Margaret Hamilton: Woman widowed by the IRA dies on 50th anniversary of her husband's murder

Margaret Ann Hamilton was involved with the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), a Province-wide campaign and support group for survivors and the bereaved.

Her husband George Ellis Hamilton (known mainly by his middle name) was 30-year-old Protestant part-time member of the UDR, shot while at his workplace in Co Londonderry.

The killing happened four days before Christmas in 1972 – December 20.

And now it has emerged that Margaret has died, aged 77.

She passed away in Altnagelvin hospital yesterday, December 20, 2022, surrounded by family.

Her funeral will be this Friday (details below).

A DAY OF BLOODSHED:

The murder of her husband Ellis half-a-century earlier came at the hands of an IRA sniper.

He was an electrician by trade, and he and two other men were repairing a fault at Croppy Hill reservoir when the gunman opened fire.

According to the book Lost Lives, Ellis was the 712th fatality of the Troubles up to that date.

He was also one of eight people murdered by paramilitaries that same day (including five random men massacred in Londonderry’s Top of the Hill Bar – also known as Annie’s Bar – by loyalists).

After the killing, Margaret never re-married.

Their daughter Jacqueline was aged four years old at the time her father was shot.

Jacqueline, in a statement via SEFF, said: "I'm devastated. My mum was my world, everything I did was for her.

"Mum never got over dad's murder and the loss of friends in the Claudy bombings [the IRA’s triple car-bomb attack on July 31, 1972, which killed nine people, all civilians].

"She waited until his 50th anniversary to go home and be with him.”

‘MARGARET WAS A TROUBLES HEROINE WHO SPURNED HATE’:

Kenny Donaldson, SEFF's director of services called the murder “cruel” and “cowardly”, noting that he had been off-duty at the time, and so “was shot as a civilian” rather than as a UDR soldier, and putting the shooting down to “sectarian and ethnic motivated hate”.

He said: "Margaret re-grouped and sought to do her absolute best in raising Jacqueline.

"Life was not easy but she was someone who had a values system which carried her through. She was determined to live life as well as she possibly could, setting an example to her devoted daughter and others.

"Jacqueline and her mummy have been inseparable for the last 50 years and have lived for each other. The death of Margaret will be very tough for Jacqueline.

"On the evening of Sunday, December 11, 2022, a special service of remembrance and thanksgiving was held in Donemana Presbyterian Church marking the upcoming 50th anniversary since Ellis was murdered; both Margaret and Jacqueline were present that night.

“Thankfully they were there to witness the respectful remembrance of a husband and father admired and loved by many people; past colleagues, friends, neighbours and the broader community.

"I was blessed to share a few words with Margaret that night and, even with her dwindling health, there was still a twinkle in her eye, a beautiful smile, and a wit in how she expressed herself.

"Margaret is one of our forgotten heroes of 'the Troubles' – one of those who never asked nor demanded anything, and she didn't allow hate or vengeance to enter her heart.”

Mr Donaldson also addressed the murders by loyalists on the same day, calling the attack on Annie’s Bar (which is widely attributed to the UDA, and which caused the death of four Catholics and a Protestant) “was a heinous crime which simply brought pain and misery to further families”.

He added: “They claimed they were acting in retaliation for the murder of Ellis – they were not, they were acting on their own warped agenda.”

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:

A funeral notice for Margaret says she died peacefully, surrounded by her family.

She is described as a “dearly loved wife of the late George Ellis, precious mother of Jacqueline, loving sister of Robert, David and the late Barbara, a dear aunt”.

It adds: “Very deeply regretted and will be lovingly remembered by her entire family circle

“God’s garden must be beautiful, he only picks the best.”

It goes on to say there will be a service of thanksgiving in her late home, 54 Lisdillon Road BT473RL, on Friday, December 23, at 1pm followed by burial in Upper Cumber Cemetery.

The request is for family flowers only, with donations in lieu if desired to Altnagelvin Hospital Ward 26 (Respiratory Unit), or Versus Arthritis c/o Mrs Ruth Hay, Funeral Director, 24A, Church Road, Altnagelvin, Londonderry BT473QQ.

Other articles from this reporter:

1 – 50 years of silence broken: sisters tell of anguish over IRA murdering their brother in bed

2 – 40 years after IRA murder: ‘I had to tell our daughter God took daddy to heaven because some people don’t like soldiers’

3 – WATCH – Random Protestant victim Billy Sargent survived Nazi machine gun attack only to be shot while having a pint

4 – ‘If police could stop Al Capone a century ago, they can stop SEA UDA today’: Sammy Wilson hits out as documents reveal last days of mentally-ill Carrick loyalist

5 – Report into paramilitarism in Northern Ireland declines to mention any paramilitaries – but calls for special efforts to coax remaining groups away from terror