Arthur Michael

Private Arthur Michael – Royal Irish Regiment, 5^th Battalion

Early Life

Arthur Michael

Arthur Michael, the second military burial at Oystermouth Cemetery, was born in 1889 in Oystermouth, the son of Thomas Michael and Anne Rees. His parents were married at St. James’ Church, Swansea, on 12 October 1873.

1891 Census

According to the 1891 Census, the Michael family was living on Hill Street, Oystermouth. Thomas, aged 42, was employed as a Mariner, while Anne, aged 38, was born in Llanelly, Carmarthenshire. Their household included several children: Oscar, aged 15, who was employed as a Mason’s Apprentice; George, aged 13, who worked as a General Labourer; Ernest, aged 10; Henry, aged 7; and Thomas, aged 4, all of whom were attending school. Arthur was recorded as being 2 years old, and the youngest child, Clifton, was 6 months old.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family was still living in Oystermouth, now at 3 Hill Street. Thomas, then aged 53, continued to work as a Mariner, while Anne, aged 47, managed the household. Some of their older children had left home, but several remained. Oscar, aged 26, was working as a Mason Journeyman; Henry J., aged 17, was employed as a Page Boy in domestic service; Arthur, aged 14, worked as an Errand Boy for a butcher; Thomas was 12; and Clifton was 10.

1911 Census

In the 1911 Census, the Michael family continued to reside at 3 Hill Street. Thomas, now 63, was recorded as a Fisherman, and Anne, aged 57, continued to manage the home. Arthur, aged 24, and his brother Thomas John, aged 22, were both employed as Bridge Painters by the Railway Company, while their youngest brother Clifton, aged 20, worked as a Signalman for the Harbour Trust Company.

Military Service

At the outbreak of the First World War, Arthur Michael enlisted as Private No. 2287 with the 5^th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. The battalion had been raised at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, in August 1914, and by early 1915 was stationed in Longford, training as part of the 10^th (Irish) Division.

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects

During this period of intensive preparation, Arthur contracted spotted fever (likely meningitis or enteric fever). Despite medical attention, he passed away at Longford Workhouse on 9^th April 1915, before his battalion left Ireland for active service overseas.

Death and Burial

Longford Workhouse

The Longford Workhouse, situated on Dublin Road, was built between 1840 and 1842 to serve the Longford Poor Law Union, one of many established across Ireland under the Poor Law system. Designed by George Wilkinson, it could accommodate around 1,000 inmates and included an infirmary that, by the early twentieth century, had become the main medical facility in the district. Conditions were often austere, yet its infirmary served as the only place of treatment for soldiers and civilians alike who fell ill in the area. It was in this setting that Private Arthur Michael of the Royal Irish Regiment died while undergoing training with his unit in Ireland.

South Wales Daily Post

Michael family grave
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Arthur’s body was returned home to Mumbles, where he was laid to rest in Oystermouth Cemetery. His funeral was conducted with semi-military honours, reflecting both his service and the growing impact of the war on the local community. His death and funeral were reported in the South Wales Daily Post, marking him as the second serviceman to be buried at Oystermouth Cemetery.

Legacy

Private Arthur Michael’s life and service are remembered as part of Oystermouth’s early wartime history. His death came just two months after the first military funeral at the cemetery, that of Private John Malcolm James. Together, their burials marked the beginning of Oystermouth Cemetery’s enduring role as a resting place for those who served during the First World War.

Arthur’s service with the Royal Irish Regiment’s 5th Battalion connects Oystermouth to the wider story of the Irish regiments of the Great War — men who trained across Ireland and went on to fight in Gallipoli, Salonika, and France. His story stands as a poignant reminder of the many who never left the training grounds, their sacrifice equal in courage and in cost.