James Crinnion

James Crinnion was the son of James Crinnion born May 15th 1861 at Crook, County Durham, he was married January 13th 1887 at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church Tow Law, County Durham, to local girl Anne McMahon, known as Annie, born January 31st 1868. Eight of their 11 children were born at Tow Law, where they lived at North Street and Castle Street, as James Crinnion was employed as a coal miner. Michael Crinnion was born December 2nd 1887, Nicholas in 1890, Mary August 5th 1891 died August 19th 1904, John June 22nd 1893, James April 24th 1895, Patrick Joseph March 30th 1896, Ann Josephine born March 22nd 1899 died July 3rd 1899 and Winifred was born April 14th 1901. By 1903 they had moved to Cornsay where Thomas was born April 25th 1904 and lived less than 24 hours and Nora Mary born December 26th 1904 died January 9th 1905 and 1 other deceased, gender unknown.

In 1911 they were living at the Royal Oak Hotel, Cornsay Colliery where their mother was the licensee and employed her husband as an assistant in the business. Only two of their sons worked at the colliery, Michael (23) as a joiner and Nicolas (21) as a weigh-man, John (17) was a blacksmith’s striker, James (16) an apprentice cabinet maker, Patrick (14) and Winifred (9) were scholars, 20-year-old Elizabeth Harrison was employed by them as a servant. Even after the death of her husband, August 2nd 1912, Annie continued to run the Royal Oak Hotel.

James enlisted during the Great War, details as yet unknown, he survived the conflict and died aged 47 years in London, March 28th 1943.

His brother Patrick served and died in 1918

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.