RICHARD JOHN DOWNEY
Image courtesy of Anne and Arwen.
Born: 19th November 1883, Long Melford, Suffolk.
Baptised: 3rd February 1884, at Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford, Suffolk.
Died: 25th March 1918; age 35; KiA.
Residence: 17, Riverside Road, Ipswich.
Enlistment Location: Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.
Rank: Private; Service Number: G/71820
Regiment: Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex) Regiment, 19th Battalion.
Memorial Reference:
Bay 7.
Pas de Calais,
France.
CENSUS
1891 Crowle, Lincolnshire.
Richard was 7 years old and living with his parents, siblings & paternal aunt.
James Downey, 28, born Long Melford, Suffolk.
Annie Maria Downey (nee Murray), born Diss, Norfolk.
William James Downey, 3, born Crowle, Lincolnshire.
Annie Elizabeth Downey, 1, born Crowle, Lincolnshire.
Harriet Downey, 22, born Long Melford.
1901 Crowland Road, Haverhill, Suffolk.
Richard was 17 years old, a Hair Weaver. He was living with his parents & siblings.
James, 41, a Brickyard Labourer.
Anna, 43.
Willie, 13.
Annie, 12.
Ada Downey, 7, born Crewe, Yorkshire.
Mabel Downey, 5, born Haverhill, Suffolk.
Alice Maud Downey, 1, born Haverhill.
1911 17, Riverside Road, Ipswich.
Richard was 27 years old, a Spindle Hand – Horticultural Manufacturer. He was married & Head of the Household.
Grace, 27.
Richard, 3.
Kenneth, 1.
+ brother William, 23, an Electrician’s Labourer.
In 1906, Ipswich, Richard married Grace May Whitaker, born on the 31st March 1884, at the Edmonton Union Workhouse, Edmonton, London – daughter of Elizabeth Jane Whitaker, a domestic servant at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
Grace May Whitaker was baptised on the 17th April 1884, at St. James’ Church, Upper Edmonton. Grace was loved and cared for by her maternal grandparents, Luke Whitaker, a carpenter and joiner, and Eliza Whitaker (nee Glover), of 10, Town Mead Road, Waltham Holy Cross, Essex.
Grace and Richard had three children:
Richard John Whitaker Downey, born August 1907, Ipswich.
Kenneth Eric Downey, born July 1909, Ipswich.
Minnie Evelyn Annie Downey, born May 1911, Ipswich.
Soldiers’ Effects to Grace May Downey – widow.
In 1924, care of the Settlement Overseas Scheme of British Women, Grace Downey, 40, and her children, Richard, 16, Kenneth, 14, and Minnie, 12, departed from the Port of Liverpool aboard the S.S. Montclare of the Canadian Pacific. Grace and the S.O.S. B.W. had paid for passage for herself and her children. The Downey family sailed 3rd Class to Quebec, Canada, their intended country of residence. Grace had £15 on her person; she and her children were to stay with her late husband’s brother, William James Downey, of 1495, Howard Avenue, Windsor, Essex County, Ontario. Grace Downey’s next-of-kin was her maternal aunt, Mrs. Florence Emily Wright (nee Whitaker), of Normanhurst, 8, Ullswater Crescent, Weymouth, Dorset. The children’s next-of-kin was their paternal aunt, Mrs. Alice Maud Keer (nee Downey), of 11, Bank Road, Ipswich.
3 Comments
Thank you so much for posting this. Richard was the brother of my grandmother, Ada.
This posting helped me to understand details regarding how Richard served and was killed in action during WWI. My mother, Barbara, had told me about Richard. I am forwarding the link to this post to relatives so they will know as well.
*** Thank you once again for this very helpful post. The memorial is amazing-the men are so deserving of honor- such a shame war!!!
Any relative is welcome to email me at amgrace@comcast.net
Richard John Downey was my great uncle-being the brother of my grandmother Ada Downey. I would like to have access to a photograph of my great uncle. How can this be made possible? I look forward to your reply.
Anne