Paul Heatherington has submitted the following:-
William was born in Medomsley in the spring of 1876. His father was William John Hetherington, born in Winlaton. William’s mother was Elizabeth, née Carr, born in Humshaugh. They married in Lanchester on the 21st March 1874. William was the first child in his family. His youngersiblings were named Mary, Isabella, George, Margaret and Nancy.
In 1881, the family were living in Sherburn Terrace, Consett. William’s father was a cartman. By 1889, they had moved to 28 Durham Road, Blackhill.
In 1891, William was a ‘milk boy’ and in 1901, a blacksmith.
By 1911, they had moved to Whinney House Farm, Shotley Bridge. William’s father was a farmer and William himself, a farm worker.
William married Olive M Ogle in the summer of 1912 in South Shields. In 1911, Olive Mary Ogle had been working in the bar of the Gibraltar Rock House (inn) in Tynemouth.
William enlisted in Birtley as a Private in the Durham Light Infantry. The 5th (Reserve) Battalion was a training battalion which never served abroad. They were based near Hull from late 1916.
William died of Spanish flu in St John’s VAD Hospital in Hull on the 18th October 1918 and is buried in Blackhill Old Cemetery.
William Thomas Hetherington is remembered at Shotley Bridge on S27.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 278
