Ferguson, Samuel
Rifleman
No. 2312, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday, 1 July 1916 (aged 30)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Holywood and District War Memorial
Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque
High Street Presbyterian Church Holywood
BIOGRAPHY
Samuel Ferguson was born on 3 January 1886 in Ballyaghagan, Cavehill, Belfast and he was a son of William and Martha Ferguson (nee Hunter) who were married on 24 February 1882 in Joymount Presbyterian Church, Carrickfergus. William Ferguson, who was born in Scotland, was a labourer from Whitehead and he was a son of james Ferguson, a labourer. Martha Hunter from Ballybentra, Broadisland was a daughter of William Hunter, a labourer.
The Ferguson family lived in Whitehead, Belfast and Holywood.
William and Martha Ferguson (nee Hunter) had at least nine children:
Jane (born 13 February 1884 in Whitehead)
Samuel (born 3 January 1886 in Ballyaghagan, Cavehill, Belfast)
Martha (born 1 December 1887 in Upper Ballysillan, Belfast)
Agnes (born 4 August 1889 in Ballyaghagan, Cavehill, Belfast)
William James (born 28 February 1891 in Ballyaghagan, Cavehill, Belfast; died of bronchitis 14 April 1891)
James (born 27 February 1892 in Ballyaghagan, Cavehill, Belfast)
Mary (born 8 June 1893 in Hill Street, Holywood)
William (born 29 October 1895 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Sarah (born 3 March 1898 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Forty-five days after Sarah was born, her mother Martha died of a pulmonary embolism in Hill Street, Holywood on 17 April 1898 (aged 38).
In 1901 Samuel and Jane Ferguson were living with their widowed father, William Ferguson, in Hill Street, Holywood.
Jane Ferguson worked as a domestic servant and, after he left school, Samuel Ferguson worked as a message boy.
Jane Ferguson and Samuel Cully were married in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church on 5 October 1906 and they lived at 10 Lennox Place, Holywood.
Samuel’s father died of heart disease in Hill Street, Holywood on 2 March 1907 (aged 51) and Samuel was with him when he died.
When Samuel Ferguson enlisted in Belfast he named his sister, Jane Cully, as his next of kin.
During the Great War, Samuel Ferguson served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and he was 30 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Rifleman Samuel Ferguson has no known grave and he is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial; on the Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque, and on the Memorial Plaque in High Street Presbyterian Church Holywood.