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Jackson Curry
Early 19th C - after 1853
Jackson Curry was Calum's and Jamie's great great great great grandfather.
Little is know of Jackson as yet. In his son Robert's wedding entry in January 1853, he was listed
as a farmer at Lemnaroy, Magherafelt district, Co. Londonderry, Ireland. A witness at the wedding is James Curry,
who is presumably a second son to Jackson.
Jackson also pops up in the 1859 Griffith's Valuation at Lemnaroy, which is stated as being in the
parish of Termoneeny. In this, he is listed as being resident by the National school-house, in a house with land comprising
of some seven acres leased to him by a James McWhinney. The annual rateable value of the land and property
was £3 15s (Irish Origins).
Through the Emerald Ancestors site (www.emeraldancestors.com), there are two further listings for a marriage for a Jackson Curry in Magherafelt in 1853 and 1854. One of them is
most likely to be a son to our Jackson, the other may be a second marriage to the same individual, to our Jackson himself
(a second marriage) or perhaps a cousin of some sort (see below).
CHILDREN of JACKSON CURRY and (UNKNOWN):
Robert Curry
b: abt 1827
Calum's and Jamie's great great great grandfather - see below.
James Curry - unconfirmed
b: 18??
Noted as a witness at Robert's wedding to Eliza Henderson in 1853.
Jackson Curry - unconfirmed
b: 18??
On the indices listed at www.emeraldancestors.com there are two marriages listed in the district of Magherafelt for a Jackson Curry, and one of these is almost certainly a
sibling to Robert. The first marriage was on 22 NOV 1853 to a Nancy Harris at
Kilcronaghan Church of Ireland, parish of Kilcronaghan, Magherafelt. In the 1859 Griffith's valuation, this Jackson is found
to be residing at Gortamney, Kilcronaghan, leasing a house and land (just over 4 acres) from Margaret Henderson,
for an annual rate of £2 (Irish Origins).
The second marriage on 22 DEC 1854 is to a Jane Orr at
Castledawson Presbyterian Church in Ballyscullion parish, Magherafelt. A Jackson Curry is found in Griffith's Valuation located
at Gortamney, Kilcronaghan.
Robert Curry
Abt. 1827 - after 1853
Robert was Calum's and Jamie's great great
great grandfather.
It is believed that Robert may have been born in Lemnaroy, parish of Maghera, district
of Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Ireland, in approximately 1827.
On January 29th 1853, Robert married Eliza
Henderson, at Currin Presbyterian Church in the parish of Maghera. He was noted as a 25 year old labourer
from Lemnaroy, and his father was noted as a farmer called Jackson Curry (see above). Eliza was the daughter
of Robert Henderson, a Currin based Pensioner, most likely meaning an army pensioner of the Royal Kilmainham
Hospital, Dublin, or the Cheslea Hospital in England (source: Emerald Ancestors website, uncited). There were two witnesses to the wedding, James Curry, most likely Robert's brother, and
a William Brown, whilst the minister of the Meeting House at Currin was the Reverend James McKee.
Robert was later a gamekeeper by trade, as listed on his son Robert's death certificate in 1940.
CHILDREN of ROBERT CURRY
and ELIZA HENDERSON:
1) Robert Curry
b: 2/4/1864
Robert was born in Maghera, County Londonderry, Ireland, on April 2nd 1864. It is believed that he
died in infancy.
2) William Curray
b: 4/10/1865
William was born in Maghera, County Londonderry, Ireland, on October 4th 1865.
3) Robert Curry
b: 30/7/1867
Robert was Calum's and Jamie's great great grandfather - see below.
4) Arthur James Curry
b: 22/6/1869
Arthur was born in Bellaghy, Ballyscullion, Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, on June 22nd 1869,
and also christened in Bellaghy (source: Emerald Ancestors website, uncited).
5) Margaret Anne Curry
b: 6/3/1871
Margaret was born in Bellaghy, Ballyscullion, Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, on March 6th
1871, and also christened in Bellaghy (source: Emerald Ancestors website, uncited).
6) Hannah Curry
b: 18/10/1872
Hannah was born in Bellaghy, Ballyscullion, Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry, Ireland, on October 18th
1872, and also christened in Bellaghy (source: Emerald Ancestors website, uncited).
