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James Edward “Archie” Archbold (1892-1962)


Bede scholar served with the 8th Durham Light Infantry


Born on 30 March 1892 in Craster, James Edward Archbold was the elder of two sons born to fisherman Joseph and Jane Archbold. At the age of five James went to his local school in Craster before going on to study at Duke’s School in Alnwick. Following his schooling, James became an assistant teacher at Rothbury Church of England School. By the time of the 1911 census, he had moved out of the family house to live at a boarding house in Rothbury. Shortly after this census was taken, James began studying at St Bede College, a teacher training college in Durham.

It is unclear exactly when James joined the army but by December 1914 he was with the B Company 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI), stationed in Gateshead. Men from Bede College most commonly joined the 8th Battalion DLI so James would have been surrounded by his fellow scholars. James began serving in France with this battalion on 20 April 1915 as a private with the service number 8/2918. The Bede magazine published in June 1916 lists James as working with the 8th Battalion DLI in the signals section. It was whilst working in the signals section that in August 1918 James was reported wounded and missing. James was in hospital at the time of the April 1919 edition of the Bede magazine which may have been from this injury or a subsequent one.

In 1923 in Alnwick James married Ada Eleanor Taylor, who was also the child of a fisherman.

Between 1928 and 1939 James was assistant master at Hirst East School in Ashington. In 1939 he became the headmaster at Tritlington School in Morpeth. The 1939 register lists James and Ada as having a son, Joseph R Archbold, born in September 1930. There are also two closed records on the register suggesting James and Ada had two further children born before Joseph. Once the couples’ children were older, Ada began training to become a nurse. She studied at the Royal Victoria Infirmary from 1946, qualifying in 1949.

James died in Craster in November 1962, leaving his effects to Ada. Following James’ death, Ada lived for nearly twenty years and died in 1981.

A ‘humorous’ poem by James is included in a scrapbook belonging to Harry Gordon who was studying at Bede College at the same time as James. The scrapbook is a collection of drawings, cartoons and poems drawn and written by Bede Scholars.

Civil Parish: Durham Elvet

Birth date: 30-Mar-1892

Death date: 8-Nov-1962

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 17 Craster N. Side, Northumberland (1901 Census)
Burleigh House, Rothbury (1911 Census)
School House, Tritlington (1939 Register)

Education: Craster Church of England Aided First School
Duke’s School, Alnwick
St Bede College, Durham 1911-1913

Organisation membership: National Union of Teachers

Employment: Assistant Teacher (1911 Census)
Rothbury Church of England School
Assistant Master – Hirst East School, Ashington 1928-1939
Headmaster – Tritlington School

Family: Parents: Joseph Archbold, Jane Archbold
Siblings: John Joseph Archbold
Wife: Ada Eleanor Archbold nee Taylor
Children: Joseph R Archbold

Military service:

Durham Light Infantry, 8th Battalion
Private
Service Numbers 8/2918, 300502

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
1914-15 Star

Gender: Male

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham