Thomas Lumsden
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Richard Lumsden, one of 9 children of whom only 8 survived was the 2nd born of 6 sons and had 1 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Richard Lumsden of Inverkeithing, Fife Scotland, born 1847 in 1871 by the age of 25 years had moved to England where he was living as a boarder in the home of John Ladler and family at Iron Company’s Cottages, Knitsley, Consett, County Durham, employed as a labourer by Consett Iron Company. He was married in 1873, district of Lanchester, to local girl, Mary Jane Hall born 1848, a child Mary Ann born 1872 is listed under the name of Lumsden, born prior to their marriage, Charles in 1874, William 1875, Thomas Richard 1877 at Knitsley, David 1878 at Bywell, Northumberland, and Robert in 1881 at Collierley, before they moved to New Rows, South Medomsley, Lanchester. Charles Lumsden, now 7 years old, was living with his paternal grandparents at Boyd Street, Consett. Richard supported his family employed as a coke yard labourer and over the next 4 years his wife gave birth to a further 2 children John in 1882 and Elizabeth 1885. By 1901 Elizabeth (16) was their only child still living at home.
Thomas Richard was married in 1904 in the district of Lanchester to Edith Caroline Smith, born April 1881, with whom by 1911 he had 2 children Harold born August 5th 1905 and Thomas Richard Jnr January 20th 1909 at Castleside. He supported his family employed by the Consett Iron and Steel Company as a charge wheeler in the steel smelting shop.
When war was declared in 1914 he enlisted in his home town of Consett, assigned as Private S/900. Having past experience in the Army during the early 1900’s during the Boer War, he was posted to the front in France, November 23rd 1914, joining the 2nd Battalion Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. in the sector near Lyon, which landed at Zeebrugge, Belgium, October 6th 1914, having been recalled from Pretoria, South Africa. The battalion was attached to the 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.The battalion spent its time in and out of the front line trenches which required constant attention due to the wet weather. Xmas Day 1914 at 11.00 a.m. there was an armistice in order to collect the wounded and to bury the dead from the 18th which lasted until 4 p.m. and resumed at 9 a.m. on the 26th, however things returned to normal the following day. In and out of the front line trenches with periods of rest by March 1st they were at Fleubaix and moved to Laventie, in the Pas de Calais. April 11th they were relieved by the Warwicks and went into billets where the men were able to wash at the Divisional Bathhouse at La Gorgue before leaving April 28th for Merris. The battalion participated during the attack of May 8th at Fromelles in an attempt to push through and take Aubers Ridge and again at the Battle of Festubert, May 15th-25th 1915.
Private S/900 Thomas Richard Lumsden Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment was killed in action May 16th 1915 and has no known grave. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 13,477 names inscribed on Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, which takes the form of a loggia surrounding an open rectangular courtyard, commemorating those who were killed on the Western Front as of the beginning of October 1914 until the eve of the Battle of Loos in late September 1915.
When Private Lumsden had departed his wife was heavily pregnant with their third child, a son, George Smith Lumsden, was born March 7th 1915, who never knew his father. Edith Caroline received all monies due to her husband from the Army, also his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. An application was made on her behalf, March 3rd 1919, in respect of the 1914 Star that it also be awarded to her late husband. Private Lumsden was considered ineligible as it was awarded for service in Belgium and France between, August 5th and November 22nd 1914, as previously stated he departed England November 23rd 1914.
Edith Caroline Lumsden re-married in the district of Lanchester in 1919 to George Metcalfe Hadwin born at Cement Houses, Durham in 1885. Their marriage was short lived and childless as he died, February 20th 1926 aged 40 years. In 1939 Edith Caroline Hadwin was living alone at 1, Howard’s Buildings, Castleside, County Durham, a housewife.
Her son Harold Lumsden left England at the age of 22 years, travelling 3rd Class aboard the S.S. Minnedosa, departing Liverpool, September 16th 1927, bound for Quebec, Canada, arriving September 27th. His passage had been paid for by The Church of England Empire Settlement, it was intended that he should become a farmer and had been assigned land at Stittsville, Ottawa, Ontario, however he had returned to England, living at 1, Middle Gas Rowley, Consett, in 1939, employed as a trained oxygen welder. Harold Lumsden died in 1962 registered at Durham N. W. as 59 years of age, he was in fact 57 years old.
Thomas Richard Lumsden left the north east of England, in 1939 he was living at Asbury, Wiltshire employed as a plumber, hot water fitter sanitary engineer/heavy work. He died age 81 years, registered at Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1990.
George Smith Lumsden married in 1950 to Audrey Chatt nee Richards born at Lanchester November 4th 1915, a divorcee who had 4 children of her own from her previous marriage, daughter Zarna, sons Darrell and Brian Winston and daughter Walda. She and George had a son, Malcolm Richard Lumsden born 1950, mother’s name registered as Richards. The couple had moved to 37, King Edward Avenue, North Shore, Blackpool, with their combined children. With the exception of Zarna they departed from England, tourist class, aboard the R.M.S.Otranto of the Orient Line, from the Port of London, November 25th 1953, bound for Fremantle, Western Australia. They finally settled at Bunbury Western Australia.
Their mother Edith Caroline Hadwin-Lumsden nee Smith died, August 3rd 1951 aged 70 years, death registered at Durham Central.
Although all of Thomas Richard’s brothers would have been eligible for war service no records have been found. His son George Lumsden may have been encouraged to emigrate to Australia as he had relatives there. Two of Thomas Richard’s brothers post war had emigrated, Charles Lumsden, his wife and 4 of his 7 children and David Lumsden, his wife and 5 children. They all settled in various cities in Western Australia and have living relatives both there and in the N.E. of England to this day.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
The Consett Guardian 18/06/1915 reports:-
Roll of Honour
We are sorry and regret we have to record one noble young fellow fallen, in the person of Pte. Thomas Lumsden, of No 1 Howard's Buildings Castleside. For his country's honour he fought and fell and we can afford to lift our hat when we pass his home, where in sits a modest and broken hearted widow and three fatherless children – the youngest an infant born since his last visit to his happy and comfortable home – the child on whom the father never planted a kiss nor the child on father smiled. This in itself is tragic in the extreme.
Pte. Lumsden was a reserve man, having gone through the Boer War. On the outbreak of hostilities on the Continent he was early called to serve his King and Country and during the intense cold in winter suffered much from frost bitten feet. Our departed hero was the son of Mr and Mrs Richard Lumsden of Stanniforham and his wife the eldest daughter of Mr James Smith and the late Mrs Smith of Todd Hills, Castleside
On Sunday morning last a memorial service was held in St. John's Church Castleside, conducted by the Rev. R. King (curate in charge) when a large company assembled, which would have been larger only for the special services at Rowley Baptist Church, it being the Sunday School anniversary services. I am voicing the mind of the people of this district and wherever this journal is read, when I say we offer his dear wife and children, and the parents and, kith and kin, our profound sympathy in this dark hour of their lifetime, and pray that "He who cares for the sparrows" will much more care for them.
Thomas Richard Lumsden is remembered at Castleside on C113.01