It is believed, though yet to be confirmed, that this is the same Hannah Curry who married John
Wylie at Curran Presbyetrian Church in Maghera, Magherafelt, on November 22nd 1893 (source: Emerald Ancestors).
7) Clarke Curry
b: 5/8/1875
Clarke was born in Londonderry, County Londonderry, Ireland, on August 5th 1875.
Robert Currie
30/7/1867 - 17/7/1940
Robert was Calum's and Jamie's great
great grandfather.
Robert was born in Cabragh in the parish of Termoneeny, Bellaghy, Londonderry, Ireland,
on July 30th 1867.
The first record we have of Robert after his birth is from the Belfast Newsletter
of Thursday, November 1st 1888, where Robert had basically gotten himself into a bit of trouble whilst at an Orange lodge
meeting:
MAGHERAFELT PETTY SESSIONS
This court was held yesterday, the magistrates present being - Mr. Garret Nagle, R.M.
(in the chair); Dr. Auterson, Mr. James Harbison , Mr. Thomas Wilson, Mr. J. Kelly, and Mr. H. C. Mann. John Patterson,
George Patterson, Wm. Stewart, John Stewart, jun., Jas. Stewart and Robert Kennedy, of Curran; Adam Sturgeon, Dawson McCleery,
and John McCleery, of Toberhead; Jackson Curry and John Curry, of Broagh; and Robert Curry, jun., of Calragh, were charged
at the suit of District-Inspector Bain, Magherfelt, with conduct calculated to lead to a breach of the peace towards William
O' Neill and others, and requiring them to show cause why they should not be bound to the peace. Mr. Brown appeared for all
the defendants. William O' Neill, blacksmith, proved that a crowd with drums had assembled in Curran on the 23rd October and
burned effigies composed of some inflammable material. Cross-examined - Witness was not frightened; he was only agitated.
Other witnesses were examined who gave similar evidence. It was in his house the lodge met. A crowd assembled as usual to
amuse themselves, but they interfered with no-one. Saw O'Neill on the street with his coat off. Other evidence having been
given, Mr. Brown addressed the Court for the defendants. The magistrates bound all the defendants, except Robert Lemon and
Jackson Curry, to keep the peace - themselves in £10 and two sureties in £5 each.
At some stage after 1891,
Robert travelled to Scotland and on October 27th 1899, whilst working as a saw mill labourer, he married 32 year
old steam loom weaver Lizzie Morrow, daughter of labourer George Morrow and Jane Mitchell (both deceased), in
a ceremony at Emmanuel Church, Camlachie, Glasgow, performed according to the rites of the Free Church of Scotland. At
the time, Robert was living at 19 Marquis Street in Glasgow, whilst Lizzie was resident at 136 Bernard Street in the city's
Bridgeton district. The witnesses to the wedding were Jane C.Neil and William Patton, with
the minister being the Reverend James H. Toody Ruison (?). The marriage was subsequently registered in Glasgow on October
30th (GROS:1899/644/2/259).
In the 1901 census, Robert is listed as being at 35 Dunn Street in Dalmarnock (GROS: 1901/644/1/17
p.21). He is described as a 33 year old saw mill labourer, married to Lizzie, now listed as a col ed weaver,
and his mother in law Jane, now widowed, and his sister in law Ellen, also working as a
col ed weaver. The tenement they all shared had two rooms with one or more windows.
In
October 1909, Robert was listed as a lorryman in his daughter's birth register entry, and resident at the Dalmarnock Road
tenement.
In
1911, Robert is again listed at 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road in the Glasgow Valuation Rolls. By 1918, both Robert and Elizabeth
were listed in the electoral register at the same address, with Robert working as a porter.
Robert was a Mason, possibly
Lodge 245 (see below), and was also a grand master of a Royal Black Preceptory Lodge in Glasgow. His grandson Colin
Paton, born five years after his death, was always told by his mother that when the 12th July came every year, the
order would arrive at Robert's house and escort him to his horse and coach, and would fall in behind him prior to their march.
When Robert's daughter Jean turned 18 years of age in 1918, he got her to sign up to the woman's equivalent to the masons,
the Order of the Eastern Star.
By the time of his son's wedding in 1927, Robert had changed careers and was working
as an electric pillar box inspector. The next mention we have of Robert is the tragic fact that he was present at the death
of his son Robert two years later in 1929.
