Paul Heatherington has submitted the following:-
Cuthbert was born in Blackhill in 1882. His father was Robert Harris, born in Bensham, Gateshead, an iron worker. Robert was not living with his family in 1891 and 1901. His mother was Jane Bell, born in Shotley Bridge. Cuthbert was the third child in his family. His siblings were William, Mary, John and Charles. In 1891, the family were living at 12 William Street, Consett.
On the 1 September 1906, Cuthbert married Margaret Ann Pinder, from Blackhill, in the Register Office in Lanchester. They had four children: John Henry (1908), Ivy May (1910), Doris (1911) and Lawrence (1914). In 1911, the family were living at 19 Benfieldside Road and Cuthbert was working as a coal miner.
Just four months after the birth of his son, Lawrence, Cuthbert enlisted at Consett on the 2nd October 1914. At the time of his enlistment he was 5’ 8’’ tall, weighed 10 stone 9lbs, and had a chest measurement of 37 inches. He had grey eyes, dark brown hair and a sallow complexion. He was a member of the Church of England.
He became a Private in the Durham Light Infantry. It was recorded that Cuthbert was wounded and seriously ill on the 16th November 1916. However, he continued to serve and was killed in action the following year, on the 25th June.
Cuthbert’s son, Lawrence, served as an Air Gunner in the RAF in World War 2. He died on the 21st October 1944 and is buried in the Budapest War Cemetery.
Cuthbert Harris is remembered at Shotley Bridge on S27.01 and S27.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 162
