Thomas Watson (1884-1917)
Former school teacher who served with 20th DLI and was killed in Flanders
Thomas Watson was born in 1884, the son of Joshua and Mary Ann Watson of Hood Street, one of eight children. His father, a lead miner, had died by the time of the 1991 census. In the 1901 census Thomas was 17, living with his widowed mother and several other family members, and like his older sister Charlotte was an elementary school teacher.
In the 1911 census he and various other members of the family were living at Pryse, and by then Thomas was working as an agent and collector for a sewing machine company.
He enlisted in the 20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (The Wearsiders), and was killed, aged 33, on 21 September 1917. This would be during the 3rd Battle of Ypres which included the Passchendaele battles. He has no known grave, but is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
After the war had ended, the sum of £11-15s-4d was shared between Thomas’ brothers and sisters, each of whom received about £1.
Civil Parish: Stanhope
Birth date: 1884
Death date: 26-Oct-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Hood Street, Saint John’s Chapel
Employment: Elementary school teacher
Agent and collector for sewing machine company
Family: Father: John Watson
Mother: Mary Watson
Sister: Charlotte Watson
Military service:
Private, 20th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, number 252058
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Tyne Cot Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium
War Memorial, St John’s Chapel, Stanhope
Gender: Male
Contributed by John B | Mel Brown
