Williamson, James
Private
No. 3363, ‘C’ Company, 7th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Died of wounds on Friday 8 June 1917 (aged 20)
Buried:
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), France (Grace III. C. 289)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
Family grave headstone in Bangor Abbey Graveyard
BIOGRAPHY
James Williamson was born on 7 December 1896 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast and he was a son of John and Sarah Ann Williamson (nee McNeice) who were married on 31 December 1888 in St Mary’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. John Williamson from 14 Mansfield Street, Belfast was a son of John Williamson, a labourer. Sarah Ann McNeice from 46 Mayo Street, Belfast was a daughter of a reed maker.
The Williamson family lived in Belfast at 6 Mansfield Street; at 17 Meenan Street and at 25 Agnes Street.
John Williamson was born in Clandeboye, Bangor; he worked as a general labourer and he and Sarah Ann had at least ten children:
Eleanor Johnston Fitchie (born 8 November 1889 at 6 Mansfield Street, Belfast)
Florence McCready (born 14 February 1891 at 6 Mansfield Street, Belfast; died 25 March 1893 aged 2 years)
Esther McNeice (born 21 March 1892 at 6 Mansfield Street, Belfast; died 8 June 1894 aged 2 years)
John (born 24 July 1893 at 6 Mansfield Street, Belfast)
Henry McNeice (born 25 May 1895 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast)
James (born 7 December 1896 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast)
Albert (born 24 May 1899 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast)
Maggie Hazley (born 25 October 1900 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast)
Agnes McNeice (born 13 February 1903 at 17 Meenan Street, Belfast; died 13 November 1903 aged 9 months)
Emily (born 29 June 1905)
Sarah Ann Williamson died of pneumonia on 19 January 1915 (aged 47) and her husband John died on 2 August 1939. They were buried in Bangor Abbey Graveyard.
After James left school, he worked as a telegraph messenger. He enlisted in Belfast, served with the 7th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 49th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division and was 20 when he died on 8 June 1917 of wounds sustained at Messines.
Private James Williamson was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), France and he is commemorated in the Belfast Book of Honour (Page 663) and on the family grave headstone in Bangor Abbey Graveyard.