Both Robert and Elizabeth are both found listed every year up to the 1939/1940
register at the house on Dalmarnock Road. It was here that Robert died on July 17th 1940, at 5pm, of paralysis and prophic
ulceration cardiac syncope, as certified by Doctor L.L.Fotheringham. At the time of his death he was described as a Corporation
Labourer, presumably meaning that he worked for the Glasgow Corporation. His death was registered by his widow Elizabeth
on the following day (GROS:1940/644/2/325).
Robert left no will, and upon his death the following
notices appeared in the Glasgow Evening Times:
Thursday, July 18th 1940
CURRIE - At 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Bridgeton,
Glasgow, on 17th July (after a lingering illness), Robert Currie, beloved husband of Elizabeth Morrow - Funeral private.
Tuesday, 23rd July 1940
CURRIE - Mrs Currie and family desire to
thank all relatives, friends and neighbours for letters of sympathy and beautiful floral tributes received in their recent
sad bereavement: also doctor and Major Thomson for kind attention; and Taylor Bros for efficient funeral arrangements - 187
1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow, SE.
CHILDREN of
ROBERT CURRIE and ELIZABETH MORROW:
(1) Robert Currie
b: 19/12/1902 d: 10/2/1929
Robert was born at 2.00am on December 19th 1902, at
121 Old Dalmarnock Road, Camlachie, Glasgow, Scotland. His mother informed the registrar on January 5th 1903 (GROS:1903/644/1/027).
Robert took up work as a joiner, presumably having gone through an apprenticeship prior to working full
time on his own. On March 25th 1927, Robert married 29 year old biscuit packer Elizabeth Woods Harvey, daughter of telephone
linesman Thomas Harvey and Mary Wilson, at Gillespie United Free Church, Glasgow, in a ceremony perfomed according to the
rites of the United Free Church of Scotland. At the time of the ceremony, Robert lived at 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, whilst
Elizabeth was resident at 612 Gallowgate. Robert's father, also Robert Currie, was listed as an electric pillar box inspector.
The service was performed by the Reverend John Gillespie, and the witnesses were John Harvey of 612 Gallogate and Robert's
sister Jean, of 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road. The service was registered in Glasgow on the 28th (GROS:1927/644/03/148).
Robert,
however, was never to enjoy a long married life with his new wife. At 12.45am on February 10th 1929 he died at home
of 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Bridgeton, at the age of 26, the cause being nephritis cardiac syncope, basically a kidney
related heart disease. His father, listed as an electricity boxman, was present at his son's side when
he died, and duly informed the registrar on the 11th (GROS:1929/644/1/272).
Robert did not leave a will, and upon his death,
the following notice appeared in the Glasgow Evening Times of February 15th 1929:
Acknowledgements
Mr and Mrs Currie
and family desire to thank Rev.A.L.Bennett, the doctor, Nurses Craig amd Watson, and Lodge 245, Masonic V (Masonic Veterans)
Association for their kind attention; also Todd's Pipe Band and Taylor Bros, undertakers, for the admirable way everything
was conducted and relations and friends for their kind expressions of sympathy and floral tributes in their recent sad bereavement
- 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow, SE.
Robert's nephew Colin Paton was told as child by his mother
that his uncle Bobbie was a grand master of a local Bridgeton Orange Lodge, following in his father's footsteps, though this
has still to be confirmed.
(2)
Elizabeth Margaret Morrow Victoria Currie
b: 17/10/1909 d: 5/7/1975
Elizabeth was in fact known throughout her life as 'Vicky', and was born
at 9.00am on October 17th 1909, at 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Bridgeton, Glasgow (GROS:1909/644/1/1608). At the time of her
birth, her father was described as a lorryman, and he registered her birth on November 5th. She was initially christened
Elizabeth Morrow Henderson Victoria Currie, but her name was changed on December 13th to Elizabeth
Morrow Margaret Victoria Currie in the baptismal regsiter, which states:
Alteration made at baptism. The above alteration is
made on the authority of a certificate in the form of schedule under the hand of the Reverend Robert Turnbull, Minister of
Barrowfield Parish, Glasgow. Dec 13th 1909 at Glasgow.
On November 10th 1931, Vicky married Angus MacDonald Gray
at the Church of Scotland in east Bridgeton, Glasgow. Angus was the son of former journeyman George Coghill Gray,
and Jessie Wilson MacDonald, and was a former journeyman himself at the time of the wedding, living at 222
Dunn Street. Vicky was herself still at the family home of 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, and was working as a domestic servant.
