William Sullivan

William Sullivan was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland in 1878.  He joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers, 1st Battalion, 4016 CQMS.  He commanded the guard at the Investiture of Edward VIII as Prince of Wales in 1911.  He served in India.   Postcards still in the family  came from India with him.

William married Elizabeth Jones on the 19th December 1905 in Caernarfon. He was 27 years, she was 26.  At the time his rank was 'Sergeant Royal Welch Fusiliers' based at South Camp Aldershot.  Elizabeth's address was given as 13 Hill Street, Carnarvon.  By this time Martin had been deceased for 7 years, but Elizabeth's father, William Jones, was still living: occupation railway engine driver.  They were married at Saints Peter & Paul's Chapel, Carnarvon.

 

 

They had two daughters: Agnes (Aggie) Frances - also known as Margaret and Eileen.  They adopted a boy, Ernie, who died of meningitis aged about 11.

Aggie was so named after Will had seen the Taj Mahal in Agra and wanted to name his daughter after it.  It is said she hated the name!  She was a nurse in the North Staffs Royal Infirmary in Stoke on Trent until the retired and then she lived in Twthill Terrace, Caernarfon.  She didn't marry and died in Gelli Fair Nursing Home in Porthmadog, August 1984.  Cremated in Bangor.

Eileen married John Burton and went to live in Croydon, later 71 Rocks Park Road, Uckfield, East Sussex.  They had three sons: Michael - married to Margaret - who emigrated to Australia; Christopher (Kit), married with 2 children; Peter who married and has 2 sons.

 

William was killed in action at the Battle of Ypres, Flanders, Belgium on 30th October 1914.

 

 

Birth Certificate entry:

20th February 1878

William

male

son of Martin Sullivan, Wellington Place, Enniskillen (Private Soldier 23 Regiment) & Fanny Sullivan, formerly Williams

Mary Scott presided at birth Wellington Place, Enniskillen 18th March, 1878

Baptist Gamble Registrar

 

 

 

 

Reply from Canon Michael F. Tomkins (now deceased), parish priest of Porthmadog Parish in response to request for information about Agnes Sullivan:

 

12th February 1998

....A certain MISS MARGARET SULLIVAN, born 6th February 1907, was admitted to Gelli Fair Nursing Home, Borth Road, Porthmadog on 23rd August 1973; she died 23rd August 1984, after I had heard her confession and anointed her.  She was cremated at Bangor Crematorium on 27th August 1984, and I officiated at the service there.

Sr Mary, the Superior at Gelli Fair Convent, remembers Miss Sullivan saying that she had been a nurse.  But Sr Mary doesn't recall any other details about our Miss Sullivan.

But the fact that our Miss Sullivan had a sister whose initial letter of her Christian name was E, and the fact that Uckfield (in some ways) is just down the road from Croydon, may be a lead for you, as long as our Miss Sullivan had a second Christian name of Agnes!

The General Register Office, somewhere in Stockport I think, may be able to give you further information.  Her death certificate may give her place of birth, and possibly other family details.

 

I hope that this is some help to you.  And I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

 

With best wishes and every blessing,

Yours sincerely,

 

Michael F. Tomkin, V.F.

Canon Tomkin also included name and address of next of kin and of a cousin and close friend.  The next of kin was given as 'Mrs. E. Burton' - Eileen who had also died by this time.  But thanks to this information we were able to make contact with this branch of the family and learn more about William.  .