Edgar Beck
Medal Card
Tyneside Irish Badge
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Edgar Beck, full name Edgar Ernest Beck, was born in 1878 at Nenthead in Cumberland to parents Mathew Beck from Alston, Cumberland and Mary Ann Beck (nee Richardson) also born at Alston.
In 1881, Edgar lived at Low Dykes Heads, Newheads, Alston when he was two years old. His father Mathew was shown to be a lead miner in the Census for that year.
The 1891 Census records Edgar living at Foulard (sic) Rigg, Alston when he was 12 years old and employed as a farm labourer. Siblings in the household at this time included Joseph 14, John 13, Frank 9, Robert 7, Elizabeth 5, Mary 2, and Hannah aged 2.
By 1901 Edgar, aged 22, was employed as a lead and zinc miner living at the same address.
The 1911 Census shows Edgar to be married to Dorothy Ann (nee Franklin) and they have been married for seven years. Edgar and his family lived at 36, Sunderland Street, Brandon Colliery, Durham where he was employed as a stone man in the coal mine. At this time they had one child, Mary Jane who was aged seven. His wife Dorothy Ann was from Willington. They had a son born in 1915 who was called Edgar Ernest.
Military records show he was born at Nenthead in Cumberland and enlisted in that county. On his death his effects went to his widow Dorothy Ann. CWGC documents confirm Edgar was the husband of Dorothy Ann Beck of 4, Primrose Hill, Yewfield, Willington, County Durham.
The photo of Edgar Beck shows him wearing a Northumberland Fusiliers' cap badge but all records seen indicate he was in the Tyneside Irish battalion.
The name of Edgar Beck does not appear on a local memorial.
He is listed on Tyneside Irish
