Seeking a Belfast man

[Chris_Baker]

I am looking for any information on a man named William Callaghan, last known living at 15 Spinner Street in the Falls area of Belfast in 1911. He is given as an "ex soldier" on his son's 1927 marriage certificate. There is no service record in any collection and a considerable number of William Callaghans in the medal index (including a few Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Munster Fusiliers but no Royal Irish Rifles, Royal Irish Fusiliers or Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers).

William Callaghan was born in County Louth circa 1879, and lived in Drogheda in 1901-2.

A very long shot I know but if anyone has anything at all that might give details of this man I would be grateful to know.

PS the wonderful "Eddie's news extracts" comes up with nothing on him.

[dfaulder]

If you go round some of the cemeteries in Belfast you will find numerous references to people who were "soldiers" - not necessarily in the British Army or the Republic's equivalent!

William Callaghan may have been a genuine soldier of the King, but if you cannot track him down are there any other "military" sources available?

(The 1911 Census for the address given indicates that William Callaghan was Roman Catholic.)

David

[Chris_Baker]

It's a fair point. The certificate reference makes us think "British Army" but that may not necessarily be the case, I guess.

[nedsir]

It's a fair point. The certificate reference makes us think "British Army" but that may not necessarily be the case, I guess.

Sorry not too clear did he get killed in WW1? As a William Callaghan 11167 of the 2nd Batt Irish Guards was killed in action on the 12/4/1918 there is reference to him and other named men on the CWGC site Debt of Honour.

Just to tell you a number of men from the Falls served in the 2nd Irish Guards at that time. By the way in 1918 there is a William Callaghan living in 18 Spinner St who is a Fireman. So that might rule out him being the man killed unless it was his father or son. Hope this helps.

Ed

[jdoyle]

given he's RC in a Nationalist area of Belfast, I'd suggest 6th Connaught Rangers.

http://www.ancestryireland.com/fileadmin/uhf_pdfs/ConnaughtRangers.pdf

There is a medal card for a W Callaghan, Connaught Rangers, number 2838 but nothing to tie him to Belfast or Louth. He appears to have a SWB roll number but can't make out the details

[museumtom]

His SWB readout, 6/3838,William Callaghan, 4th Battalion, Connaught Rangers, Badge Number 83905, Enlisted 17-11-14, discharged with sickness, para 393(XVI) K,17-11-1916, at Cork,and served overseas.

Cheers.

Tom.

[Chris_Baker]

Just to tell you a number of men from the Falls served in the 2nd Irish Guards at that time. By the way in 1918 there is a William Callaghan living in 18 Spinner St who is a Fireman. Ed

Thank you, Ed. He survived the war ... but that info about him being a fireman is very interesting. May I ask the source - is it of men who were actually present at the address at the time (like a census)?

[nedsir]

Thank you, Ed. He survived the war ... but that info about him being a fireman is very interesting. May I ask the source - is it of men who were actually present at the address at the time (like a census)?

It is from the 1918 Belfast Street Directory on the www.lennonwylie.co.uk site It is a very good source site. Another site that is useful is The Belfast Forum site.

Hope this is of use.

Ed

[jdoyle]

1911 census for your man (I'd assumed you'd seen this as you knew the street name for 1911) has his occupation as fireman (though looking at it too long makes it appear to be fisherman)

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Falls/Spinner_Street/174556/

[W.J.Caughey]

Hi Chris, dont know if this 1915 Belfast St directory page helps, also in my files at No 5 Spinner St a Joseph Henry 2354 Royal Innis Fusiliers.

KIA 16/05/1915.

At 23 Spinner St. Francis Bradford. Kings Liverpool Reg Wounded. so a variety of regiments West Belfast men joined.

so you are up against it. was there any other address for 1927 marriage cert was it a N.Ireland marriage.

will be going out and about searching for things next wk so if you PM me with any more details can maybe check things.

Kind regards Walter

[nedsir]

I can confirm that there was a much more varied enlistment to regiments for men from the Falls area. I've done a fair bit of research on the subject and found them in all sorts of units. So it would be wise not to rule out him being in any regiment be it English, Scottish, or whatever. It is now accepted that there were a lot more Nationalists that enlisted at that time than was first thought. I had 2 from our family who both served and thankfully survived although my grandfather passed on due to his wounds at a earlier age than he should have, due to a gassing.

Ed

[Guest]

William Callaghan of 15 Spinner St Belfast was my great grandfather, born Co  Louth in in 1878. He married Mary Leonard in September 1902 in Antrim.

I was born at 15 Spinner Street in 1949. My great grandmother Mary Callaghan (LEONARD) would show me the war medals of her husband and talk about his great suffering.

He was badly injured during overseas service and had "a plate in his head". 

I would love to know what medals he had and where I could find details of his war service.

My grandfather, William Callaghan also, born July 3, 1903 also at 15 Spinner Street was a soldier. I would also love to get details of his service. I know he was in India at one stage.

I moved to Australia in 1962 and have no family records of the Callaghan family.

I hope this helps.

Edited 22 August , 2016 by Guest
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