Dorothy Hall has submitted the following:-
Duke was the third son of Marmaduke Tomlin Parkin and his wife Margaret Harrison nee Herron. His parents had married in Houghton-le-Spring in 1876. At the time of Duke’s birth, January 25th 1884, they were innkeepers at Cross House Inn, Gillas Lane, Houghton-le-Spring. The family consisted of Christopher (1878) Jane (1880) William (1882) and Alice (1886)
Duke was baptised and educated in Houghton le Spring. In 1901 Marmaduke was at Red Rose Farm, Chester-le-Street with his wife Margaret and children Jane, (Dressmaker) Duke (Milk Boy) and Alice. By 1902 when his brother William left the Imperial Yeomanry Marmaduke had moved to Upperhouses Farm, Lanchester.
William and Duke, in May 1908, sailed from Liverpool to Quebec on the "Victorian." They were both labourers.
In 1911 Marmaduke, a widower and Plate Layer, is living at Victoria Terrace, Lanchester with daughter Alice.
July 1915, Duke, who had served as a militia man in the 100th Winnipeg Grenadiers, enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Winnipeg. He gave up his job as a motorman and joined the 78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers). He was 5 feet 9 and a half inches tall, had a ruddy complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He gave his brother William as his next of kin. The battalion embarked for England on board the SS Empress of Britain leaving Halifax, Nova Scotia on 22 May 1916 and arriving in Liverpool, on 29 May 1916 this was two months after his brother William crossed the Atlantic. Duke made out his military will in favour of his younger sister Alice living in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
Duke went to France and was killed in action 14th October 1916. He was buried on the battlefield and his body was later exhumed from Artillery Lane and reburied in Courcelette British Cemetery. His brother William was killed eleven days later.
Duke's medals were sent from Canada to his father living at 2 Westwood Row, Burnhope.
Marmaduke travelled to Canada in 1935 perhaps to see William's widow and his grandchildren, returned and died at Riverdale House, 3 Front Street, Lanchester 6th April 1936 leaving assets of £1099 13s 8d.
Duke Harrison is remembered in Canada on the Next of Kin Memorial in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and at Lanchester on L62.01
