Medal Card
Tyneside Irish Badge
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
John Clarke was born at Blackhill, Consett, County Durham in 1893 to parents Peter Clarke and Bridget Clarke (nee Dowd) who were both from Consett.
In 1901, John was 7 years old and lived in his parents’ house at 25, Derwent Street, Benfieldside, County Durham. His father was a plate mill steel worker.
The 1911 Census shows John’s father was still employed as an iron worker. At this time John was 17 years old, single and employed as a driver in the coal mines. Siblings in the house include Patrick 19, James 15 and Mary aged 8.
Military records confirm John was born in Consett, and enlisted at there on 8th November 1914. The only person shown on his Pension Index Card was Mary J. Agnew described as his mother. This is likely to be an error as Mary Jane Agnew was his father’s sister (John’s aunt) who was born 1873 and was married to Hugh Agnew. John Sheen’s book ‘Tyneside Irish’ states that John was in B Company and, whilst having a 24th Battalion service number, was transferred to the 25th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.
John Clarke is remembered in Consett on C101.01 and on our list of Tyneside Irish.
