John Houston Sgt 4th Royal Irish Rifles MM

[Rubikcube]

Looking to see is there any information as to what happened this man after WW1.
Any help regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[JimG]

Hi Rubikcube You wanted to know what happened to john Houston after WW1.  I couldnt even find exact addresses for him before WW1 so I had hoped home address might have been detailed by his army record so I try to follow him from the start of WW1.   I first found him described thus in extracts:-

“Perhaps the best known of these was the diminutive John Houston, who had been a professional footballer with both Everton and Linfield.  John Houston of Ballymena, the Irish International Association football player, has joined the 4th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles, stationed at Carrickfergus, retaining the rank of Sergeant which he previously held in the 2nd Btn. Sergt. Houston formerly played for South End Olympic and Linfield and for the past three seasons he has been attached to Everton. He is a brother Private Leslie Houston of Ballymena who was killed in action while serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Houston, who had joined the Rifles in 1907, was later to win the Military Medal for bravery.“   source https://www.ballymenatimes.com/lifestyle/ch-2-marching-as-to-war-ballymena-1914-1918-1-3518658

then this
“During the Great War Houston joined the Royal Irish Rifles, attaining the rank of Sergeant (see additional comments below). He was following in the footsteps of his brother, Leslie, who was killed in action. Houston was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry during the conflict, and also continued to turn-out for Linfield through the War-years. In 1916 he played in the 1-0 Irish Cup Final replay victory over Glentoran, giving him a ‘proper’ winner’s medal.  After the War Houston spent a season with Partick Thistle in the Scottish First Division. He made his Jags debut in a 3-1 Glasgow Cup win at Clyde on 16th September 1919, scoring his only League goal against the same opposition thirteen days later, as Partick lost 3-1 in a match played at Celtic Park. Houston made his final appearnce for Partick against Ayr United, finishing on the end of a 3-0 reverse on 28th April 1920.
a comment: Sunday, June 08, 2008
cecil.houston said...
“I understood Johnny Houston had a bar to his Military Medal and he was promoted to first Lieutenant in the field I have documentation to this effect.I have unfortunatly lost sight of his medals, I beleive they went to his regiments museum, when approached they knew nothing about them? Cecil Houston.Son”
There is a newspaper cutting inc photo enscribed Sports and soldiers too
Source http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/01/johnny-houston.html

wikipedia quote” He won the Military Medal in 1917 for conspicuous bravely, when "during an attack on the enemy’s lines all the officers were put out of action and Sergeant Houston took command of his platoon. He led the attack in face of a murderous fire, advance 100 yards and succeeded in taking and holding the objective for 36 hours until relief arrived".[5]ie  "December 1917". bluecorrespondent.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December2018.
wikipedia quote birth Ahoghill

genes reunited has two trees of possible interest I think you need to join to communicate
Johnny   Houston   1892   BALLYMENA County Ant...   treeholder   John   
John   HOUSTON   1886   Slatt, Ballymena, N....   treeholder  Marie
I didnt find his death burial or obituary which must exist, at least we know he had a son Cecil alive in 2007 
sorry i cant help further lets hope more join in

[Rubikcube]

Many thanks JimG for all your help

[CMcG]

... Perhaps the best known of these was the diminutive John Houston, who had been a professional footballer with both Everton and Linfield.  John Houston of Ballymena, the Irish International Association football player, has joined the 4th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles, stationed at Carrickfergus, retaining the rank of Sergeant which he previously held in the 2nd Btn. Sergt...

The mention of being 'stationed at Carrickfergus' lends a little more weight to the 1915 marriage I previously posted on your other topic, namely of a John Houston residing at 'The Barracks Carrickfergus' to Lilian Gilbert of 52 Maryville Street:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1915/09816/5564569.pdf

Then there was this in 1954:



Then there was the following death notice in 1964 for John Houston of 558 Oldpark Road (note, a son called Cecil):



Which reads across to the following Dundonald and Roselawn burial records (note the matching address '558 Oldpark Road' in some records, also what looks like Lilian Gilbert's parents in the same grave B2 243 at Dundonald - note their last residence of '52 Maryville Street', a match for Lilian's address at the time of her 1915 marriage):

https://dof.belfastcity.gov.uk/burialsearch/BurialSearch.aspx?GraveSection=B2&GraveNumber=243&CemeteryName=Dundonald%20Cemetery

https://dof.belfastcity.gov.uk/burialsearch/BurialSearch.aspx?GraveSection=S&GraveNumber=3710&CemeteryName=Roselawn%20Cemetery

Given the singular names of 'Cecil and Ianthe' Houston and the mention of Kenya in the above 1964 death notice, I wondered about the following marriage in 'The Tatler' in 1956, maybe a possibility?

 

[JimG]

excellent genealogical research, you make the previous knowledge explode, resulting in a brief portrayal of a most interesting man. joined up to recent history. thank you.

[CMcG]

To be fair, I wouldn't have had the wherewithal to proceed without the mention of Carrickfergus and the son Cecil, I suppose the moral of the story remains that every detail helps, the most seemingly minor tidbit can be the one that opens the door.

[Rubikcube]

Many thanks to both JimG and CMcG for all your help.