Private Robert Beveridge – A Son of Celbridge?
Celbridge’s Military Story took us to Naas, County Kildare this week. For the past few weeks we’ve been researching Celbridge and the Great War. Extensive work has been done on this by Dr. Fionnuala Walsh, by the History Squad in Scoil na Mainistreach, and the students of Salesian College. Today there are now two Great War memorials in Celbridge, honouring those who lost their lives in that conflict; one in Christ Church and one in Salesian College. The History Squad that unearthed a connection with Celbridge and the Remount Service. They reported that local man, Major William Dease, had recruited Celbridge men into this branch of the Army. It was on this trail that led us to Private Robert Beveridge of the Army Remount Service, who died in the Curragh Military Hospital on 25 January 1919.
Robert’s name popped up as a casualty of the Great War, buried in Saint Corbans Cemetery in Naas, County Kildare. He is listed as: R/066621 Private R. B. Beveridge, 28th Remount Squadron, the Royal Army Service Corps. Son of Mrs. M. Beveridge, of Limerick Road, Naas, Co. Kildare.
There is no mention of a connection with Celbridge. As it is an unusual name we had a look at the census. In the 1901 Census, there is a Robert Beverage, 6 year old boy, living with the Lennon family at Main Street, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. He was noted as a “boarder”. In the 1911 Census, Robert Beverage was a 17 year old Agricultural Labourer, living with the Lennon family at Kilmacredock Upper, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, and still noted as a “boarder”.
Our link to Robert Beveridge in Naas is only speculative as the trail ends here. Recent information indicates that Robert was a foster child of James Lennon and Norah née Somers Lennon.
We do know from the surviving medal index card of Private Robert Beveridge buried in Naas, that he was awarded the 1915 medal. Indicating he joined possibly around the start of the war.
He died at the Military Hospital at the Curragh, from appendicitis and liver abscesses. Hopefully more information will come to light and we can confirm that Robert Beveridge buried in Naas is the same Robert Beverage from Celbridge listed in the early census.
This project is supported by Kildare County Council.
