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Looking for records for James Arthur King

Armagh

My Great Grandfather, James Arthur King was a builder in Armagh. He lived in Callun and Dobbin Streets. He was married to Mary Louisa Anderson. His father Arthur King was a full-time soldier with the British army (44th Foot Regiment) and his mother was Elizabeth (not sure what her maiden name was; possibly Collins).

I have James' baptism certificate from Brompton Garrison Church, Kent, UK, but I have not been able to locate his death certificate. I'm pretty sure it would have been in Armagh because his parents both died in Armagh and his children (incl my grandfather, David King) and grandchildren (incl my father, Denis King) were born in Armagh. I've been searching for quite some time now and I would appreciate any advice on how to find his death certificate. I've tried the civil records on the Irish Geneology site.

thank you in anticipation

Janette

Janette Smith

7 replies

Hi, Can you provide a time frame? Thank you.

glanvil3@aol.com

Hello again,

I found the following entry in the NI will calendars:

King James Arthur of 28 Dobbin Street Armagh county Armagh building contractor died 16 March 1926 Probate Belfast 16 August to William Pinkerton and Sydney McVitty merchants. Effects £502 11s. 4d.

Could this be your James Arthur King?

glanvil3@aol.com

James Arthur King’s 1926 death certificate can be viewed on the GRONI website for £2.50. (The irish genealogy site doesn't have any records for Northern Ireland post 1.1.1922 ie after partition. Only GRONI has them).

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/

His will should be in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast, where you can view it free if you go in person. Otherwise you would need to pay PRONI or a researcher to copy it for you.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much for this information - it all relates to my Great Grandfather James Arthur King. I also found the newsletter very useful for some other information. As lot of my family comes from Armagh and I've grown up on the other side of the world it is very exciting to have contact with Armagh. I did visit for just one day 12 years ago and I went to the property in Dobbin Street but unfortunately back then I didn't know much about my family history at all.

I'm currently studying for a Diploma in Family History with the University of Tasmania and my current module is about Military History and particularly WW1. I've chosen to focus my assignment on my Grandfather David King who took on the contracting/building business in Dobbin Street. During WW1 he served with the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers for approximately 3 years. I've just downloaded a copy of the RIF War diary from the War Office which is harrowing to read.

Is there any local Armagh history about returned soldiers from WW1?

Also, my 2 X Great Grandfather, Arthur King was a full-time soldier with the 44th Foot Regiment and I'm trying to find out if his wife Elizabeth stayed in Armagh while he was serving overseas in India and China in the mid 1800s. I know that she was living with her son James when the 1901 Census was taken and that she died in Armagh in 1905.

Once again, thank you so much for your help.

Warm regards

Janette Smith (nee King)

Janette Smith

Janette,

Possibly Arthur King’s marriage in 1867 to Eliza Collins:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1867/11504/8230225.pdf

Did he die in Armagh Lunatic Asylum in 1887? 

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1887/06216/4778607.pdf

Occupation was pensioner which, in 1887, normally implied previous military service.

If so, you may find some papers on him in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. I have attached a selection of the files they hold. You will see committal papers 1881 - 1893, and a post mortem book which covers 1887.

The records are not on-line but they are available in PRONI and are open to the public, subject to a 100 year rule, which won’t affect this case. If you can't get to PRONI yourself, you could employ a local researcher to check the records for you.  The same researcher could also get his son's 1926 will.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Is there any local Armagh history about returned soldiers from WW1?

While I don't know of an Armagh history, I can recommend a novel, THE CANAL BRIDGE, by Tom Phelan, which deals with Irish soldiers fighting in WWI and with their return.

glanvil3@aol.com

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