The minister to the wedding was the Reverend David Horner Phillips, whilst the witnesses were Thomas Gray
(presumably Angus' brother) and Calum's great grandmother Jeanne Currie (as the name was spelt on the register).
The marriage was registered on November 13th, two days later (GROS:1931/644/1/202).
The couple went on to have three children, Betty, Joy and Vicky, and continued
to live in Bridgeton, settling at 1089 London Road, close to the Celtic FC ground.
Vicky died at 3.30am on July 5th 1975 at the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow,
the cause being myocardial infarction and coronery artery thrombosis. At the time of her death she was listed as a widow,
still living at 1089 London Road. The informant to the registrar was her grandson, James A. Burn, who was living at 2 Heston
Avenue, Heston, Middlesex (GROS:1975/611/#488). Vicky did not leave a will. On Monday 7th July, the following notice
appeared in the Glasgow Evening Times:
GRAY - At the Royal Infirmary Glasgow om
5th July, 1975 - VICTORIA CURRIE GRAY, dearly loved mother of Betty, Joy and Vicky, 1089 London Road, Glasgow - Service at
Taylor Bros Parlour, 517 London Road, Glasgow tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12.50pm, funeral thereafter to Riddrie Park Cemetery.
CHILDREN of ELIZABETH CURRIE and
ANGUS GRAY:
(i) Jessie MacDonald Gray
b: 28/3/1937
Jessie was born at 7.30am on March 28th 1937, at 1089 London Road. Her father
informed the Glasgow registrar on April 26th.
On February 10th 1956, Jessie married stereotyper James Ferguson,
son of furnace man James Durkin Ferguson and Margaret Gardner. At the time of the wedding
Jessie was a clerk living at her family home of 1089 London Road, whilst James lived at 12 Risk Street. The wedding took place
in Bridgeton, with the witnesses being Neil Bell from 87 Parson Street and M. Kerr from 11 Braidfauld Street, both in Glasgow.
Jessie and James went on to have two children, James and Bruce. But tragically,
in 1961, Bruce, at only two years of age, was killed in a car accident on the London Road in Glasgow, an incident which
must have been devastating for them. The marriage was not to last, and the couple soon
after separated and divorced.
In April 4th 1966, Jessie remarried, to 30 year old radio technician David
Burns, son of widowed labourer David Burns, and Isabella McNulty (deceased). The
witnesses this time were David's brother Joseph Burns, from 19 Edmonton Terrace in East Kilbride, and Jessie's
sister Victoria. Jessie and David had a daughter in 1969 called Amanda.
It is not known where Jessie and David currently reside, although no death entries
have been found for them inScotland, so it is assumed that they are alive and well - if so, please get in touch!
CHILD of JESSIE GRAY and JAMES FERGUSON:
(a) James Angus Ferguson
b: 1/4/1956
James was born at 3.10pm on April 1st 1956 at his mother's home of 1089 London
Road, Bridgeton, Glasgow. His father registered the birth on the 8th (GROS:1956/644/2/339).
James informed the Glasgow registrar of his grandmother's death in July 1975.
At the time he was listed as living at 2 Heston Avenue, Heston, Middlesex, with his name now written as James A. Burns,
suggesting that his name was changed when his mother remarried.
James' whereabouts are currently unknown.
(b) Bruce MacDonald Ferguson
b: 15/1/1959 d: 22/8/1961
Bruce was born at his granny's home of 1089 London Road, Bridgeton, Glasgow,
on January 15th 1959, at 5.20am. The family address at that point was 41 Blairdardie Road, Glasgow. Bruce's father informed
the registrar on the 21st (GROS:1959/644/2/66).
Bruce was tragically killed when run over by a car. His death was registered
on November 30th 1961 by his father, and the cause of death is listed as a compound fracture of the skull and cerebral laceration.
He died in an ambulance somewhere between London Road and 255 Duke Street in Glasgow. In the ensuing report for the
Register of Corrected Entries the cause of death is listed as "multiple injuries sustained as a result of being struck
and knocked down by a motor vehicle", the death occurring "at about 4.45pm on 22nd August 1961 in London Road, Glasgow, at
or in an ambulance between there and 253 Duke Street, Glasgow" (GROS:RCE-vol12/41/1088).
