William Valentine Gill Rankin was born on 1 January 1861 at Altnagelvin in the Glendermott area of Londonderry, Ireland (referred to as ‘Derry’ hereafter). He was baptised on 14 April 1861 at Glendermott Church. His parents were David Rankin (c.1828-1899), a labourer, and Sarah Rankin nee Barr (1823-1878) who married at the same church on 21 April 1846. Sarah was 5 years older than David.
William had at least one brother and three sisters – in all likelihood he had many more. Further research is needed.
On 15 February 1878, when William was aged 17, his mother Sarah died of bronchitis aged 45. The family were then living at 9 Ferguson Lane, Derry.
On 21 February 1882, William’s widowed father David married spinster Ellen Mullen (c.1863-1887) who was around two years younger than William (and 35 years younger than husband David). They were then living at 92 Bishop Street, Derry. David and Ellen had three children, one of whom died aged just 5 days.
On 7 January 1884, it was William’s turn to marry. His bride was Jane Beattie (1865-1911).
Jane, born on 7 November 1865, was the daughter of Samuel Beattie (1830-?) and Hannah Beattie nee Donaghy. The marriage took place at St. Columb’s Cathedral. William’s occupation was labourer and his residence was 6 Albert Place. Jane had been living at Gasyard Terrace. Just over a year later, William and Jane’s first daughter was born.
On 27 March 1887, William’s step-mother Ellen died at 112 Fountain Street, Derry aged just 24 of phthisis (most likely TB).
On 19 December 1887, William’s twice-widowed father David married for a third time. His bride this time was unmarried mother Margaret Colhoun. David and Margaret had two sons.
William and Jane had eleven children, five of whom died in infancy:
- Charlotte Rankin (1885-1979) – born 28 April 1885 at Lecky Road – Charlotte married Matthew Thomas ‘Matt’ Mulhern (1882-1945) – Charlotte died aged 94 on 17 November 1979 at Shear Water Way, Derry
- Sarah Rankin (1887-1896) – born 17 June 1887 at 7 Majors Row – died of measles aged 9 on 6 July 1896 at Fountain Place (just two weeks after siblings Hannah and the second William James)
- William James Rankin (1889-1890) – born 17 June 1889 at Dark Lane – died of bronchitis aged 1 on 6 July 1890 at Dark Lane
- Hannah Rankin (1891-1896) – born 19 June 1891 at 4 Windmill Terrace – died of measles aged 5 on 21 June 1896 at Fountain Place
- William James Rankin (1893-1895) – born 15 April 1893 at Fountain Place – died of bronchitis aged 2 on 26 May 1895 at Fountain Place
- David Rankin (1895-1896) – born 25 September 1895 at 7 Fountain Place – died of measles aged 9 months on 25 June 1896 at Fountain Place, four days after sister Hannah
- Sarah Jane Beatty Rankin (1898-1929) – born 17 July 1898 at 27 Lower Road – Sarah married James Vass, a soldier from Harlow in Essex, England on 21 October 1926 – apparently James left Sarah soon after – Sarah died of tuberculosis (TB) aged 29 on 23 December 1929 at 50 Glendermott Road leaving her estate to her surviving sisters Charlotte, May and Lily and brother Walter in equal shares (see extract from copy below) – sister Charlotte was present at her death.
- Victoria May ‘May’ Rankin (1900-1986) – born 4 June 1900 at 99 Bishop Street, but register shows 24 July 1900, possibly to avoid a fine for being registered late – May was baptised in Derry Cathedral on 11 July – May married George Ernest Meads (1900-1966) at Clooney All Saints on 14 August 1919 – sister Sarah was a witness – May’s address at the time was 17 York Street, Waterside – May and George had four children – May died aged 85 on 26 March 1986 at Poole in Dorset, England
- Elizabeth Alexandra ‘Lily’ Rankin (1901-1973) – born 5 December 1901 at 98 Fountain Street – Lily married James Peoples (1898-1974) at Clooney All Saints on 28 March 1921 – Lily was living at 11 Bonds Place at the time – Lily and John had a son Jim and two daughters – Lily died aged 71 on 3 February 1973
- Richard Francis Rankin (1903–1929) – born 21 August 1903 at 94 Fountain Street – incorrectly registered as Bridget Frances Rankin! – the registrar must have misheard the mother and she could not check his entry as unable to read and write – Richard married Margaret Jane Conboy (1905-?) on 8 January 1929 just six days before he died of a cerebral haemorrhage aged 25 on 14 January 1929 at Waterside Infirmary – less than two weeks later his daughter Frances Annie Rankin (1929-1997) was born on 26 January 1929
- William Walter Thompson ‘Walter’ Rankin (1908–?) – Walter was born on 30 October 1908 at 14 Fountain Place – Walter may have spent some time in an orphanage and then with the George family in Drumachose near Limavady. Walter was later sponsored by a Canadian farmer to emigrate there at a young age to work for him – Walter later wanted to return to Ireland but the farmer wouldn’t help him – Walter remained in Canada and married Beulah Hazel Dafoe (1913-2009) – Walter and Beulah had two sons and a daughter
William Valentine Rankin’s wife Jane died of cancer aged 45 on 27 March 1911 at 14 Fountain Place. She was buried in Derry City Cemetery in grave number FA385, the proprietor being her father-in-law David Rankin of Ferguson Street.
On 12 August 1915, William signed up for the 10th Inniskillings as a Private. His height was 5 feet 3 inches. He gave his occupation as mason/bricklayer and his age as 39. He was actually 54 – a staggering 15 years older! He left his second daughter Sarah as guardian in charge of his younger children.
Within a week William was training at Finner Camp, County Donegal and was transferred to the 12th Inniskillings.
After a few months William transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Regimental no. G/461) and in February 1916 was sent to India on garrison duty and then later on to Egypt. He returned to Ireland on 12 September 1916 and was immediately admitted to hospital. He was granted a furlough from 29 September to 9 October 1916. However, on 27 March 1917, William was discharged from the Army as he was “no longer physically fit for war service”. He qualified for a weekly pension of 5 shillings for 26 weeks. William was awarded the British War Medal.
On discharge William went to 33 Union Street, the home of his daughter Charlotte and husband Matt Mulhern.
On 2 July 1917, William married Annie Brown at Waterside Presbyterian Church. They were living at 1 Cross Street, Waterside at the time.
William and Annie had a number of children but further research is needed to establish their names.
On 30 September 1918 William asked for a discharged soldier’s badge as ‘many people discredit my having been in the Army’ and to ‘obviate’ having to produce his pension papers when supporting claims to employment. His request was successful and the badge was sent the very next day.
On 27 March 1924, the following in memoriam notice appeared in the Londonderry Sentinel:
William died aged 73 on 11 September 1934. It is not yet known whether third wife Annie subsequently remarried or when she died.
With special thanks to Colleen J Murdoch, Pat Sheppard and Joan Lynch. You can read more about the Beattie / Rankin connection on Colleen’s Twisted Limbs & Crooked Branches blog.
People Places Past 