Carey, Sylvester
Rifleman
No. 6178, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade
Killed in action on Wednesday 26 August 1914 (aged 33; CWGC 50)
Buried:
Beauvois-En-Cambresis Communal Cemetery (on east side)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Holywood and District War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his surname is spelt Keary.
The name S. Carey is listed on Holywood and District War Memorial.
Sylvester Carey’s birth was registered in the third quarter of 1880 in Prescot, Lancashire, and he was a son of John Joseph and Catherine (Kate) Carey (nee Wynn) whose marriage was registered in the third quarter of 1875 in Prescot, Lancashire.
John Joseph Carey worked as a carter and then as a locomotive engine driver, and he and Catherine had ten children including:
Elizabeth (born around 1876 in Lancashire)
John James (born 29 November 1877 in Lancashire; moved to USA; died 4 January 1966 in San Mateo, California)
Sylvester (birth registered third quarter of 1880 in Prescot, Lancashire)
Joseph (born 19 February 1888 in Lancashire; died 15 April 1949 in California, USA)
Austin Sylvester (born 4 February 1890 in Lancashire; moved to USA; served with the US Military during the First World War; naturalised 17 June 1918, worked as a registered nurse; married Abbey after 1928; widowed; died 27 December 1969 in San Francisco, California; interred Golden Gate National Cemetery)
Annie (born around 1893 in Lancashire)
Agnes (born around 1896 in Lancashire)
In1901 the Carey family was living in St Helen’s, Lancashire.
John Joseph Carey of Brynn Street, St Helen’s, Lancashire died on 20 January 1908.
In 1911 the widowed Catherine was living at 69 High Street, Holywood with her daughters Elizabeth (a tailoress aged 30), Annie (an apprentice dressmaker aged 18) and Agnes (a scholar aged 15).
In CWGC records Sylvester Carey’s age at death in 1914 is 50, whilst in civil marriage registration records his age in 1908 is 28 and in 1911 census records it is 30. In 1881 census records his age is one, and in 1891 census records, 10.
Sylvester Carey was a career soldier, and he served in the South African campaign.
Sylvester Carey and Jane (Jenny) Graham were married on 12 August 1908 in Belfast Registrar’s Office. Sylvester Carey (aged 28) was a serving soldier in the 1st Rifle Brigade stationed in Palace Barracks Holywood, and he was a son of John Carey, an engine driver. Jane Graham (aged 25) from 8 Madison Avenue East, Belfast was a daughter of Samuel Graham, a caretaker.
Sylvester and Jane Carey (nee Graham) had five children:
Catherine (born 17 August 1908 at 8 Madison Avenue East, Belfast; died of debility the same day)
Sylvester (later known as Austin, born 5 August 1909 at Trevor Street, Holywood)
Mary Kathleen (born 10 July 1910 at Shore Street, Holywood)
John Joseph (born 28 November 1911 at Trevor Street, Holywood)
Thomas Sylvester (known as Sylvester, born 6 October 1914 in Prescott, Lancashire, two months after his father died)
Initially listed as missing in action, Rifleman Sylvester Carey (No. 6178) was later officially confirmed to have been killed in action during the Battle of Le Cateau. Earliest records after the battle stated that he was believed to be buried in Beauvois-En-Cambresis Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Then, in 1917, his name was one of several names included on a ‘Totenliste’ (list of the dead) compiled by German forces – a list of identification tags that had been found at Beauvois.
His burial in Beauvois-En-Cambresis Communal Cemetery was officially confirmed, without definitive identification of his remains, thus his CWGC headstone bears the inscription at its top:
BELIEVED TO BE
There is a personal inscription at the bottom of his CWGC headstone:
PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF SYLVESTER CAREY
R.I.P.
His widow Jane lived in Sandy Lane, Lambeg, Co Antrim, and in October 1926 she was living at Beechhill, Drumbeg.
Rifleman Sylvester Carey (No. 6178) is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial.