9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
18/11/1885
Died:
01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age:
30
Summary
Absalom Keightley was the eldest son of James Keightley. Absalom was born about 1886 in Coalisland, County Tyrone. His mother died when he was young and the family (three sons) moved to Belfast. Private Absalom Keighley was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. He was 30 years old.
Further Information
Absalom Keightley was the son of James and Mary Keightley. James Keightley and Mary Burke were married on 24th November 1879 in the district of Magherafelt.
Absalom Keatley was born 18th November 1885 in Coalisland, County Tyrone. He was the second oldest of at least five children.
Known family: James Keightley, Mary Keightley, William Keightley (born 1st January 1881, Magherafelt), Absalom Keightley (born 18th November 1885, Coalisland), James Keightley (born 25th January 1888, Coalisland), Samuel Keightley (born 2nd March 1890, Coalisland), Lena Keightley (born 1st September 1892, Dungannon).
The 1901 census records Absalom as age 14, living with the family at house 19 in Malvern Place, Belfast. Absalom has left school is working as a message boy. His father was a coachman. His father was a widower.
The 1911 census records Absalom as age 25 boarding at house 55 in Langford Street, Court Ward, Belfast with the McQuillan family. He was working as a labourer.
Absalom Keightley and Jane Spence were married on 26th December 1911 in Belfast.
Speculated family: Absalom Keightley, Jane Keightley, Agnes Keightley (born 30th March 1912, Belfast), Sarah Keightley (born 13th March 1915, Belfast).
The family lived at 1 Beresford Street, Belfast.
Absalom Keighley enlisted in Belfast.
Private Absalom Keighley was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. He was 30 years old.
Private Absalom Keighley has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
