George McGuirk WW1 maybe seaman

[ourgang]

My great uncle George McGuirk was born in Blackrock, Co Dublin 9 February 1884. His various brothers joined the British Army but, rumour! has it George was a seaman. Armed with that watery fact I went to the Archives records and got details from a medal card for a George McGuirk born Dublin 1884 they had a number 862386 on the card and looks like R83 No310688. How would i find out if that was MY George ? Hope this is not too dopey a question but, I am a real novice with the Armed forces part of my research....got great help here with questions about Michael and Edward McGuirk. Maybe there is a better first step to take to trace George???

[seaweed]

There is a Mercantile Marine  record including a photograph, for this man 1918-1921 on FindMyPast.
Nok is given as Ann McGuirk of Westport Co. Mayo. Thee are also several official numbers of the ships he sailed on. If you need help with interpretation just ask. There seems to be no online Merchant navy records for him after 1921.
See also
http://www.irishmariners.ie/searchdatabase.php?srch_surname=McGuirk+&srch_forename=George&srch_identityno=&srch_yob=1884&submit=Search

[ourgang]

Thank you so much Seaweed,

I had a look at that site...unfortunately it is not my George ...Imagine two George McGuirk's born within days of each other. It is not a very common surname. Thank you too for your offer of assistance in interpretation of the records. Everyone here has been so much help and you do not make a rank beginner feel stupid.

[seaweed]

Thank you so much Seaweed,

I had a look at that site...unfortunately it is not my George ...Imagine two George McGuirk's born within days of each other. It is not a very common surname. Thank you too for your offer of assistance in interpretation of the records. Everyone here has been so much help and you do not make a rank beginner feel stupid.

I would not disregard this just because the dates of birth do not tally exactly. Merchant Navy personal records are not renowned for their total accuracy and Merchant seamen are well known tellers of porkies! A day or twos difference should make little difference.
As you say, the surname McGuirk is somewhat uncommon.
Its a fact that the seamans Medal Card you have and the records on his CR 10 Card both bear the same Discharge A number 862386. This number would be totally unique to the person it belonged to, thus proving they belonged to the same man.
Wether that person is your great uncle remains to be seen. Why not look at the photograph on FindMyPast or order it from Irish Mariners. It should give you some idea of any family resemblance.

[ourgang]

Thank you once again seaweed. I should also have said...my George was not from Westport Co Mayo. He lived in Blackrock, Co Dublin in his youth and Stillorgan, Co Dublin when he married...for the life of me can't remember his wife's name but it was not Ann.

[kathrodgers]

Hi ourgang

The other George Mcguirk born ( 1884-02-14 ) is my father, his mother was Anne Mcguirk living in Westport. I sent for a photograph of my father from the Irish mariners website and was never sure if it was him or not as he died when I was only 14 in 1950. After seeing your post, I can finally confirm it was my father in the photo. Hope you have luck with your search, Many thanks, Kath.

[ourgang]

Hello Kath,

How kind of you to let me know. I am delighted that you have had confirmation of your father's photo.
I had great luck too with the quest for my Great Uncle George's war and found him in the Army.My grandfather Michael and his brothers George, William and Edward were all British army and i have found records of them having joined the militia in Wicklow as early as 1900 and 1903. I still have a lot to find out. I could never have got so much info without Rootschat and the great people on here.

[Germah]

Hi,
I came across your post  when looking for more information about my great uncle Edward (Ned)Guirk. He was George's brother and died on April 12 1915 at Douve (Ration Farm) France probably as a result of being hit by shellfire. He is buried in the Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) cemetery.

I met George when he visited my aunts in Blackrock in the late 1950s early 60s. I remember him as a dapper old man with a walking stick. While Ned lived with my grandmother and died in France I was told that George was in Gallipoli along with another brother who came back from the war shell shocked and with an obession about the "Turks". George was apparently a senior officer's "batman".

I'd be very interested in knowing if you've found out anything else about him. What also interests me is the family's link to Liverpool I think through my great grandmother.  It'd be great to hear from you......

Gerry

[km1971]

Hi Gerry (and welcome) and 'Ourgang'

Ancestry have a pensions record for a George McGuirk #6287 who joined the Leinster Regiment in 1901. He was born in Blackrock about 1883. Unfortunately it is on their North America Fold 3 site which requires a higher subscription rate than the UK normal sub. These records were sent to the War Office to replace records lost in the fire in 1940. It does not mean they received a pension, as in this case.

https://www.fold3.com/image/589258923

I have just started a 7 day free trial. He only served 12 days in January 1901, and was discharged 'having given a false statement regarding his age'. He was serving in the Militia of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at the time. You could join the Militia at 17. I am amazed he lied about his age, as he should have known that they would check with the RDF

His father was Edward (of Kenny's Court, Blackrock) and he had older brothers Michael and John. The latter was serving (1901) in the Royal Irish Regiment. John's record is on Findmypast:

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f5413%2f011%2f001&parentid=gbm%2fwo97%2f5413%2f946264&highlights=%22%22

Father: Edward of Georges Avenue, Blackrock. Brothers: George, Michael, Richard, Edward and William

Ken