Heslop's Local Advertiser
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Jonathan Herbert Pearson was born at Gateshead, County Durham, January 23rd 1894, one of 5 children of whom only 4 survived. He was the only son of Robert Pearson, originally a lead miner living at 2 Market Square, Alston Cumberland, born 1864 and his wife Jane Gilmore born at Gateshead in 1863, whom he married at Gateshead in 1891. Newly married they were living at Lodge Street, Robert was employed as a cart-man, ten years later, now with 3 children, he was employed as a dairyman and they had moved to 25, Prior Street, Parish of St. James, Gateshead. To supplement the family income they had taken in a lodger, James Brown, a married railway labourer from Norfolk. In 1911 having moved to 14, Havelock Street, Felling, Jonathan now 17 years old was employed at Felling Colliery as a coal miner/driver, his father was still a general cart-man, a William Robson, of Carr Hill, Gateshead, general labourer, is listed as a visitor.
On the outbreak of war Jonathan Herbert Pearson enlisted at Felling, assigned as Private 1637 Durham Light Infantry, he joined the regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In the following days he was transferred to the 1st/9th Battalion which had returned from its annual camp and ordered to prepare for war. Over the next 9 months, after spending a few weeks digging trenches at South Shields as part of the coastal defences, the battalion was formed into 4 companies and began training at Ravensworth, Boldon and Newcastle-upon-Tyne for service overseas.
The 1/9th Battalion departed from Newcastle railway station between April 17th-19th 1915 for France, they landed at Boulogne April 20th and were attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. Within days without any nursery training they were fighting in the front line trenches of the Ypres salient where they suffered heavy casualties from shelling and gas attacks on the Frezenberg and Bellewaarde ridges but thankfully were spared the heavy losses suffered by the other Durham battalions.
Private 9/1637 Jonathan Herbert Pearson Durham Light Infantry was killed in action February 24th 1916 and interred at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm). West Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, grave II. A. 16. He was 22 years old and single.
The cemetery was begun during April 1915 for the internment of front line fighting units. He is buried alongside Lance Corporal 9/492 Hubert Moody Durham Light Infantry of Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, also killed February 24th 1916, aged 27 years, who left a widow Mary Elizabeth and son James W. Moody born January 2nd 1915, prior to his departure for the Western Front.
All monies owed to Private Pearson were divided between his father Robert and his eldest sister Elizabeth Hannah Ramshaw of 24, Holly Street, Felling. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His mother Jane Pearson nee Gilmore died in 1917 aged 54 years, Robert Pearson in 1922 aged 59 years, both registered in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop's Local Advertiser 17/03/1916.
Jonathan Herbert Pearson is remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance
