Heslop’s Local Advertiser 12/1917
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Thomas Graham was born at Low Fell, Gateshead in 1887, one of 10 children of whom only 7 survived he was the 2nd son of 3 and had 4 sisters. His father coal miner Thomas Graham native of Haughall, born 1863 and his wife Jane born at Lintz Green in 1865 were married in 1883. In 1891 they were living at 62 Oak Street, Benwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, having moved there in 1889. Thomas Graham was still employed as a miner and they remained at Benwell for several years. In 1901 Thomas had been joined in the mining industry by his sons Robert (17) and John Thomas (14) both of whom worked below ground as a shifter and a driver respectively. They returned to live at Gateshead in about 1908, Thomas was the only breadwinner as his elder children had all left home, he and his wife Jane, daughters Dinah (15), Ethel (8), Jemima (3) and son George (13), lived in 5 rooms at 16, Springwell Place, Low Fell, Gateshead.
John Thomas Graham had married at South Shields, October 6th 1906 to Margaret Daley born 1886 at Wallsend, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland and with whom by 1911 he had 3 children, Lena Brand Graham born April 12th 1907 at Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, William (Willie), December 14th 1908 at Walker, Newcastle and Margaret, August 9th 1910 at Teams, Gateshead. In 1911 they were living in 2 rooms at 53, Cowper Street, Teams, Gateshead. John Thomas was employed as a coal miner. Their daughter Jane Ann Graham was born in 1913 and died aged 1-year-old in 1914, a son John Thomas Jnr born the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1915 died during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1916.
January 13th 1915 John Thomas Graham enlisted leaving his employment as a coal miner at Felling, assigned as Private 1431 to the 26th (Service) Battalion, 1st Tyneside Scottish Northumberland Fusiliers, he joined the regiment at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, however he was discharged from their camp at Alnwick, June 24th 1916, under King’s Regulations 392(iii), ’not likely to become and efficient soldier’, this was due to a hearing problem.
Despite this first refusal he presented himself again at the recruitment office at Gateshead, this time he was accepted and assigned as Driver 107507 Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery, 34th Brigade Ammunitions Column. As a Driver he was in charge of a military vehicle carrying artillery, small arms ammunitions and rifles for the fighting units to which the column belonged.
Driver 107507 John Thomas Graham was killed in the line of duty October 13th 1917 in Belgium during the Allied offensive launched on the Vlamertinghe front as of July 1917. He was interred at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, near Ieper, Belgium, grave X. F. 6. He was 30 years old.
His widow Margaret received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 14, Back Wellington Street, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 12/1917 carries an In Memoriam notice which reads:
“Driver John Thomas Graham, R.F.A., killed in action Oct. 15th. Husband of Margaret Graham, 14 Wellington Street, Felling.”
John Thomas Graham is remembered in Felling on F32.07 and at Windy Nook on W95.02
