| 30/12/2015 |
With reference to Sergeant Wm. Seeley, the brother of Mrs Wilson Irwin and Mrs W Greenwood, of Gordonvale, who died in East Africa whilst on active service, and whose portrait will shortly appear in the Herald, our Gordonvale correspondent forwards the following particulars: Sergeant William Seeley, 10th South African Infantry, died in East Africa whilst on active service from blackwater fever. Sergeant Seeley also served in the Boer War and is a brother of Mrs Wilson Irvin and Mrs W Greenwood of Gordonvale. |
| 30/12/2015 |
From the Cairns Post (Queensland, Australia) dated Wednesday 9th May 1917: Late Sergeant Seeley |
| 30/12/2015 |
William Scilly was the son of Eliza Jane Scilly. He was one of 11 children. The family were living in Killybaskey, Moneymore by 1871. |
| 30/12/2015 |
William Seeley served in the Boer War. |
| 30/12/2015 |
Sergeant William Seeley was serving with the 10th Regiment of the South African Infantry when he died in East Africa of malaria / blackwater fever on 20th November 1916. |
| 30/12/2015 |
Sergeant William Seeley is buried in Dar Es Salaam War Cemetery in Tanzania. |
| 30/12/2015 |
The 1901 census does not list William at living with the family at house 1 in Killybaskey, Lissan Upper, Londonderry. His father, had by that time, died. Two of the sons were farm labourers. |
| 30/12/2015 |
A report in a local newspaper in Gordonvale, Queensland, Australia, notes that he was a brother of Mrs Wilson Irvin and Mrs W Greenwood of Gordonvale. |
| 30/12/2015 |
Known Family: Eliza Jane Scilly, Daughter (born 27th October 1871), James Seeley (born 20th July 1873), Thomas Scilly (born 2nd December 1876), Annie Scilly (born about 1878), George Scilly (born 27th July 1878), John Seeley (born 29th August 1879), Jane Jennie Scilly (born 7th January 1881), Fredrick Scilly (born 14th May 1882), Sarah Scilly (born 1st September 1883). All of the children listed were born in Moneymore. |
| 30/12/2015 |
The family name was spelt Scilly / Silly in most early records. By 1911, it seems to have changed to Seeley. |
| 30/12/2015 |
The 1911 census does not list William at house 2 in Killybaskey, Lissan Upper, Londonderry. They were a farming family. |