Although there was no death notice in either the Glasgow Herald or the Evening
Times, a note of acknowledgement was placed in the Evening Times on Tuesday, August 29th 1961 (p.24):
FERGUSON - Mr and Mrs FERGUSON and FAMILY
sincerely wish to thank all relatives, friends and neighbours, Bridgeton and Knightswood, for lovely floral tributes, cards,
letters, and kind expressions of sympathy received in their sad bereavement; also Glasgow Police; the Rev. Mr Harrison for
sincere sermon; and Taylor Bros for all arrangements - 41 Blairardie Road W3.
CHILDREN of JESSIE GRAY and DAVID BURNS:
(c) Amanda Joy Burns
b: 13/3/1969
Amanda was born at 11.22am on March 13th 1969, at 703 Pollokshaws Road,
Glasgow. Her father informed the Glasgow registrar on April 5th (GROS:1969/644/3/469).
(ii) Victoria Currie Gray
b: 7/5/1947
Vicky was born at 3.30pm on May 7th 1947 at Robroyston Hospital in Glasgow. At
the time of her birth, the family home was still 1089 London Road. Her mother informed the Glasgow registrar on May 27th.
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| Vicky and her cousin Colin in Carrickfergus, October 1961 |
In 1961, Vicky made a trip to Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland to see her aunt
Jean and cousins, at their home of Robinson's Row, in the Joymount area of the town.
Vicky married 20 year old joiner Francis John McCrindle on June
17th 1967. Francis was the son of joiner John McCrindle and Ruth McGregor, and at the time
of the wedding he was living at 10 Wood Street, whilst Vicky was herself working as a carpet weaver. The witnesses to the
wedding were James and Isabel Wilson, from 51 Fairburn Street. But the wedding did not last long, for on January 21st 1971
a divorce decree was granted to the couple.
It is not known where Vicky is at present, but it is presumed that she is still
in Scotland.
CHILDREN of VICTORIA GRAY and FRANCIS McCRINDLE:
(i) Michelle Jennifer McCrindle
b: 4/12/1968
Michelle was born at 5.25am on December 4th 1968, at Belvidere Hospital
in Glasgow. At the time of her birth, Michelle's parents were resident at 137 Petershill Road in Glasgow. Her father informed
the registrar on the 26th (GROS:1968/644/3/1715).
There are no death or wedding entries listed for Michelle in Scotland, and
so it is assumed that she is either single and still resident in the country, or that she has left Scotland.
If you're reading this Michelle, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from
ye!
(3) Jane
(Jean) Currie
b: 26/9/1904 d: 2/2/1978
Calum's and Jamie's great grandmother - see below.
Jane (Jean) Currie
26/9/1904 - 2/2/1978
Jane was Calum's and Jamie's paternal
great grandmother.
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| Jane Paton (Currie) - Belfast 1938 |
Jane Currie. more colloquially known as Jean, was born at her
tenement home of 187 1/2 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow, Scotland, at 07.50, 26th September, 1904, the second eldest in her
family (GROS:1904/644/1/1786).
Jean's home at Dalmarnock Road was situated in Glasgow's Bridgeton district, and she
would therefore have attended school in Bridgeton. With her family's Ulster origins, they would have been Unionist in their
political persuasions, and Protestant to the core.
With her father in the Royal Black Preceptory, Jean, her sister Vicky,
and her brother Robert, would undoubtedly have enjoyed the big Orange parades in Glasgow every July 12th,
watching her father march alongside his lodge's brethren. Her father was also a mason, and obviously made such an
impact on his daughter that shortly after her 18th birthday, on November 14th 1922, Jean became a life member of
the Order of the Eastern Star in Glasgow, the women's version of the Masons. The following is the transcript of her ordination
paper:
The Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland
Order of the Eastern Star
Having Jurisdiction Over the British Dominions except
on the Continent of America
To the members of the Order wheresoever dispersed,
Greeting:-
Whereas, Chapter The Bridgeton, No. 88, on our Roll,
and under our jurisdiction, hath craved us to issue a Diploma in Testimony of legal admission into the Order in favour of
the Person herein after mentioned._
These are to witness that Jean M. Currie whose signature
is adhibited on the side hereof was regularly admitted a Member of said Chapter upon the Fourteenth day of November,
1922, and is duly enrolled in our books.
