Person

Thomas Frederick Richardson was known throughout his life as Fred. He was born in West Auckland in June 1889, to William and Jane. On the 1891 census, there are seven older siblings listed, another older sister does not appear on the entry. By 1901, the family is living at the Rose and Crown pub on Front Street, in West Auckland, where William was the innkeeper. Many of Fred’s siblings have left home by this time, and only two older sisters are listed.

According to the family, Fred began working at Brocken Back Pit (St Helen’s Colliery) at the age of 12, then West Auckland Colliery. It is thought that he moved to Fencehouses at the age of 18, to work at ‘Willy Pit’ [possibly William Henry Pit, part of Lambton Colliery]. Whilst his parents were living at Stanley Terrace, West Auckland, there seems to be no trace of Fred on the 1911 census.

When war was declared, Fred was one of the first enlist, doing so on 8 August 1914. He served with Kitchener’s First New Army, with 10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (10 DLI), commanded by Colonel Hubert Morant. The battalion began training, and moved to France in May 1915.

Not a lot is known about Fred’s specific service, but his grandson, Kevin, has used Colonel Morant’s memoirs to summarise the first three months of the battalion’s service on the Western Front. This can be found in the supporting items.

Fred’s photograph appears in the Illustrated Chronicle on 24 August 1915 [https://flic.kr/p/xTow3f], with the note that he is wounded. A different picture appears in the Auckland and County Chronicle on 19 August 1915.
It is thought, though no source has been found, that Fred was wounded for a second time around March 1916, while 10 DLI were in the area around Agny. He was discharged from the army on 31 October 1916 and awarded the Silver War Badge. Fred’s entry on the Victory and British War Medal roll also lists him as having served with 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, but there is no other evidence of this.

After the war, Fred’s injured legs affected his ability to work as a coal hewer, though this is the employment given on the 1939 register. The family know he worked as a night watchman while factories were being in built at Auckland St Helen’s around 1936.

On 28 March 1921, Fred married Harriet Soulsby at St Mary’s church, Horton, Northumberland, and the couple went on to have four children between 1923 and 1933. On the 1939 register, the family is living at 31 Cradock Street, Bishop Auckland. It also shows that Fred is with the ARP service, and his family know he was with the National Fire Service during the Second World War. Fred died in 1971.

Birth date: 8-Jun-1889

Death date: 1971

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Darlington Road, West Auckland (1891 Census)
Rose and Crown, Front Street, West Auckland (1901 Census)
Fencehouses
Mill Bank, West Auckland (post war)
Oakley Street, West Auckland
31 Cradock Street, Bishop Auckland (1939 register)

Employment: Coal hewer
Night watchman

Family: Parents:
William and Jane
Siblings:
Isabella, 26, married
John [William], 24, single, working as a coal miner
Simeon, 22, single, coal miner [died 11 January 1918]
Robert, 19, single, coal miner
Benjamin, 15, single, colliery labourer [died 24 February 1918]
Elizabeth, 9
Mary [Hannah], 6

Wife:
Harriet Soulsby
Children:
James W, b.1923
Elsie, b.1924
Gordon, b.1931
Morris, b.1933

Military service:

12358, Private
Enlisted 8-Aug-1914
Served with 10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Wounded twice
Discharged 31-Oct-1916

Medal(s): 1915 Star
Victory Medal
British War Medal
Silver War Badge no. 423687

Gender: Male

Contributed by Kevin Richardson | Durham County Record Office