Thiepval Memorial
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 1916
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Ramshaw was born 1886 in the district of Chester-le-Street, one of 8 known children, 6 boys and 2 girls born to Edward Ramshaw 1855 native of Lumley and his wife Jane 1863 born in Chester-le-Street, County Durham. His father worked as a coal miner, Thomas was also employed as such at the age of 15 years, the family were then living at 35 Railway Street, Craghead. Thomas’s family remained at number 35 whilst he moved to Halls Buildings, Black House, Edmondsley, after his marriage to Isabella Dazley, June 1909, in the district of Lanchester. Their son George Dazley Ramshaw was born in about 1910 followed by a second child, Thomas Kitchener Ramshaw born in Craghead, February 22nd 1914.
Thomas Ramshaw enlisted at the outbreak of the Great War in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, November 1914 and was assigned as Private 591 Northumberland Fusiliers, 26th Battalion, 3rd Tyneside Irish, a pals battalion. After initial training near home they joined the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon in Yorkshire, June 1915 and went on to Salisbury Plain for final training in the August. The Division embarked for France in January 1916 and were concentrated near St. Omer before being entrained and later by march they reached the front line. As part of the 34th Division they saw action during the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916, at, “Sausage Alley”, a pass through the German front line near La Boiselle where they attempted to push towards Contalmaison, all in vain as they were eventually killed or captured.
Private 591 Thomas Ramshaw Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action July 1st 1916, he was 30 years old. His sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France, pier 10/11/12B, one of the 72,246 names of officers and men from the United Kingdom and South Africa who died on the Somme 1915-1918 and have no known grave.
His widow Isabella received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their two children, also his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Two years later Isabella would receive news that her brother Private Charles Edward Dazley M. M., Northumberland Fusiliers had also been killed in action in France.
Isabella remarried, September 1919, to William Butler in the district of Lanchester. They had three children together William 1921, Isabella 1926 and Georgina date unknown.
Thomas and Isabella’s son George Dazley Ramshaw died 1986, at the age of 76 in Newham, London. Thomas Kitchener Ramshaw emigrated to New Zealand and was naturalised, November 30th 1977, he died aged 81 years in March 1996, obituary of March 11th gives details as Whangarei, Northland Region, New Zealand.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Ramshaw is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
