Burkes of Arklow...photo help please

[ashlingb21]

Awh thank you!
Well his father was also James Burke! He was a labourer. I don't know any more about him at this stage.
His mother was called Catherine Byrne. Her DOB is 14/02/1867 and DOD was 22/02/1950. She was also known as Kate.

The James Burke I'm looking for was born on 10/11/1899. He was in the Royal Naval Reserves from 20/03/18 for a few years.
He the joined the Irish Freestate Army on 14/09/1922.
He married Elizabeth Hayden on 5th June 1923. At this stage James lived in Killeigh, Avoca, Co.Wicklow.
A few years later he had a son John, and then a son James in 1931. As far as I'm aware is that he was involved in the 2nd world war as my grandad said he had some medals but unfortunately they were stolen some years ago. He was then working as a furnace operator in a metal foundry (Fry's Metal Foundry I think) in London until his death on 12/10/1963 in Tooting London at 64 years old.

That's as much info as I have! Hopefully I will find more soon

[Sinann]

Have you got the son's birth certs?
Was he still a Soldier?

[ashlingb21]

No I don't...I'm actually just about to look them up....and going to ask my dad if he can get my grandads.

[Sinann]

Do you know when he moved to England.
He was 40 by the time WWII started, you have to wonder if he was already working in a foundry it might be a reserved occupation as they may have been making stuff for the war.

[Sinann]

Is this the family in 1901 and 1911
The father is a Gamekeeper
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Wicklow/Kilbride/Kilbride/1815303/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Wicklow/Kilbride/Killeagh/896320/

[ashlingb21]

Just found out that on his son's birth cert from 1931 it says that he was a Sailor. Not sure which of those links is correct at the moment!

[Sinann]

Ireland didn't have a Navy as such until 1938
See here http://www.military.ie/en/naval-service/history/
So he may have rejoined the Royal Navy or joined the Merchant Navy. In which case I don't think the records are online.
It would make you wonder how long a term of service was in the Irish Free State Army. He can't have been with them very long.
Where was his son born?

[ashlingb21]

Yeah he doesn't seem to have stayed with any of them for too long. Hard to say too because he lived in Arklow, Co. Wicklow and that used to be a major fishing town. I'd imagine he was a Merchant Seaman then and that's why I can't find any records!
His son was also born in Arklow