CLOSE Family - EDGAR Family

[Sharon Close]

Yes it's my Great Grandfather. Also some names of his other children. Thanks again.

[CMcG]

Just to recap the 1911 census return for William John Close and Mary Agnes Kerr...

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Snugville_Street/152946/

... in addition to the children shown in this 1911 census return (and John McComisky Close born several months later in 1911), your great grandparents William John Close and Mary Agnes Kerr went on to have a daughter Florence Ivy Close in 1913, a son Victor Charles Close in 1915 (Victor died the following year) and a son Douglas Haig Close in 1918.

I imagine Douglas was named after Field Marshall Haig, the birth registration for him states the father William John Close's occupation as 'Discharged Soldier'. A quick glance at William John Close's military record shows that he was in the 150th Field Company of the Royal Engineers and served 4 years in WW1 - there's a fair bit in the record and it can be viewed on the 'ancestry.com' website. In listing his children, Elizabeth is shown as 'Lily', Mary Agnes as 'May', John as 'Jack' and Florence Ivy as just 'Ivy'.

Interestingly, the record says that William John Close was missing the first 2 fingers of his left hand... given that (like his father) he was described in the 1901 census as a 'Joiners Machineman' and as a 'Machinist' in his marriage record the same year, one can't help put 2 and 2 together... His military record also states that he was 'A very good Sawyer and Joiner', and it indicates that his skills were highly sought after by the Royal Engineers (for rather obvious reasons):

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/definitions-of-units/composition-royal-engineers-field-company/

Another interesting tidbit is some correspondence from William John to the Army in 1928, seeking a copy of his discharge certificate in which he explains what happened to his original certificate and all documentation about his military service:  'Owing to the Disturbances in Belfast during the period 1920 to 1923 I had the unhappy experience of being driven from my home and the effects were destroyed by looting and burning...'

[Sharon Close]

Many thanks to you, CMcG,  You have given me so much information.

[CMcG]

Just to recap on the Edgars in the 1911 census, with a view to projecting possible descendents and living relatives ...

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Clifton/Linwood_Street/145958/

... some of the news isn't so great on Robina Agnes' siblings. Her brother 'Robert C' Edgar died in 1913:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1913/05345/4488884.pdf

Her sister 'Elizabeth R' Edgar died in 1914:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1914/05297/4472957.pdf

After the 1911 census, Robina Agnes gained 2 more siblings when her parents William and Isabella had Thomas in 1912 (still alive in 1969, according to a minor newspaper reference) and Isabella in 1915, but Isabella also died the same year:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1915/05268/4461945.pdf

Some time between that death in 1915 and 1918, the family moved into a house at 12 Argyle Street, with which they were to have a long association - the relevant directory entries for Argyle Street on the Lennon Wylie website show '12. Edgar, Wm., labourer' in 1918, 1924, 1932, 1939, 1943, and 1951, while the 1960 entry is shown as '12. Edgar, Mrs. Isabella'.

When Robina Agnes' older sister Margaret Jane got married to a George McHenry in 1923, 12 Argyle Street was her stated address, she was recorded as the 19 year old daughter of William James Edgar a labourer, 24 year old George was recorded as the son of Thomas McHenry, a cloth dyer.  With the usual health warning about online family tree inaccuracy, note that a family tree on the 'ancestry.com' website suggests that this couple went on to have a number of children - George McHenry (1903-), Mary Anne McHenry (1924-1995), James McHenry (1928-1944), Robina McHenry (1930-1996, married a Robert Samuel Townsley in 1949 and had 2 daughters Marion and Margaret), Irene McHenry (1945-2005, married a James Steritt), and Billy McHenry (1946-2009).

So plenty of scope arising from Robina Agnes Edgar's sister Margaret Jane for McHenry, Townsley and Steritt cousins.

Then there is this in 1966, note the reference to 43 Ainsworth Drive:



And this in 1981 with the same address mentioned:

[CMcG]

Here are newspaper 'hits' that came back on searching for 12 Argyle Street...

It looks like William James E Edgar in that 1911 census return went on to marry a Mary Anderson, the GRONI website marriage index shows a marriage registered in Belfast for those names in 1924:



Then the following in 1944 and 1962 respectively, indicate that the Isabella Campbell (daughter of Thomas James Campbell) who married William Edgar in 1903 had siblings Thomas James, Catherine, and Robert:





And finally this from 1954, which ties everything nicely together with its mention of 'Daughter Robina, and Son-in-law, John Close, also Grandson, Jackie':

[Sharon Close]

Hi CMcG,
Once again you have come through with so much information regarding my family. I have much to research now. Thanks so very much.

[CMcG]

Just to recap on the Edgars in the 1911 census...

... After the 1911 census, Robina Agnes gained 2 more siblings when her parents William and Isabella had Thomas in 1912 (still alive in 1969, according to a minor newspaper reference) and Isabella in 1915, but Isabella also died the same year:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1915/05268/4461945.pdf

Just noticed that in fact Isabella Edgar was one of twins born to William Edgar and Isabella Campbell in 1915, sadly like Isabella,  the other twin Catherine Edgar also died very young, here is the 1915 birth registration for the twins and Catherine's 1917 death registration:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1915/01381/1568019.pdf

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1917/05225/4446332.pdf

As you can see, Catherine's death was registered under the common variation of Kathleen, her death registration shows that the family had already moved to 12 Argyle Street by February 1917, the informant of Catherine's death was a Cassie Bell of 26 Sherbrook Street, this was the address of Isabella Campbell's brother Thomas James Campbell mentioned in the 1944 death notices at Reply #19, a quick check of the 1918 Belfast street directory confirms that a Thomas Campbell was the occupier of that address back then as well... so Cassie Bell was clearly related.  Cassie is often short for Catherine - Thomas James Campbell's 1944 death notices clearly indicate a sister Catherine - I wonder if it should have been Cassie Campbell rather than Cassie Bell?

[Sharon Close]

I imagine Cassie Bell was really Cassie Campbell. It sounds very likely anyway. Poor little twins....such short lives. Thanks once again, CMcG.