Willington Cemetery
The headstone reads:-
In
Loving Remembrance
Of
SARAH
The Beloved Wife Of
WILLIAM JACKSON
Of Willington
Who Departed This Life December 30th 1897
Aged 56 Years
Also The Above Named
WILLIAM JACKSON
Who Departed This Life January 16th 1903
Aged 66 Years
118036 Pioneer
I JACKSON
Royal Engineers
15th August 1917 Age 47 Years
“At Rest”
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Isaac Jackson was born in 1870 at Ambleside, Cumbria, one of 11 known children he was the 4th born of 9 sons and 2 daughters. His father William Jackson native of Greystoke, Cumbria, born 1837 married Sarah born 1841 at Embleton, Allerdale, Cumbria. His father was employed as a carter at Allerdale in 1871 however he had migrated with his family to Willington, County Durham by 1875, where he was employed as a colliery labourer as was his son John (17), sons Edward (19) and John (15) were employed as coal miners, the remainder of his children with the exception of Richard (2), including Isaac (10) were scholars. By 1891 Isaac (20) was the eldest living at home employed as a general labourer as was his brother George (14), William (18) was a blacksmith’s striker.
Sarah Jackson died at Willington December 30th 1897, her death preceded that of her husband William who died January 16th 1903 aged 66 years.
During WW1 Isaac Jackson despite being 44 years of age enlisted in 1914 and was accepted into the Royal Engineers as Pioneer (similar to Sapper) 118036, his service number indicates he was attached to the 7th Labour Battalion. He departed to France, September 3rd 1916, for service on the Western Front which would have involved building and maintaining the network of roads, railways, canals, buildings, camps, stores, dumps, telegraph and telephone systems amongst other tasks and consisted of men with experience with picks and shovels, such as miners and road men. He was discharged June 2nd 1916.
Ex-Pioneer Isaac Jackson died, aged 47 years, August 15th 1917 and interred at Willington Cemetery, reference 2 “U”. E.37. His demise is listed with the CWGC indicating the cause of his demise was attributed to his war service although no military headstone was raised, his family preferring that he be laid to rest with his parents.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Isaac Jackson is not remembered at Willington.
