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Robert Wilson Harbottle (1879-1962)


Felling glass blower spent seven months in CEF, discharged as unfit


Robert Wilson Harbottle was born on 7th July 1879 in Felling-on-Tyne, the fourth of the five children of Co-op store assistant Thomas and his wife Elizabeth. By the time he was 21 Robert was working as a glass glower at a local Electric Light Company and in the summer of 1903 he married local girl Mary Jane Wanless. Their daughter Dorothy was born the following year and by the time of the 1911 census they were living in Whickham and Robert was a supervisor.

In June 1913 Robert, Mary Jane and Dorothy sailed into Quebec on the SS Megantic. They travelled onward to Winnipeg, Manitoba through the United States. Three years later Robert found work as a glass blower with the local electric company,

On 11th March 1916 Robert enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) as Private 523738 with “A” Section, 6th Field Ambulance Company, Canadian Army Medical Corps. Robert’s army career lasted just over seven months. He was discharged as medically unfit due to loose cartilage in his left knee at Camp Hughes on 20th October 1916. He did not try to re-enlist.

By 1921 the family had moved to Hamilton, Ontario where Robert was a foreman with the Electric Light Company. Mary Jane died in 1950 and Robert on 2nd September 1962. They are buried together in Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto.

Civil Parish: Heworth

Birth date: 07-Jul-1879

Death date: 02-Sep-1962

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Crow Hall Lane, Heworth, Felling (1881 census)
Havelock Street, Heworth, Felling (1891 census)
64 Brinkburn Avenue, Gateshead (1901 census)
Holyn House, Whaggs, Whickham (1911 census)
225 Marjorie Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (1916 census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
493 Cannon Street East, Hamilton, Ontario (1921 Canadian census)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Glass blower, Electric Lamp Co (1901 census)
Electrical supervisor, Electric Lamp Co (1911 census)
Foreman, Electric Co (1921 Canadian census)
Glass blower (enlistment papers)

Family: Parents: Thomas Harbottle, Elizabeth Harbottle
Siblings: Thomas G Harbottle, Josephine Harbottle, Eleanor Harbottle, John Harbottle
Wife: Mary Jane Harbottle (nee Wanless)
Children: Dorothy Harbottle

Military service:

523738
Private
Canadian Army Medical Corps

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham

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