Photo : Tyne and Wear Archive and Museum Service

Photo: Imperial War Museum Q2641

Medal Index Card

Shields Gazette Monday 05/06/1911

Ypres Town Cemetery Extension: Pauline Priano

Jacob Conroy was born at 4 Allanton Rows, Hamilton, Scotland on the 13th July 1887, the second son of Thomas Conroy, [born at Gilligate, Hexham, 15th December 1859, baptised at St Mary's RC Church, on the 24th December 1859], a coalminer, of New York Village, Northumberland, and the late Isabella Conroy, nee Miller, [born in Morpeth in 1857], married on the 1st May, 1880, at North Shields.

They had seven children, Sarah Miller, born 19th December 1880, baptised on the 30th January 1881 at St Cuthbert's RC Church in Amble.* Elizabeth was born on the 23rd July 1882, baptised at the RC Church at Willington on the 3rd September, was a servant in Chirton Hill Farm at Bully Mill, in 1901, [married George Watson]. James, his elder brother, was born on the 18th February 1884, and was baptised at St John's Annitsford on the 16th March 1984, [he served in WW1 with a service number 694965]. Thomas Michael, was born on the 20th February 1889, and was baptised on the 24th April 1889 at St Cuthbert's RC Church at North Shields and William, born on the 13th November 1890, baptised on the 18th January 1891 at St Cuthbert's RC Church at North Shields, Northumberland, [in 1939 William Conroy was living in Walton and Weighbridge in Surrey with his wife Mary A and son James who is recorded as 'capstan operator aircraft'], Joseph was born on the 18th May 1892 and was baptised on the 27th July 1892 at St Cuthbert's RC Church North Shields, also Jane Anderson who was born on the 11th February 1896, christened at St Cuthbert RC Church, North Shields, on the 26th February 1896. However, she passed away at 8 weeks, and was buried at Preston Cemetery on the 1st April 1896 in unconsecrated ground no 2145.

* In 1881 Sarah Conroy was 4 months old living with her parents. In 1891 Sarah was residing with her Grandparents (her Mother Isabella's parents - Jacob and Jane Miller), at Murton. Sarah went on to marry Joseph Johnstone. On the 1911 census with their children Isabella, Elsie May and Gladys - all living at Coronation Terrace in New York.

Jacob's father and his brother James were all Hewer's in the Collieries. At some stage between 1887 and 1889 the family were at Hamilton in Scotland.

We believe that Jacob went to Murton Council school, there is an entry in the School Log book, dated November 26th 1897, which read Punished Geo. Logan, Jas. Simpson & Jac. Conroy for damaging school property written by the headmaster Alexander Fleming.

By 1901 Elizabeth does not appear on the 1901 census at New York.

By 1911, Jacob's mother [Isabella], has died and his father age 52, is now a boarder at 13 Mafeking Terrace at New York with Thomas Michael Conroy age 22, and William Conroy aged 20., who also are Boarders. They are living with the Watson family with their 4 children, Mary Isabella, born 1904, John Thomas, born 1906, Winifred, born 1908, and Agnes born March 1910 at Percy Main.

Jacob Conroy in 1911 was residing at 75 Waverley Street, Ballingry, Fife, Scotland (Boarder).

The Shields Gazette 05/06/1911 carried a report headed:- Thefts by New York Miners.

Two miners from New York got into trouble at North Shields on Saturday, and at the Borough Police Court this morning were both fine on charges of larceny. For having stolen on the 2nd June from an oventop in the kitchen of the home, 27 Tyne Street, a pair of lady's shoes of the value of 6s 11d, the property of Jenny Kelly. Jacob Conroy (23), of 13 Mafeking Terrace, was fined 10s and costs with an alternative of 14 days imprisonment. His companion, James Deans (23), of Harbottle's Buildings, was mulcted in a similar penalty for stealing from the cupboard of the home, 27 Tyne Street, a quantity of bacon and a number of pies of the value of 1s 1 1/2d, the property of Thomas Dobinson.

Jacob Conroy enlisted at Newcastle into the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and was sent to France on the 21st May 1915, from Folkestone to Boulogne. On the 25th they left by train for Cassell.

10th (Service) Battalion were formed at Newcastle on the 22nd August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 43rd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved initially to Woking, then on September 23rd to Aldershot, where they encamped at Berkshire Copse, and on to Witley in November 1914, returning to Aldershot on the 21st February 1915, and were sharing Corunna barracks with the 6th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The 10th Battalion were the best shots in the whole brigade.

On the 25th September, Bellewaarde ridge was attacked with the object of distracting the enemy's attention and holding his troops to their ground.

The 10th Battalion had an exciting experience during the preliminary bombardment. They were heavily shelled while coming up by train in open trucks toward Ypres and lost 40 killed and wounded.

Jacob Conroy was killed in action on Saturday 25th September 1915.

His personal effects and his war gratuity were sent to his sister Elizabeth in 1919.

The will of Private Jacob Conroy, 28, was never found after he was killed on the 25th September 1915. Witness statements made by his sister and brother to the War Office are recorded, explaining that when Private Conroy was home on compassionate leave he said he intended to leave everything to his sister, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth chose her brother's inscription "Hodie Mihi Cras Tibi" Today it's me, tomorrow it could be you.

Shields Daily News Friday, 07/09/1923. 'On Belgian Battlefield'.
To the Editor of the "Shields Daily News" Sir, - On a recent tour to the Belgian battlefields I visited many of the English cemeteries in the Ypres salient and cannot help but express appreciation of the work of the War Graves Commission. It is a comfort to see the beautiful resting places of those so violently and shockingly killed in war- those hallowed resting paces which will ever mark the sacrifice of English Manhood for all that civilisation means.

In the cemetery just outside the Menin Gate at Ypres, headstones are supplanting the pathetic wooden crosses set up to the dead, and in this cemetery I visited the graves of the following men belonging to the local regiments. They are2554 Private E. Scott. D.L.I., killed May 27, 1915.7049 Private G. Lodge. D.L.I. killed Sept. 25, 1915.12393, Private J. Marchbanks, D.L.I. killed September 1915.11950, Private J. Conroy, D.L.I. killed September 1915.11874, Private J. Gibson, D.L.I. killed September 1915.2895, Private H. Doyle, killed September 25 1917. I took photographs of the above, and will gladly supply relatives with these if they apply to my address. I left Belgium feeling ineffably sad and yet proud of our dead which are not forgotten - our dead lying in those well cared for cemeteries, on which God seems to smile and all is peace... Yours, etc. Thos Taylor. 21 Stanley Street, North Shields. Sept 6 1923.

His father Thomas, in 1923 was working at the Edward pit in Wallsend.

WALLSEND MINER INJURED.- Thomas Conroy aged 57, a miner of Mafeking Terrace, New York, was admitted to the Newcastle Infirmary, yesterday, suffering from a broken leg, caused by a fall of a stone in the Edward Pit, Wallsend.

Shields Daily News Saturday 30/06/1923.

The second photograph shows the (11th Battalion, DLI, at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge), July 1917. IWM Photo archive Q2641 refers.

Research: Angela Conroy/James Pasby

Jacob Conroy is remembered in New York on N53.02 and N53.03

Soldier's Wills available online
The CWGC entry for Private Conroy