Mark Thompson
On whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy
Son of Mathew and Hellen Thompson, of Shotley Bridge; husband of Emily Telford (formerly Thompson), of 55, Wood St., Shotley Bridge, Co. Durham.
Paul Heatherington has submitted the following:-
Mark was born in Shotley Bridge on the 3rd May 1882. He was the only child in his family. Both his parents came from Ireland. His father, Matthew Thompson, was born in Galway. His mother, Ellen, came from Down.
In 1891, the family were living at 10 Wood Street. Matthew was a fireman. Mark was educated at St Mary’s RC School in Blackhill.
By 1901, they had moved to 34 Wood Street and Matthew was employed as a labourer in the gasworks yard. Mark, at the age of twenty, was also a general labourer.
On the 26th February 1910, Mark married Emily Robinson in Newcastle. They lived at 22 Wood Street. Their daughter, Ellen, was born on the 3rd December 1911. Emily was born on the 27th May 1913. A son, Mark, was born on the 20th April 1915 and sadly died in 1919 at the age of four years.
Mark enlisted in Consett on the 2nd September 1914. He was a Private in the Durham Light Infantry. At the time of his enlistment, Mark was 5’ 4’’ tall, weighed 10 stone, and had a chest measurement of 47 inches. His occupation was recorded as ‘miner’.
Mark was killed in action in France on the 31st August 1917. He is buried at Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery.
The Newcastle Journal 06/11/1917 reports that Private Mark Thompson has been awarded the Military Medal.
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour states that it was awarded for bravery, initiative and dedication to duty when the Battalion made a counter attack on 25th August 1917.
The Newcastle Evening Chronicle 25/03/1918 reports:-
Captain JF Priestman honoured
At a large and influential gathering held on Saturday night, in St Cuthbert's Schoolroom, Shotley Bridge, under the presidency of the Vicar (Rev HA Mackenzie) Captain JF Priestman RFA son of Mr and Mrs JF Priestman of Shotley park, who enlisted immediately on the outbreak of war and who gained the Military Cross for valour was presented with a handsomely framed illuminated address subscribed by the inhabitants and promoted by the village "Send-off Fund" in appreciation of his services. The presentation was made by Mr H Peile of Holly Lodge who remarked that the name of Priestman was quite enough for that audience. The name had spoken for itself for the past 50 years in that village. He found a young Englishman liked a great deal, thank goodness, to prove his own worth and did not live upon the reputation of his family or on his immediate forbears. It was unnecessary for him to say that they looked forward to Captain Priestman making a worthy son of a splendid name. (Applause) Cap. Priestman suitably replied.
At the same time Private J. Jewitt East Yorks having won the DCM was presented with a gold watch; and the widow of the late Private Mark Thompson who had gained the Military Medal was given a brooch and his son a gold watch.
Emily remarried in 1919, her new husband was John R Telford.
Mark Thompson is remembered at Blackhill on B145.01 and at Shotley Bridge on S27.01 and S27.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 230
