Bryans, Sydney Thomas

Flying Officer Sidney Thomas Bryans

Bryans was born in the Eglinton district of Londonderry on 14th August 1919 to Joseph Bryans, Clerk and Ella Jane Bryans nee Hoffman. They were married on 14th September 1914 at Tralee Church of Ireland.

Bryans joined the Belfast Banking Company on 4th May 1937. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him and gave his address as Hilden, Northland Road, Londonderry.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Bryans volunteered and enlisted into the RAF Volunteer Reserve with Service Number 1062413. London Gazette entries record him receiving a commission with Service Number 144392.

Following his return from Active Service, he was transferred to Limavady branch on 23rd September 1946.

In 1948 Bryans left the bank and re-joined the RAF as an Instructor.

Bryans died on 5th October 1950 in an airplane accident at Sydenham Aerodrome (RAF Sydenham / Royal Naval Air Station). He had been instructing 2 officer cadets from Queen's University Officer Training Corps (OTC).

Various newspapers reported on the accident:

Derry Journal - 6th March 1950

Irish Independent - 6th March 1950

Belfast Telegraph - 8th March 1950

Belfast Telegraph - 16th March 1950

The family placed 'In Memoriam' notices on an annual basis.

Londonderry Sentinel - 5th March 1953

PRONI Wills record:

Bryans, Sidney Thomas of Hilden, 84 Northland Road, Londonderry. Flying Officer, Royal Air force died 5th March 1950 at Sydenham Aerodrome, Belfast. Administration Belfast 20 July to Joseph Bryans commercial traveller. Effects £957 18s. 11d.

Flying Officer Instructor Sidney T Bryans is buried in Londonderry. He is remembered on the Armed Forces Memorial and their Roll of Honour.

Buller, Alexander McLean

Flight Lieutenant Alexander McLean Buller (Known as Rex)

Buller was born at Manorhamilton on 30th June 1921 (and registered in the Ballymoney District) to Alexander McLean Buller and Anne Beatrice Buller nee Houston. They had married on 26th September 1917.

A brother, John Francis Buller was born at Manorhamilton on 17th June 1918 

Buller joined the Belfast Banking Company on 15th April 1940. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee and gave his address as Cloughmills Creamery (Manager) and later 105 North Road, Belfast. Alexander (Juniors) wife, Mrs Jocelyn M Buller later signed the guarantee giving her address as 'Sherwood' Shore Road, Jordanstown. He is recorded as working in Central branch.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Central branch (Donegall Square North)

Buller volunteered for 'Active Service' in 1941 (Forces War Record) and enlisted into the Royal Air Force with Service Number 1796227. 

The London Gazette Supplement dated 4th August 1944 reported 1796227 Alexander McLean Buller being commissioned as a Pilot Officer from 11th June 1944.

The London Gazette Supplement dated 2nd July 1946 reported A McL Buller, 180086 being promoted from Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant from 11th June 1946.

He was demobilised on 25th November 1946. 

Buller was a member of the Belfast Banking Company Sports Club in March 1948 paying 5 shillings subscription. 

The Belfast Telegraph of 4th April 1963 reported that Mr Alexander McL Buller was being sent to Banking School in Semmering, Austria.

He worked in Central, Head Office, Inspection Staff  and was appointed as manager to Ballyhackamore branch in 1967.

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

Belfast Bank, Ballyhackamore branch

Buller was appointed as an Advances Controller in 1971 as reported in the Belfast Telegraph of 24th May 1971.

The Belfast Telegraph of 9th November 1972 reported on his transfer from Ballyhackamore to Holywood branch. It was also reported that he is married and has 3 children.

Mrs J M Buller, the widow of A McL Buller, attended the 2000 re-dedication ceremony of the Rolls of Honour.

Brown, Robert George

Robert George Brown (known as Bertie)

Brown was born on 6th April 1924 to Robert Brown (Merchant Tailor - Marriage Registration) and Martha Emily Brown nee Crooks. They were married on 6th August 1918 at the Gospel Hall, Cookstown. His address was recorded as of 1 William Street, Cookstown. 

Brown joined Belfast Banking Company in 1942. His Bankers Guarantee was signed by his parents on 15th April 1942. A new Declaration of Secrecy was to be signed on 'return from Forces'. He is recorded as working in Portadown branch.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Portadown branch

Brown volunteered for War Service and joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy.

The Portadown Times of 4th April 1952 reports on the marriage of Robert George Brown, Accountant, Belfast Banking Co. Ltd. to Miss Ruth Gertrude Wilson of Hilden, Springfield Road, Warrenpoint at Warrenpoint Presbyterian Church.

