisselle), Messines 1917, Ypres 1917 (Passchendaele), Cambrai 1917, St. Quentin 1918, Amiens 1918, Bailleul 1918 and Courtrai 1918 (Allied Advance).

Demobilisation came in June 1919 and he was awarded the MID (Mentioned in Despatches), the 1914/15 Star, the British Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

The Belfast News-Letter of 8th September 1919 reported his award of the the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

2nd Lt. F W H Magee - Medal Roll 1

Capt F W H Magee - Medal Roll 2

Oak leaf MID on a British Victory Medal ribbon

Belgian Croix de Guerre

Following demobilisation, Magee re-joined the Northern Bank in Ball’s Branch, Sackville Street, Dublin later to be renamed O'Connell Street, Dublin.

Ball & Company, Henry Street, Dublin

Transfers followed with Head Office (1922) and to a new branch in Bangor (1927).

Northern Bank, Bangor branch (site now redeveloped)

The Belfast News-Letter of 1st September 1928 reported the engagement of F W H Magee, Northern Bank House, Bangor to Betty Douglas-Browne of Riverside, Holywood. Their wedding was reported in the Belfast News-Letter of 1st May 1929:

Further transfers followed to  Armagh (1933) and Dungannon (1941).

Northern Bank, Armagh branch

The British Newspaper Archive holds many press reports about Magee and his yachting interest.

Magee retired on 24th July 1945. He subsequently moved from Armagh to Dublin selling all his house contents as per this advertisement in the Portadown News of 16th October 1948:

Frederick Magee died aged 75 on 28th November 1957 and left his estate to his widow, Fannie Betty Magee.