Burrows, Robert James
Sapper
No. 57416, 150th Field Company, Royal Engineers, 36th (Ulster) Division
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 32)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 8 A and 8 D)
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church
Megain Memorial Presbyterian Church Belfast
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
Robert James Burrows was born on 13 August 1883 in the townland of Drumreagh, Ballygowan and he was the eldest son of William and Martha Burrows (nee Burgess) who were married on 24 June 1881 in Spa Presbyterian Church Magheradroll. William Burrows from Belfast was a son of William Burrows, a farmer. Martha Burgess, a minor from Ballygowan was a daughter of Robert Burgess.
William Burrows worked as a labourer and he and Martha had at least six children:
Robert James (born 13 August 1883 in Drumreagh, Ballygowan)
Alexander (born 29 May 1885 in Ravara)
Rebecca Mills (born 16 June 1887 in Ballygowan)
Elizabeth (born 20 June 1889 in Ballygowan)
William (born 24 January 1892 in Ballygowan)
Martha (born prematurely 14 July 1895 in Ballygowan; died 22 July 1895 aged 8 days in Ballygowan)
Their mother Martha was 28 when she died of tuberculosis on 27 July 1895, five days after her daughter Martha died. Her husband William was with her when she died.
Robert James Burrows worked as a plasterer and on 22 August 1905 he and Martha Brown were married in Megain Memorial Presbyterian Church, Belfast. At the time Robert was living at 46 Roslyn Street, Belfast. Martha Brown was a daughter of Henry Brown, a labourer, and was living at 14 Wayland Street, Belfast.
Robert James and Martha Burrows (nee Brown) had at least five children:
Margaret Jane Brown (born 27 February 1906 at 14 Mashona Street, Belfast)
Martha Burgess (born 11 January 1908 at 70 Imperial Street, Belfast)
Alexander (born 22 March 1910 at 57 Imperial Street, Belfast)
William (born 12 August 1912 at 57 Imperial Street, Belfast)
Helena (born 1 November 1914 at 28 Lismore Street, Belfast)
Robert James Burrows enlisted in Belfast, he served with the 150th Field Company Royal Engineers in the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 32 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Sapper Robert James Burrows (No. 57416) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France; in Ballygowan Presbyterian Church; in Megain Memorial Presbyterian Church Belfast and in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour.