James Charles Carney

Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial 1914-1918 | Index

James Charles Carney was born in Fleetwood, the fourth of nine children of James Carney and his wife Catherine Levine who married in Widnes, Lancashire in 1890. Their first three children were born in Widnes: Peter in 1890, Mary Alice in 1892, and Catherine in 1894.

Carney Brothers medals

James senior was born in Mayo, Ireland in 1868. In the 1891 Census we was an alkali labourer and he continued in the same occupation after the Carney family moved to our area. Two sons were born before the next census - James Charles in 1897 and Bartholomew in 1899 - which recorded the Carneys living at 4 Rock Street, Burn Naze. Further children followed: Cecilia in 1903, Winifred in 1904, Joseph in 1907 (died 1908) and finally Francis Joseph in 1910.

By the time of 1911 Census, the family had moved to Bridge Terrace, Trunnah Road. James junior, aged 14, was an errand boy for the Post Office. He later became employed by the United Alkali Company like his father and brothers, Peter and Bartholomew.

The three older brothers served in the army during the war: Peter with the Liverpool Regiment; Bartholomew with the Manchester Regiment; James with the King's Own Scottish Borderers. James's war service record has not survived but we know from his Medal Rolls Index Card that he was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force on 19 December 1915. It was whilst serving with the Regiment's 7th Battalion that he was reported as missing during the Battle of Arras and was subsequently presumed to have died on 3 May 1917. He was aged 20. Pte. James Charles Carney, 21088, 7th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers is remembered on Bay 6 of the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

Brothers Peter and Bartholomew survived the war. On 14 September 2022 the medals of the three brothers were sold at auction as a family group by Noonan's of Mayfair. The photographs shows (left to right): James's 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal; Bartholomew's British War Medal and Victory Medal; and Peter's Victory Medal.