Walker, Samuel
Driver
No. 39071, 7th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
Died of disease on Sunday 4 April 1915 (aged 30)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium (Panel 1)
Newtownards and District War Memorial
Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919 for
Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church Newtownards
BIOGRAPHY
The death of Driver Samuel Walker (No. 39071) was reported in the 24 July 1915 edition of the Newtownards Chronicle by means of a letter written by Gunner T. McCreadie who at that time was serving with the Royal Field Artillery in India. In the letter, Gunner McCreadie described himself as ‘the last Newtownards man left in India’. Gunner McCreadie said that he had been informed about Driver Walker’s death by Driver Walker’s Sergeant Major, in response to a letter sent to Driver Walker by Gunner McCreadie which arrived after his death.
In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Debt of Honour Website it is recorded that Samuel Walker was a son of Mrs Agnes Walker of 77 Church Street, Newtownards. He was, in fact, her stepson.
Samuel Walker was born on 9 April 1884 at Mill Street Newtownards, and he was a son of the then unmarried Susanna McClean. Susanna McClean had at least three children:
Samuel McClean (born 9 April 1884 at Mill Street, Newtownards)
William John McClean (born 13 October 1885 at Mill Street, Newtownards)
Agnes McClean (born 21 May 1887 at Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Another child was born on 4 May 1889 at Greenwell Street Newtownards, Sarah Ann Walker, whose parents were registered as Samuel and Susanna Walker (nee McClean).
Their mother, Susanna Walker (nee McClean), died of post-partum haemorrhage at Greenwell Street on 15 May 1889 (aged 36). Samuel, William John, and Agnes McClean used the surname, Walker.
After Susanna died, Samuel Walker Senior married Agnes Gibson on 3 March 1894 in Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church Newtownards. Samuel Walker was a weaver and a widower from Newtownards and he was a son of Samuel Walker, a labourer. Agnes Gibson was a spinster from Newtownards and she was a daughter of Hugh Gibson, a labourer.
Agnes Gibson had at least two children before she and Samuel Walker were married:
Margaret (Maggie, born 5 July 1884 in Newtownards Workhouse; Maggie’s mother Agnes was described as ‘from the country’)
Thomas Henry (born 17 February 1888 in Newtownards Workhouse; Thomas’s mother Agnes was from Kilmood)
Samuel and Agnes Walker lived at 77 Church Street, Newtownards and, before that, in West Street, Newtownards. The 1901 census for West Street provides the following information:
Agnes Walker, Head of Family, a married seamstress (aged 50)
Maggie Walker, daughter (aged 16)
William J. Walker, stepson (aged 15)
Thomas H. Gibson, son (aged 13)
Agnes Walker, stepdaughter (aged 13)
Sarah Ann Walker, stepdaughter (aged 11)
Agnes Walker died of acute bronchitis and myocardial degeneration at 77 Church Street, Newtownards on 6 March 1931 (aged 76). Her son, Hugh Gibson was with her when she died.
Before he joined the Army on 7 April 1902, Samuel Walker was working as a farm servant for William and Jane Rankin who farmed at Loughriscouse, Newtownards. It was noted in his attestation papers that he was 5 feet 5 inches tall with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair.
When the Great War began, Samuel Walker was serving in India. He was posted to Europe where he served with the Royal Field Artillery. Driver Samuel Walker, (No. 39071) was suffering from myalgia when he was transferred to No. 10 Stationary Hospital on 19 February 1915. He died of a cerebral haemorrhage on 4 April 1915, and he has no known grave.
Driver Samuel Walker is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium; on Newtownards and District War Memorial and in the PCI Roll of Honour for Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church Newtownards.