Cuthbert Telford
Paul Heatherington has submitted the following:-
Cuthbert was born in Shotley Bridge in 1893. His parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Ann (née Ransay), were both born in Bishopwearmouth. They came to the Consett area in about 1886. Cuthbert grew up in Shotley Bridge.
In 1901, the family were living at 29 Wood Street. His fatherworked in the paper mill. Cuthbert was the seventh child in a family of eight. His siblings were named William, Joseph,John, Sarah, Hannah, Nicholson and Elizabeth.
Cuthbert’s father died between 1901 and 1911. In 1911, the family were still at Wood Street. Cuthbert was a coal miner. The family of nine people, including three children, were living in just three rooms.
Cuthbert enlisted as a Private in the Durham Light Infantry in 1914. At the time of his enlistment he was 5’ 3’’ tall and weighed just 8 stone 3lbs. His chest measurement was 34 inches. It was noted that his eyes were grey. He was a member of the Church of England.
Cuthbert was killed in action in France on the 31st July 1915, at the age of twenty-two. He is commemorated at the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres.
Cuthbert Telford is remembered at Shotley Bridge on S27.01 and S27.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 199
