McErvel, Archibald Gibson
Private
No. 9984, 24th Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Died of disease on Thursday 12 August 1920 (aged 45)
Buried:
Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt (Grave G. 86)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
It was reported in the County Down Spectator that Private Archibald G. McErvel was a son of the late Thomas McErvel of Bangor and that his widow and two children lived at Craig Royston, Cultra.
Archibald Gibson McErvel was born on 11 June 1875 at 5 Clifton Terrace, Belfast and he was the eldest son of Thomas and Sarah Jane McErvel (nee Hutson) who were married on 13 July 1874 in First Presbyterian Church, Belfast. Thomas McErvel from Belfast was a son of Archibald McErvel, a farmer. Sarah Jane Hutson from Belfast was a daughter of John Hutson, a revenue officer.
In 1901 the McErvel family lived at 23 Clifton Road, Bangor.
Thomas McErvel was a seed merchant with premises in Victoria Street, Belfast and he and Sarah had at least seven children:
Archibald Gibson (born 11 June 1875 at 5 Clifton Terrace, Belfast)
Sarah (born 22 January 1877 at 5 Clifton Terrace, Belfast)
Mary (born 13 April 1879 at 1 Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast; died of diphtheria 13 December 1884 at 1 Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast)
Thomas (born 9 November 1880 at 1 Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast)
Isabel (born 5 March 1883 at 1 Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast)
John Hutson (born 7 February 1886 in Strandtown, Belfast)
Arthur Edward (born 9 March 1889 in Strandtown, Belfast; died of diphtheria 8 January 1891 in Strandtown, Belfast)
Archibald Gibson McErvel was a career soldier and his two brothers, John Hutson and Thomas, worked in the family business.
Thomas McErvel Senior died of liver disease at 2 Upper Clifton, Bangor on 5 September 1911 (aged 71).
Sarah Jane McErvel died of neuritis at 2 Upper Clifton, Bangor on 8 November 1911 (aged 67).
It was reported in the Belfast News-Letter newspaper that Archibald Gibson McErvel and Annie Elizabeth (Bessie) Lawrie were married on 20 November 1902 at Capetown, South Africa. Bessie Lawrie (born in Lancashire) was a daughter of Robert Hardy Lawrie of College Gardens, Belfast. Archibald and Bessie had two children:
Shelagh Mary (born around 1903/1904 in South Africa)
Patricia Margaret (born around 1906/1907 in South Africa)
During the Great War Private Archibald Gibson McErvel served with the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) and in the County Down Spectator it was reported that he had previous service with the Royal Irish Rifles. Private Archibald Gibson McErvel was attached to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and he was 45 when he died of dysentery on 12 August 1920 in the Military Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. At that time his wife and two children were living at Craig Royston, Cultra.
Private Archibald Gibson McErvel’s widow, Annie Elizabeth, died on 6 February 1941 in the Crichton Royal Institution, Dumfries, Scotland.
Private Archibald Gibson McErvel’s brother, John Hutson (sometimes Hudson) McErvel, and Eleanor Mary O’Toole were married on 8 December 1919 in the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Rosary, Ballynafeigh, Belfast. John Hutson McErvel, a merchant from Upper Clifton, Bangor was a son of Thomas McErvel, a merchant. Eleanor Mary O’Toole from Maryville, South Parade, Belfast was a daughter of Owen O’Toole, a building contractor. Their son, John Gibson McErvel, was born on 28 August 1921 at 51 Adelaide Park, Belfast.
John Hutson McErvel of 33 Windsor Park and 81a Victoria Street, Belfast died on 24 September 1941 (aged 55) at 57 Botanic Avenue, Belfast and probate was granted to his widow.
John Hutson McErvel was buried in Belfast City Cemetery (Grave R 643) and also buried in that grave were:
His sister, Mary McErvel, died 13 December 1884.
His brother, Arthur Edward McErvel, died 8 January 1891
His father, Thomas McErvel, died 5 September 1911.
His widow, Eleanor McErvel, died 18 April 1967.
His son, John McErvel, died 16 September 2000.
Private Archibald Gibson McErvel’s second cousin, Major John Harold McErvel (their grandparents were siblings) also died in the Great War. He died on 8 August 1916 (aged 32) and was buried in BernafayWood British Cemetery in France (Grave L. 18):