Person

William Cribben was born in 1897 in Crawcrook, Gateshead. His father, Lewis Cribbin, was a coal miner from Maryport. William had one older sister, Edith Cribbin. Records suggest that William’s mother was Eliza Ambler, who, before marrying Lewis, had had a previous child named Ralph who would have been William’s half-brother.

Before William’s birth, Lewis was imprisoned for seven years after being charged with rape in January 1882. Lewis then married Eliza in 1893 and they went on to have Edith and William. Records suggest that Eliza died a few years later, in 1899, when William would have only been two years old. However, Lewis is listed as married on the 1901 census rather than a widower, so this is unclear. At the time of the 1901 census William was living with his father and older sister. William is listed as a nephew to the head of the household, William Scott.

William was admitted to Earl’s House Industrial School on 9 January 1908 after committing larceny; he was given the admission number 906. Earl’s House Industrial school was one of a number of schools where boys were committed by a magistrate for offences such as larceny, vagrancy or truancy. The schools also took boys who were showing behaviour which was beyond their parents’ control. The boys were taught skills including tailoring, gardening and agricultural skills to give them a trade to gain employment when they left the school.

William enlisted at Lemington on 15 December 1915, at which point he was a labourer. Although his father is listed as next of kin for William, he was not living with his father. He was living at 32 Milfield Lane, Newburn with Ignotius Taylor who was a steel worker. It is unclear what the connection between William and Ignotius was but it was common for boys from Earl’s House to be released into the care of friends or an employer rather than their family. In a note from Ignotius in William’s service records it is stated that William was living with him as “for a considerable time he has been cast aside by his father”.

William originally enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) 18th Siege Battery, service number 133572, on 15 December 1915. William was doing well at this time and had gained employment at the Newburn Steel works. Despite enlisting into the army, a letter from his employers, John Spencer and Sons Limited, in August 1916 stated William had a certificate of exemption, meaning he was not liable to be called up for military service. Being a steel worker would have been one of certain reserved occupations during World War One due to the great need for ammunition and equipment for the war. William would have been awarded a War Service Badge to wear as ‘proof’ that he was doing work for the ‘National Interest’. This was designed to help with the social pressure that these workers would have faced from the public whose own relatives were being sent to the dangers of the front.

His service records show that William was gifted at signalling and was sent to the Signal School based at Bridge of Allan. William was finally despatched overseas on 18 November 1917. After only around four months of being in France, William was wounded in action on 21 March 1918. He died of his wounds, a shrapnel wound to his left shoulder, in the 7th Canadian General Hospital in Etaples a few weeks later on 3 April 1918.

William was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service, which along with his personal property were sent to Ignotius Taylor rather than his father. He is remembered in his home town of Newburn and on the plaque for Earl’s House Industrial School.

Civil Parish: Ryton

Birth date: 22-Feb-1897

Death date: 3-Apr-1918

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Crawcrook, Ryton (1901 census)
Earl’s House Industrial School (1911 census)
32 Milfield Lane, Newburn (Service Records)

Education: Earl’s House Industrial School

Religion: Church Of England

Employment: Labourer (Service records)
Steel Worker – John Spencer and Sons Limited (Service Records)

Family: Parents: Lewis Cribbin, Eliza Cribbin nee Ambler
Siblings: Edith Cribbin
Half Brother: Ralph Ambler

Military service:

Enlisted 15 December 1915
Royal Garrison Artillery 18th siege Battery
Service Number 133572

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Plaque 1914-1918 Earl’s House School, Durham
Statue 1914-1918 Roadside, Newburn
Plaque 1914-1918 1939-1945 St Michael’s church, Newburn

Gender: Male

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham