McKimm, David
Ex-Rifleman
Depot Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
Died of disease on Friday 26 December 1924 (aged 56)
Buried:
Newtownards (Movilla) Cemetery, Co Down
Commemorated:
Newtownards and District War Memorial
Brother of Private James McKimm (No. M2/193481)
Brother of Ex-Rifleman Robert McKimm (No. 3/25599)
BIOGRAPHY
The name David McKimm is listed on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in the booklet produced for the Unveiling and Dedication Ceremony held on Saturday 26 May 1934 he is described as a Rifleman in the Royal Irish Rifles. The organising committee of the day decided to include the names of ex-servicemen who died up to that date from what they considered to be war related causes, whether as a result of wounds or disease.
In some records his surname is spelt McKim.
David McKimm was born on 4 April 1868 in Wallace’s Street No. 2, Newtownards and he was a son of William and Margaret McKimm (nee Henry, sometimes Henery) who were married on 15 February 1864.
The McKimm family lived at 2 Wallace’s Street, Newtownards and in Greenwell Street, Newtownards
William McKimm was a weaver and he and Margaret had at least twelve children:
Ann Jane (born 1 September 1864 in Wallace’s Deed, Newtownards)
David (born 4 April 1868 in Wallace’s Street No. 2, Newtownards)
Robert (born 22 March 1870 in Wallace’s Street No. 2, Newtownards)
Thomas (born 18 January 1872 in Wallace’s Street No. 2, Newtownards)
William (born 16 August 1873 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
Samuel (born 13 July 1876 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
Margaret (born 24 January 1880 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
James (born 23 August 1881 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
Sarah (born 16 January 1883 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards; died of scarlatina 25 January 1883)
Alexander (born 6 September 1884 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
Alice (born 25 April 1886 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
Charles (born 23 February 1889 in Wallace’s Street, Newtownards)
After leaving school David McKimm worked as a baker and in October 1885 he enlisted in Belfast. Rifleman David McKimm (No. 1461) served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles during the South African War.
On 9 April 1898 David McKimm and Margaret (Maggie) Gaw (daughter of John Gaw, a weaver who lived at 42 Movilla Street, Newtownards) were married in Newtownards Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mark’s) and they had seven children:
William (born around 1899 in Monmouthshire)
David (born 20 August 1900 in Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Margaret (born around 1903 in Monmouthshire)
Isobel (born around 1905 in Kent)
Mary (born 3 December 1907)
Alice (born 1 December 1910 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
Grace (born 24 February 1913 in George’s Street, Newtownards)
The McKimm family lived at 29 George’s Street, Newtownards and David re-enlisted on 23 November 1914 in Belfast. Rifleman David McKimm (No. 1806), then aged 46, was posted to the Depot Battalion and he did not serve overseas. Rifleman David McKimm was discharged from the Army on 28 January 1920.
After leaving the Army, David McKimm worked as a night-watchman at Kiltonga Bleach Works, Newtownards and he was 56 when he died at home (29 George’s Street, Newtownards) on 26 December 1924. On his death certificate he was described as a night-watchman and Army Pensioner and the cause of death was cancer of the mouth and neck which had been diagnosed four months earlier. His wife Margaret was with him when he died and he was buried in Movilla Cemetery, Newtownards.