Name

James Adams Quinn.

Description

Newspaper Photograph of Private James Adams Quinn.

Life Story

Name: John Adams Quinn.

Service Number: 10064.

Rank: Private.

Battalion: 1st Battalion.

Regiment: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Born: 7th May 1893, Belfast.

Died: 22nd May 1915.

Address: 15 North Boundary Street, Belfast

.

John Adams Quinn, son of Robert and Ruth Quinn, lived with his Aunt Eliza Jane Mateer at 15 North Boundary Street, Shankill Road, Belfast

.

The 1901 Ireland Census has James living at 123 Upper Malvern Street, Shankill Road, Belfast with his mother, father, occupation, Carter Labourer, three brothers, William John, 6 years, Robert George, 4 years, Thomas Henry, 2 years, sister Mary, under 1 year, aunt Eliza Jane Mateer, uncle James Mateer.

.

The 1911 Ireland Census has James family living at 2 Penrith Street, Shankill Road, Belfast. His father Robert now living with his sister, Williams aunt Eliza Jane and uncle James Mateer, with further children, Richard 8 years (a twin), Esther, 6 years, and Eliza Jane 4 years.

Williams parents had at least ten children, including twins, one of which David, died at 4 months old, and a sister Alice, who died just days short of her second birthday on the 27th June 1908. Williams mother herself then sadly died on the 5th November 1909 due to maternity complications

.

James joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

He was posted as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on the 17th of March 1915.

James was a Private in 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was Killed In Action at the Gallipoli/Dardanelles on the 22nd May 1915 aged 22 years

.

A local newspaper states.

ROYAL INNISKILLING FUSILIERS.

Mr Robert Quinn, 15 North Boundary Street, Belfast, has had the misfortune to lose two sons, both of whom were serving in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He has been notified that James, aged 22 years, has been killed at the Dardanelles, serving with the 1st Battalion, and that William John, aged 20 years has died of wounds received while serving with the 2nd Battalion in France. These young men were brought up by the aunt Eliza J Mateer, 15 North Boundary Street, their mother being dead

.

Local Information

.

S.A.S.H has proudly taken part in many projects within the Greater Shankill Community during the Great War Years Centenary Period. One project seen our group offer help around naming those from within the community that had died. Their information was then placed upon Poppy Memorial Boards, which were then placed within the community

.

One of our members was also asked if they wished to highlight anything in particular instantly chose the Quinn Brothers. Below is the write-up that was placed upon the board and reads as follows

.

A TRIBUTE TO THE QUINN BROTHERS.

Eliza Jane Mateer may not have been the mother of these four young lads, however she took them, her four nephews, James, William, Robert Thomas, into her North Boundary Street home after the death of their mother Ruth, treated them as if they were her own, all the while doing so to help her Brother Robert, during what was obviously very hard times.

Many families sadly lost loved ones during the Great War, however Eliza Jane lost four young men in their prime. Each year, 1914, 1915, 1917 1918, brought what must have been an unbearable pain to her home.

We have all suffered the loss of someone within our lives, we all know the pain that comes along with that loss, so that is why we should Recognise Remember young men like the Quinn Brothers.

Some families lost sons, husbands, brothers even sisters during the Great War, some even lost the next generation, or family blood line, so that is why we can never forget the Bravery Sacrifice of them all.

Thousands of Brave Shankill men marched down our road off to war, over 1500 of them never returned, with over 150 losing their lives on the 1st of July alone. The loss of the 4 Quinn lads, each a member of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at one time, is a story of great sadness. These young men, watched as each brother died, one after another, until there was no brothers left.

The famous saying, All Gave Some Some Gave All, seems ever so touching at the thought of this family, The Quinn Brothers.

We should also take a minute to remember Williams father Robert in this case. Here we have a man who has suffered the loss of at least two young children, his wife Ruth and then his four adults son, 7 people in total within the space of 10 years, something that must have surely been a heart breaking and traumatic period of his life. Robert died on the 14 February 1949 aged 70 years

.

James Soldiers Effects were left to his Aunt Eliza Jane.

His Will stated, In the event of my death I give all I posses to Mrs Mateer No15 North Boundary Street, Off Shankill Road, Belfast, Ireland.

A Pension Application Form shows his aunt Eliza Jane as claimant for him and his three brothers.

A Dependant Pension Application Form also shows his aunt Eliza Jane as claimant for him and his three brothers

.

See brother also: 10502 Private William John Quinn 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

See brother also: 3308 Private Robert George Quinn 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

See brother also: 18549 Private Thomas Henry Quinn 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment.

James received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star.

.

He is Remembered at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Turkey.

To Remember Is To Honour

.