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Photo of James Charles Meldon

James Charles Meldon

Electrical Engineer
Birthplace County Dublin Dublin Ireland Date of Birth: March 1, 1873 Date of Death: August 7, 1945

Biography

Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): James Charles Meldon.

Gender: Male.

Date and Place of Birth: 1 March 1873, 25 Rutland Square Dublin Ireland.

Date and Place of Death:  7 August 1945, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, Ireland.

Nationality: Irish.

 

Biography

Childhood: He had seven siblings: Anne Meldon (1869–1869), Ada Maria Meldon (1869–1954), Henry Caplan Meldon (1874–1874), Edith Mary Meldon (1875–?), Edith Meldon (?), Ada Meldon (?) and James Charles Meldon (?).

Parents: Charles Henry Meldon Q.C. (1841-1892) and Ada Hodgens (1832-1898).

Parent’s occupations: His father was a Q.C., which typically denotes a Queen’s Counsel, making him a lawyer (usually a barrister or advocate) who is a senior counsel in court cases. Charles Henry Meldon, LL.D., QC (1841 – 15 May 1892) was an Irish barrister and nationalist politician who took his seat in the United Kingdom House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kildare from 1874 to 1885.

Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/A.

Occupation: In 1917, James Charles was the consulting engineer at The New Picture House, Greystones. It’s in the 1901 census we also get the first mention of James Charles’ job: an electrical engineer (Electrical Engineer and contractor- Dublin Daily Express – Tuesday 15 October 1912).

Place of residence at Gretna: N/A.

Job title at Gretna: Uncertain.

Marital status: Married Harriete Colclough (1876-1965).

Children: Eileen Mona (1897-1994) and Charles Vivian Meldon (1902-1949).

He was married to a second ‘Unknown spouse’, with whom he had a daughter Harriet Ada Meldon (1896-1897).

Travels: James advertised his business in local papers, and it appears that he was very successful. By 1911, he’d left Dublin to live in Greystones, Wicklow. In 1912, he was involved in the town of Dundalk’s switch to electric lights; his shop there was described as a ‘veritable fairyland of brilliant light.’[5] In 1917, he was the consulting engineer at the at The New Picture House, Greystones.

Awards/recognitions: Wicklow News-Letter and County Advertiser – Saturday 09 January 1915: ‘Mr. James Charles Meldon, Electrical Engineer… appointed a Justice of the Peace of the City of Dublin. A popular appointment, Mr. Meldon has received the sincere congratulations of his numerous friends’.

Trivia / any other information: In 1911, James Charles was fined for having an unlicenced dog.

In 1912, James Charles was involved in Dundalk’s switch to electrical light.

In 1915, James Charles was appointed a Justice of the Peace in the City of Dublin.

Also in January 1915, a sad event occurred at Meldon’s home in Greystones, his friend Mr Morgan died by suicide. The inquest into this death is recorded in Wicklow News-Letter and County Advertiser – Saturday 02 January 1915.

 

 

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