People on board

WILLIAMSON, Jack

Jack Williamson was born about 1894 in County Armagh, though a birth certificate has not been identified. His parents were William Williamson, a Coachman, and Sarah Buchanan and Jack was the eldest of their three children. The family moved to Falmore in County Louth where William was Coachman and Domestic Servant to the Bigger family of Falmore House. A daughter, Lizzie Jane on birth certificate, Lillie / Lily on census forms, was born there in 1897. By 1903 they had moved to Chapel Lane in Dundalk where a son, William Edmond (Teddy) was born. On the birth certificate William’s occupation was given as Insurance Agent but by the time of the 1911 census he was once again a Coachman and they were living in Poolboy Street in Navan. Jack was then a General Labourer. A final move took the family to Black Castle in Navan where there was a large house, Black Castle House, where William may have been employed as Coachman.

There are very few military records available for Jack Williamson and all that is known is that he joined the Army Veterinary Corps at Ironbridge (presumably in Shropshire). It is not known if he was already employed in England or if he travelled there to join the AVC. His Service Number prefix SE indicates ‘Special Enlistment’ as Horseman, which makes sense having grown up with horses. It is not known where he served during the war.

He was presumably returning to duty following leave at home when he travelled on RMS Leinster on the 10th of October 1918. He did not survive the sinking nor was his body recovered. His name is recorded on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton.