Person

Alfred Moffatt was born in Burnhope in the first quarter of 1884, the fifth child of Robert Moffatt and Elizabeth Souter. Following their marriage in Sunderland in 1865, Alfred’s parents already had three children before arriving in Burnhope in 1881.

Towards the end of 1910 Alfred’s father died, and when the census was taken in 1911 he was living, unmarried, with his widowed mother at 3 West Stone Row, Burnhope, along with his eldest brother John William Moffatt, and his sister Sarah, who was married to William Robson, a colliery blacksmith. Alfred’s occupation is given as colliery painter on the census.

According to surviving records Alfred enlisted at Consett at an unspecified date. He joined the Royal Scots, 8th Battalion, Lothian Regiment as 335617 Private Alfred Moffatt. As he was in his 30s when he joined it is thought he was conscripted rather than enlisted, and as a miner was probably assigned to the 8th Battalion, which was a pioneer battalion charged with digging trenches, tunnels and railways etc. because of his mining background.

Alfred was killed in action in the German Spring Offensive in Flanders on 12 April 1918, aged 34. He is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium and in Burnhope memorial garden.

His name still appears on the October 1918 absent voters’ list, despite the fact that he had been killed six months earlier.

For more information:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/870516/moffatt,-alfred/

John Gray Centre Library, Museum, Archive – 8th 9Territorial) Battalion the Royal Scots in World War One
http://www.johngraycentre.org/east-lothian-subjects/war-battles-military/world-war-one/the-8th-territorial-battalion-the-royal-scots-in-world-war-one/

North East War Memorials Project
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6480

Civil Parish: Lanchester

Birth date: 1884

Death date: 12-Apr-1918

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 3 West Stone Row, Burnhope (1911 census and 1918 absent voters’ list)

Employment: Colliery painter

Family: Father: Robert Moffatt, born 1842 in Monkwearmouth
Mother: Elizabeth Souter, born 1845 in Sunderland
Brother: John William Moffatt, born 1872 in Tyne Dock
Sister: Mary Ann Moffatt, born 1874 in Cornsay Colliery
Brother: Joseph Moffatt, born 1876 in Cornsay Colliery
Sister: Ada Moffatt, born 1881 in Burnhope
Sister: Sarah Lily Moffatt, born 1887 in Burnhope; married William Robson

Military service:

Private, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), 8 Battalion/1st line (Territorial), 335617

Memorial(s): Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium
Burnhope memorial garden

Electoral Register:

Register No: 453
Forename: Alfred
Surname: Moffat
Parliamentary Division: Barnard Castle
Polling District: B - Burnhope
Parish: Lanchester
Date: October-1918
Reference: October-1918

Gender: Male

Contributed by Burnhope War Memorial Research Group | With additional research by Durham County Record Office