William James Dickson Walker, b Tyrone c1855, buried Benburb May 1926

[mattfrombann]

Hi

I have been trying without success to trace the marriage of William James Dickson Walker , born Tyrone c1855, to Barbara Paterson (born Scotland ) and also the details of his parents. It is likely the marriage took place c1883.

W J D lived for a time (1880s - early 1900s) at Lawrencetown near Banbridge, Co Down, where he was a Linen Merchant , a partner in the Hazlebank Weaving Co with his cousin Thomas Dickson ( whose family tree is shown in "Linen Houses of the Bann Valley" by Kathleen Rankine ,P231). He had two children Norah, born Aug 20th 1886 and William Eric born June 28th 1885, both Lawrencetown. He was also an "Industrial Inspector for the Congested Districts" and had a keen interest in Technical Education which led him to become the driving force behind the foundation of Banbridge Technical School in 1902. Later he moved to Drogheda and became a prominent businessman there until his death (in Belfast) in May 1926. The Northern Whig records his funeral to "the family burial place at Benburb". Is there a family tombstone extant ? He was awarded the Honour of CB (Companion of the Bath) in 1911.

The Banbridge Technical School is opening in a brand new building (for the second time in its history) in 1920 and are planning a timeline exhibition of the school. The researcher for this asked me (as an occasional contributor to Banbridge local history) if I had any info on its history. I hadn't a lot, but needless to say I soon got sucked in.

Neither wife nor children are with him in the 1901 census for Ireland but Norah is oddly living with her step grandfather Frederick Burton in England. In 1911 she turns up in British Colombia and marries William James Cole Hamley with her mother as witness. In 1926 wife and daughter are in Belfast (?) as executors of their father's will, but neither outlive him for long, both dying within months of each other in 1928, at which time Nora was also granted a divorce from Hamley. William Eric Walker became a Lt Col in the Territorial Army, married Dorothy Redmayne , was awarded OBE, and died in 1949.

WJD is recorded in the newspapers of the day as being a keen photographer - a member of Belfast YMCA Photography Club, and it is an intriguing possibility that some early photographs of the creation of Banbridge Technical School may exist forgotten somewhere

I would be grateful for any help with the ancestry and marriage details of William James Dickson Walker

Matt

[hallmark]

Relugion?


If not RC you can check Civil Reg for Marriage

[hallmark]

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp


you can adjust search to look for parent's marriage to 1845  if not RC


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[hallmark]

You also have the 1901 census    http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/ that can be searched

[eileenwilson]

The 1911 Canadian Census (July 1911) has Barbara Walker living in the household in BC with Nora and her new husband.  Says she is married.

Also, the 1891 English census has young Norah already living with her step-grandfather, so where are her parents?

[aghadowey]

Have you considered that the marriage could have taken place in Scotland? Several William Walker marriages to a bride Barbara in Scotland around that period. If she was married previously then her maiden name would appear on her children’s birth certificates but not marriage index.

Walker William James Dickson of The Sycamores Drogheda county Louth and of "Firbeck" Inverary Avenue Strandtown Belfast retired company director Companion of the Bath died 10 May 1926 at latter place Probate Belfast 29 October to Barbara Walker the widow and Norah Hamley married woman. Effects £4576 10s.

Weekly Irish Times, 11 Dec.1926: " ... Probate of the will, dated 1st April, 1924, has been granted to his widow, Mrs. Barbara Walker, and his daughter. Mrs. NorahHamley, both of Firbeck. The testator left £5O to his sister, Sarah Acheson, £5O each to ..."

Possibly William Walker's sister?
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Castlecaulfield/Drumreany__a___b_/867165

A descendant of Sarah's?
Acreson David Acheson (324) of Castlecaulfield county Tyrone linen manufacturer died 21 May 1959 Probate LondonDEBRY 8 December to Kathleen Frances Acheson widow of testator. Effects £17991 13s. 9d
Added- son of Capt. V. Acheson (one of Sarah's sons was named Vincent Andrews Acheson)

[aghadowey]

Belfast Telegraph, 21 Nov.1872: Acheson and Walker—At linkmen[?] House, Dungannon, the residence of the bride's uncle, on the 20th inst., by special license, by the Rev. C. L. Morell, assisted by the Rev. Joseph Acheson, father of the bridegroom, David Acheson, Esq., R.N., of Castlecaulfield House, to Sarah, only daughter of late William Walker, Dungannon.

Added- father William Walker linen draper, Sarah's residence given as Parish of Drumglass-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1872/11322/8154808.pdf
 

[eileenwilson]

Notice that the wedding took place in the "house of Thos. Dickson, Esq"

[mattfrombann]

All

Thanks for your responses. I had looked in all available official online BD&M for Ireland, Scotland & England (which doesn't have an official online searchable Marriage index) for the WJD Walker/Paterson marriage, but no sign. The Canadian census transcription for Nora shows her as Anglican but her actual marriage cert shows Presbyterian which is correct as her father was a trustee for Banbridge Presbytery at one point. I have also been unable to locate any mention of her brother William Eric between his birth and marriage In Newcastle upon Tyne to the wonderfully named Dorothy Edith d'Insula Redmayne. Why in 1901, the family was clearly split up is an intriguing, and somewhat perplexing mystery. I thought maybe illness or estrangement?


The Acheson connection is a new piece of information. I couldn't find any online transcriptions of the wills of WJD or his wife on the websites to which I suscribe so that key bit was missed. So with that and "step grandparents " to chew over , more may emerge.


Matt