As such, we commend her to the fraternal regard of
all Members of the Order.
Hannah M. Millar, Most Worthy Grand Matron
William Whyte, Most Worthy Grand Patron
William Bryce, Worthy Grand Secretary
Register No. 55,500
According to her youngest son Colin, Jean always carried this document with her in her
handbag everywhere she went, as it could open doors for her! Ad any time she would see a masonic trinket in a thrift shop,
she would buy it and return it to the lodge from whence it originated. Also contained inside the wallet housing her induction
paper is her life membership card:
Life Membership Card
No. 360
"The Bridgeton" Chapter, No. 88
We hereby Certify that
Jeannie M. Currie
has been enrolled as a LIFE MEMBER
12th December, 1922
Agnes Barrie, ...W.M.
Jean P. McDowall ...Secy.
Kate L. Manson ...Treas.
Signature,... Jean M. Currie
On 25th March 1927, Jean was a witness at her brother Robert's wedding to Elizabeth
Woods Harvey, a biscuit packer from the Gallowgate. But tragedy hit her and her family, when less than two years
later, Robert died at the young age of 26 of a liver disease. Jean was only 25 at the time.
On the 10th November 1931, Jean was again a witness at her sister Vicky's wedding
to Angus MacDonald Gray, signing her name as Jeanne in the wedding register.
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| Jean Paton - Carrickfergus 1961 |
On 28th September 1934, Jane married 29 year old wireless salesman Charles Paton, son of deceased shopkeeper David Hepburn Paton and his
widow Jessie MacFarlane. The wedding took place at St. Johns Chalmers Parish Church, and the minister was the Reverend Robert Jack.
The church, located at Charlotte Street, between Glasgow Cross and Bridgeton Cross, is no longer there, having closed 23 years
ago. The wedding was registered a few days later on October 1st at the Rutherglen Registrary Office. The witnesses to the
wedding were Jane's sister Vicky Currie, and James Glen Mason (GROS:1934/654/215).
After getting married in Glasgow, the couple moved to Belfast in Northern Ireland around 1936. They
stayed initially at 40 Whitewell Crescent in Greencastle, on the northern outskirts of the city, but little did they know
of the frying pan that they had just leaped into, with war declared between the UK and Germany in 1939. Initially Northern
Ireland endured a quiet war, almost to the point where its government and population had become completely complacent. But
then, on the night of April 15th 1941, Easter Tuesday, the German Luftwaffe blitzkrieg attack of Belfast
began. The following is taken from Brian Barton's book The Blitz: Belfast in the War Years
(p.109):
At Greencastle the raid erupted with dramatic suddenness and ferocity.
After the siren had sounded, local air raid precautions wardens had been warning residents to take cover during the delay.
Then suddenly they caught site of a parachute mine coming down nearby. They had just time to fling themselves to the ground
when it fell in the middle of Veryan Gardens with a vibrating crash that seemed to shatter the neighbourhood. Almost immediately
afterwards, it was followed by another, coming from the direction of the Whitewell Road. In a matter of seconds the whole
area had been devastated. Almost 130 homes in Vandyck Gardens and Veryan Gardens were demolished or severely damaged. A woman
who was taking a bath was blown thirty feet into the Serpentine Road and died from her injuries. At number 45 Veryan Gardens
eight members of the Danby family were killed instantly by the first blast; twenty-five residents in the street died. James
Makemson, a member of the Local Defence Volunteers, remembers bricks from houses 250 yards away being hurled through the roof
of his home in Whitewell Park.
Scarcely had the wardens recovered their faculties when they witnessed
an 'appalling sight'. Several hundreds of terrified, screaming people came rushing from their wrecked houses, and began running
down the Whitewell Road. Some of them were seriously injured. Police Constable James Hawthorne later recalled: 'All had one
objective - to get away from it.' Unfortunately there was nowhere safe to go: no shelter had been built in an area so remote
from any identifiable target. There were 170 casualties, 46 of them fatal. they were tended wherever cover could be found
- houses with rooms still intact, fields and ditches; many, a warden recorded, 'were too dazed or distracted to understand
instructions'.
