Heslop’s Local Advertiser 20/7/1917
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph Quigley was born at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, September 18th 1883. His father Patrick Quigley was married twice, his first wife was Isabella M. Turnbull, they were both born in 1842 at Felling and married at Gateshead in 1862. She gave birth to 5 children, Martha (1864), John Thomas (1865), Peter (1867), Joseph born 1870 who died before his first birthday and was buried at St. Mary Heworth April 22nd 1871 and William (1872). Isabella died in 1877, Patrick remarried in 1879 to Annie Kearney, Joseph’s mother and with whom he had a further 9 children. Joseph was their 3 born son of 6 and had 3 sisters. In 1881 his father was working as a cooper, as was his son Peter (14), John Thomas (16) was an apprentice joiner, William (9) a scholar, Annie had given birth to their first child James 9 months old, they were living at Park Row, Felling. Ten years later all the children from his first marriage had left the family home and his remaining children were all scholars under the age of 10. Patrick had changed his line of work by 1901, now employed as a platelayer’s labourer, James (20) and Robert (19) were machinists, Joseph now 17 a bricklayer’s labourer, their 5 younger siblings were scholars.
Joseph Quigley married in 1910 Margaret Annie Foster also of Felling born in 1888 and with whom he had 2 children, Edmund born in 1912 and Margaret Annie in 1915.
He was one of the first to enlist November 14th 1914 assigned as Private 747 to the 24th (1st Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. After initial training near home they joined the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon in June 1915, they then moved to Salisbury Plain in August for final training. The 24th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers departed to France in January 1916 concentrating at La Crosse, east of St Omer near the coast. In February they were in the trenches at Bois-Grenier with more experienced soldiers and had been divided between the Sherwood Foresters, the Lancashire Regiment, the Northamptonshire Regiment and the Worcestershire Regiment. During March they were withdrawn from front line duty in order to prepare for the forthcoming Spring Offensive. The 24th Battalion took part in the opening battle on the Somme at the Battle of Albert, July 1st-13th 1916, where they captured Scotts and Sausage Redoubts.
Private 24/787 Joseph Quigley was killed in action July 1st 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating servicemen from Britain and South Africa who died on the Somme 1915-1918 who have no known grave. He was 33 years old.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 20/07/1917 carries a notice which reads:
“Private Joseph Quigley, N.F., reported missing since July 1st, 1916, now presumed killed in action. Husband of Margaret Annie, and son of Patrick and Annie Quigley of Felling.”
Joseph Quigley is remembered in Felling on F32.06 and F32.24 and in Windy Nook on W95.01 and W95.02
