Melvyn & Sharron Pearson |Tandragee|Co Armagh BT62

Copyright © 2008 - 2010 Designed by Melvyn Pearson  - admin@melvynpearson.co.uk

All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

THE WAR & MARRIAGE FOR JACK & HARRIET

Back to Top of Page

Back to James and Ellen. With the Pearson’s now safely encamped from whence they came James continued to provide for Ellen and kin, but it appears that he had, as I mentioned previously a liking to the odd alcoholic beverage. It is known that Ellen had been given various keepsakes from the Abbott's back in New Zealand, some of which James turned into liquid assets, literally. But times were hard and I would like to think that some of the proceeds from Ellen’s treasure chest went on providing sustenance and raiment for their offspring.

When grandpa John James (Jack) was old enough a propos 1912 which would have made him nineteen he set out on a military career joining the Royal Irish Fusiliers as a private soldier. He enlisted and took the King’s Shilling in Armagh City. Times were extremely hard back then and employment was scarce so a military career would at least provide an income, and of course adventure and the chance to see the world.
The family being Quaker, this event of militarism broke the Quaker mould for my branch of the Family Tree in years to follow. Little did Jack know what an adventure it would turn out to be? In 1914 War broke out and Europe was thrown into conflict and was to face one of the darkest eras in history affecting nearly every household in Ulster. The young Jack became a Vickers Machine Gunner with the ‘Faugh's, the illustrious nickname of the Irish Fusiliers, stemming from their battle cry of ‘Faugh a Ballagh’ or translated from it’s Irish origin ‘Clear the Way’

A Vickers Gun for anyone who has never seen one is a heavy machine gun, mounted on a tripod that was liquid cooled by water and fired an unbelievable volley of lead at an enemy at distances more than the eye could see. Two soldiers operated the gun and it was the main firepower of the infantry during this period.

Anyhow Grandpa Jack fought in that Great War, as it’s known, World War One and was, fortunately, one of the lucky ones to live to tell the tale and return to his homeland. He did not escape injury entirely though and suffered gunshot wounds to his arms, shrapnel wounds to his upper legs and back and I am sure a scar on his mind worse than any visible lesion.

He fought in battles that conjure up horrible pictures of suffering and conditions we could not possibly imagine.

The Somme where hundreds of Ulster men died in July 1916, Ypres and Paschendale. Many friends of Jack must have died in those far off places in France and Belgium in the 1900’s. He never spoke much about his time in the army or the battles and scars he endured to my dad but I am sure his mind would often reflect on the horror that was the war to end all wars, well so it was said. We of course know better and 1939 was yet again to bring chaos to our land.

Granda Jack was left with a permanent limp due to his wounds and never received a war pension until many years later when Bob Bunting an ex Regimental Sergeant Major in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers who lived in Laurelvale went to the British Legion and fought for Jack’s right to a military pension. He did get the pension eventually but the amount was a pittance and a travesty by the government on ex servicemen who had served their country with bravery, honour and unquestioning reason. The monetary amount was shillings rather than pounds.

When Grandpa Jack was de-mobbed in 1918 he came home to unemployment and wrought at differing trades in those post war days. He and his brother Isaac Abbott Senior worked for a time selling fruit and vegetables in the local area produced by the Lamb family from the Richhill area. Isaac Abbott inherited the cobbler gift and dabbled in that. It is also said that Isaac suffered a kind of mental disorder and was a patient in the Sanatorium in Armagh, which the Quakers actually built. One thing is known he was a devout Quaker and studied his bible frequently.

Now that Jack was free of military ties he was on the lookout for a young maid to promulgate the Pearson pedigree and this he duly did.

Jack met a young Harriet Speers at a dance being held in the Orange Hall, Derryhale and the two agreed to ‘curt’, as was the custom of the day. Time passed and Jack and Harriet were eventually married. They lived with great grandmother Ellen at Lambs Row, near Richhill, and the patter of tiny feet began. As I have previously touched on after James (Jimmy) Isaac, and Charlie, my dad came into the world my gran Harriet had had enough of living a Quaker lifestyle and the interference of a doting Ellen was getting on the proverbial nerves so Harriet upped and away giving Jack the ultimatum I have spoken off earlier.

After Harriet and Jack eventually got a house on the Far Hill, Laurelvale, the family increased, as was the norm for the day. The Pearson’s consisted of James junior (Jimmy), Isaac Abbott (Wee Icky), Charles (Charlie), Frederick (Freddie), Jackson (Jackie), Woolsley, Herbert (Herbie), Oswald Ernest (Ossie), Noelene Ellen, Margaret Vera (Vee) and Ivon the youngest of my uncles. At the time of writing 2010 the family has been depleted somewhat with the only survivors being Frederick and Ivon.
.