The Belfast Telegraph of 17th October 1969 reports the transfer of Brown to Ballymoney branch. It also mentions that Robert had worked in Londonderry branch.

Belfast Bank, Ballymoney branch

Belfast Bank, Londonderry branch

Bratty, Ivan Warren

Gunner Ivan Warren Bratty

Bratty was born at  Queen Street, Lurgan on 29th June 1908 to William John Bratty, Clerk and Martha Bratty nee Wright. They had married on 27th December 1888 at Rathfriland Presbyterian Church.

In 1911 Bratty (2) was living in house 19, Windsor Avenue, Lurgan with his parents and 8 siblings; William John (20), Thomas (17), Susan Elizabeth (15), Agnes May (13), Annie (11), John Henry (9), Dorothy Madge (6) and James Claude (4).

Bratty joined Belfast Banking Company on 1st April 1925. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him. Later on, Bratty's wife would be asked to join in the guarantee. He is recorded as working in Ballymoney, Head Office and Markets branches. Various other addresses are recorded for him i.e. 4 Ferguson Drive, Belmont, Belfast and 12 Springfield Avenue, Bangor.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Ballymoney branch

Belfast Bank, Head Office, Waring Street, Belfast

Belfast Bank, Markets branch (Victoria Street)

Bratty was married for 2 years prior to enlisting into the 8th Belfast Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery on 23rd April 1939 with Service Number 1460417. He signed on for 4 years (Supplementary Reserve).

F W T Dolan served in the same battery.

Following his return from Active Service, Bratty is recorded as being a member of the Belfast Banking Company Sports Club in March 1947 paying 5 shillings subscription.

He served in Central, Markets, Ballymoney and Head Office.

Belfast Bank, Central branch (Donegall Square North)

In 1955 Bratty lived at 40 Shandon Drive, Bangor.

He retired on 29th June 1971.

Ivan McClure Bratty (his son) attended the 2000 re-dedication ceremony of the Rolls of Honour. He eventually became Head of the Dept. of Semantics at the Institute of Linguistic Research at Woollamalloo, Australia.

Boyd, Ronald Mills

Fusilier Ronald Mills Boyd

Boyd was born on 1st May 1923 to Mr Boyd and Mrs Boyd nee Malseed with the birth being registered in the Londonderry district. 

He joined the Belfast Banking Company around May 1941. James Malseed (Solicitor of Donegall Square West, Belfast and Letterkenny) signed his Bankers Guarantee and gave his address as ? House, Letterkenny. He is recorded as working in Larne branch.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Belfast Bank, Larne branch

R M Boyd, Portrush branch, is recorded in the Belfast Telegraph of 15th May 1942 as passing the Preliminary Examination of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland.

Belfast Bank, Portrush branch

The Forces War Record database has a record for a R M Boyd (Service Number 3195590) as serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and being wounded in an incident in North Africa on 14th May 1943. This is reported in the Londonderry Sentinel of 26th June 1943.

Ancestry has a Voters Roll record for a Ronald Mills Boyd with a birth date between 1921 to 1923 and living in 2003 to 2010 at 2 Clearwater, Londonderry.

The Funeral Times website records the death of R M Boyd:

Boyd Ronald Mills - 23rd August 2019 (Peacefully at Altnagelvin Hospital) Aged 96 Years. Loving Husband of the Late Val. Sadly missed by his Stepchildren, Suzan and Peter, Grandchildren, Nieces and Nephews.

A Funeral Service will take place on Wednesday 4th September 2019 at 1.00pm in Adair and Neely Funeral Home, Foyle Road followed by Burial in Ballyoan Cemetery. 

Boyd, Alexander Ernest

Alexander Ernest Boyd

Boyd (see obituary at end) joined the Belfast Banking Company with his father signing his Bankers Guarantee for him and giving his address as Moneymore, Co. Londonderry. The bank also held a letter dated 26th November 1946 from Reverend Wm Thomas Boyd with an address of RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, England. William was Ernest's brother. He was a Chaplain in the RAF.

BBCo - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

The Forces War Records database records an Alexander Ernest Boyd with Service Number 2205561 enlisting into the RAF after October 1942.

Following his demobilisation after the war, Boyd worked in Armagh branch. The Portadown News of 14th August 1937 reports his transfer from Armagh to Lurgan branch.

Belfast Bank, Armagh branch

Belfast Bank, Lurgan branch

The Portadown Times of 17th October 1952 has an obituary for Alexander Boyd, Ernest's father.. He was a Justice of the Peace (Magistrate).