Veryan Gardens was in fact a continuation of Whitewell
Crescent; Vandyck Gardens and Serpentine Road the next streets along from them. What the book does not record is the
fact that Jean's house, at 40 Whitewell Crescent, was also hit. Her son Robert was just two and a half years
old at that time, but still recalls the night vividly. When the house was blitzed, Robert recalls his father grabbing him
and getting himself, his wife and his baby brother Charlie out through the back door, and
running up the road to an air raid shelter - possibly with the very crowds described in Barton's book. Robert particularly
recalls this, because en route to the shelter, his father dropped him accidentally, and he landed on his head! For the
next few days, the family slept in a barn, until they were eventually given the house next door to live in, at 42 Whitewell
Crescent, a fact which is confirmed in the Belfast
directories for that period. They were now to remain here until 1951.
Having moved next door, Jean and Charlie continued to raise their family comprising of four children,
with Robert and Charlie soon joined by Sheila and Colin. Jean's husband worked during
the war for the RAF, and afterwards became the manager of a radio shop in Belfast. Their youngest son Colin, later to become
Calum's and Jamie's grandfather, remembers that they were the first household on their street to get a television, and that
they were a relatively prosperous middle class family at that stage.
After the war, and perhaps during as well, Jean and
the kids travelled occasionally with her husband Charles over to Scotland on holiday.
In approximately 1950, Jean and Charles went through a traumatic time when their daughter Sheila
was diagnosed as having contracted polio. She was treated at Purdysburn Hospital in Belfast, and Sheila remembers that at
one point, when it was feared that the virus had spread its way to her brain, one of the nurses suggested that it was time
to fetch her father, as it was not believed that she had a strong chnace of surviving. However, Sheila pulled through, and
for a few years after would wear calipers to help her when walking.
Around 1951/1952 Jean and Charles separated, with Jean leaving her three sons with Charles, and taking their
daughter Sheila with her back to Scotland. Their youngest son Colin remembers his mother coming into
his bedroom just before she left, kissing him on the cheek, and saying "Remember Colin that you're mother loves
you", and then watching as she left the room, not to see her again for nearly two years. Sheila
remembers being awoken that night by her mother, dressed and told to go outside to the fence, where a bag had been
packed and left under a hedge. Jean was making an exit from the house without her husband knowing. They fetched the bag
and secretly made their way to the Shore Road near Greencastle, to the house of a woman that Sheila remembers as being
called "Aunt Lilly", and from there they made their way to Larne where they got a North Sea ferry across to
Scotland. Arriving in Scotland, both Jean and Sheila then made their way north to Auchterarder in Perthshire, where Jean
had already obtained work as a domestic servant at the huge Gleneagles Hotel, her job being to supervise the laundry in the
hotel etc.
Whilst Jean stayed in a servant's room at Gleneagles, Sheila had to stay
in Auchterarder village with an elderly lady called Mrs. King, and her son, Charles,
who she remembers made her life hell!!! Jean enrolled Sheila into a local school in the town. Sheila remembers how
she had to sneak into the back door of Gleneagles Hotel, and up a small stone, spiral staircase to secretly meet up with
her mother whenever she could.
Two years after Jean moved to Scotland, both
she and her daughter returned to Northern Ireland, with Jean obtaining digs for them at Gainsborough Drive just off the
York Road area of North Belfast. Sheila remembers that both she and her mother went looking for the three boys, Robert, Charlie
and Colin on the Sandy Row (they had moved whilst Jean was away), and when they got to the street, found them playing outside. Jean
did not want them to reveal their presence at that point, and the two of them just spent several minutes watching them all
playing together on the street.
Jean subsequently regained custody of all the
children, and the five of them moved to Carrickfergus shortly after. From this point on, Sheila and her mother did
not get on too well, her blond hair and looks marking her out as her father's daughter, and she remembers how her mother would
often blame her or Charlie if their father did not turn up with the shilling he was supposed to pay as alimnony to her mother
- Jean used to call them both a jinx!
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| Jean inside her house at Joymount, Carrickfergus - 1965 |
According to her son Charles, it was not to be until
some two years later that Jean returned to Northern Ireland, whereupon she took custody of all of her children again. It is
not known what prompted her to return to Belfast, it may be that she was feeling guilty about having left her three sons behind,
or it may be that her husband Charles had contacted her to do so, as shortly after he moved to Liverpool in England.
Jean moved to 115 Loughview Drive in Eden, just outside
Carrickfergus, a small cottage which was a holiday home. When the owner asked her to leave just prior to the
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