Boyd is recorded as working in the Belfast Bank, Ballyclare branch.

Belfast Bank, Ballyclare branch 

Roll of Honour - September

It is with much sadness that the following bank officials died or were reported missing during either the Great War, World War II or the Northern Ireland Conflict.

01/09/1916 - Connolly (or Conolly), John Henry - updated

02/09/1941 - Loughridge, Joseph Marshall - updated

13/09/1915 - Mathews, William Frederick Alexander - updated

20/09/1916 - O'Reilly, Patrick James - updated

30/09/1917 - McLean (MacLean), James Acheson - updated

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.

Adair, William Alexander Gallantry

Flying Officer William Alexander Gallantry Adair

Adair was born at 28 Bishop Street, Londonderry on 9th July 1920 to William Adair, Undertaker and Mabel Adair nee Brown. They had married on 22nd March 1906 at Ebrington Presbyterian Church.

Adair probably joined the Belfast Banking Company in 1918. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee for him giving his address and occupation as Spring Grove, Londonderry – Funeral Director and Motor Hirer.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Adair left the Bank for War Service on 1st July 1939 and returned from Active Service on 23rd September 1946.

 
Adair resigned from the Bank on 31st October 1946. The following shipping manifest gives his occupation as a Funeral Director and Motor Hirer and Pharmacist.

 
The London Gazette records a W A G Adair with Service Number 1795420 being promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer in 1961. His first names were confirmed against his Service Number in a 1958 London Gazette edition.

The Londonderry Sentinel of 25th October 1952 reports on the wedding of W A G Adair to Miss Joan Margaret Taylor at Carlisle Road Presbyterian Church, Londonderry.

William and Joan returned from their honeymoon in Madeira, Portugal to Plymouth, England arriving on 8th November 1952 on the ship Venus of the Bergen Steamship Company.

Shipping Passenger Manifest

Lilburn, Joseph Lockington

Flight Lieutenant Joseph Lockington Lilburn

Lilburn was born at Belfast Bank House, Dundalk on 22nd September 1919 to Robert Stanley Henry Lilburn, Bank Manager and Martha Elizabeth Lilburn nee Lockington. They had married at Castlebellingham, Co. Louth on 5th December 1917.

Belfast Bank, Dundalk branch & house

(Following partition, the BBCo sold its branches (& staff) to the Royal Bank of Ireland)

Lilburn joined the Belfast Banking Company on 4th May 1937. His father signed the Bankers Guarantee and gave his address as 11 Temple Villas, Palmerston Road, Dublin. At time he was working for the Royal Bank of Ireland Ltd following his legal transfer from the Belfast Bank.

Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet

Lilburn (21) married a Miss Eileen Parke (18) on 14th November 1940 at St Polycarp's Church of Ireland.

He once wrote: 

“…. Had there not been no war, I should not have thought of getting married until I have at least 10 years service in the Bank….”

Lilburn volunteered and enlisted into the RAF (Volunteer Reserve) and rose through the ranks to Warrant Officer (Service Number 745459). He was promoted to Pilot Officer (with Service Number 156634) on 11th July 1943, Flying Officer on 11th January 1944 and Flight Lieutenant on 18th March 1945. He was then retained permanently on the RAF Active List until 1954. 

A family friend of Joseph is in possession of copies of his Log Book describing every flight he made during and after the war. 

‘Paddy' Lilburn, as he was known, initially flew from RAF Eglinton Airport (now known as the City of Derry Airport). He flew Hurricanes and Spitfires during the war but did not take part in the Battle of Britain due to being posted to Scotland. Later he flew missions over Europe. 

The Northern Whig of 6th December 1945 carries a report from Saigon, Vietnam:

There were a few golfing reports in papers around 1946. 

Lilburn was a member of the Belfast Banking Company Sports Club on 24th April 1946 paying 5 shillings subscription. He served in Head Office and North End branch. 

Lilburn  resigned from the bank on 11th July 1946 instead choosing to stay in the RAF. 

The Belfast News-Letter of 19th December 1947 reported the divorce of Joseph Lilburn and Mrs Eileen O Lilburn with Mrs Lilburn retaining custody of their 2 children.

 

Lilburn died on 14th November 2002 in Horsham, West Sussex. He was described as a retired Fighter Pilot.

The Somme Museum, Conlig holds a guitar inscribed with the signatures of many servicemen including J L Lilburn.

Photos courtesy of the Somme Museum