Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph Foster Wootton was one of 10 children, 5 sons, 2 daughters, 3 gender unknown, of whom only 3 survived. His father Richard Foster Wootton born in 1851 at Wellenhall, Staffordshire, at the age of 22 was assistant to his father, boatman Thomas Wootton, living with his parents at Newcastle-under-Lyme. Between 1871 and 1879 he had migrated to the north east where he was married during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1879 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to Frances Ann Earle born 1857 at Gateshead, County Durham. Their first surviving child Richard Foster Wootton was born at Gateshead in 1886 and Joseph Foster 1889, who was baptised, May 20th 1889, at Holy Trinity, Gateshead. The family were living at 20, Charles Street, Gateshead in 1901, Richard was employed as a blacksmith, daughter Hannah Foster was born December 2nd 1893.
Frances Ann Wootton nee Earle died in 1900 at Gateshead aged 43 years and Richard returned briefly to Staffordshire, in 1904 he could be found at Fortune Of War Public House, however, by 1911 he had returned to Gateshead. He and his 2 sons were living in 2 rooms at 9, Cemetery Road, Gateshead, Richard employed as a blacksmith, Richard Jnr (25) a compositor at Stevenson’s Works, Joseph Foster (22) a metal moulder working for a motor engineer, Hannah Foster (17) was living with her aunt and uncle John Foster and Sarah Elizabeth Wootton at 2, Argyle Street, Gateshead.
Joseph was married November 25th 1911 to local girl, Isabella Harbron, born 1889. Their daughter Elizabeth Foster was born July 22nd 1912 at 43, Mansfield Street, Richard Foster during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1914 who unfortunately died 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1915.
Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, July 28th 1914. Joseph and his family were living at 31, Frank Street, Gateshead, he left his employment and enlisted, November 13th 1915, assigned to the Army B. Reserve for men completing their 5 years as a reservist. He was mobilised, April 19th 1916 as Private 23075 East Yorkshire Regiment and transferred to the 3rd Infantry Works Company April 29th 1916 until July 29th 1916 when he was posted to the 14th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, which in September 1916 became the 81st Training Reserve Battalion, 19th Reserve Brigade.
Private Wootton departed to France, December 3rd 1916, at the time of his departure his wife was either in the final stages of pregnancy or had just given birth to their daughter Frances A. Foster Wootton, born 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1916.
Having been transferred with a change of serial number, 52608, to the 11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. at the 35th Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, he was posted to the 22nd (Pioneer) Battalion D.L.I., December 9th 1916. The 22nd Battalion had been in France since June 1916 and at the conclusion of the Battles of the Somme, moved to the Ypres salient in Belgium where they were ordered to dig new communication trenches and lay a new railway track in preparation for the commencement of the Third Battle of Ypres which raged from July 31st to November 10th 1917. During these works the pioneers were subjected to constant shell-fire and gas attacks.
Private 52608 Joseph Foster Wootton Durham Light Infantry was killed in action, July 7th 1917 and brought into Belgian Battery Corner Military Cemetery, on the outskirts of Ypres, Belgium, where he is at rest grave I. D. 4. He was 28 years of age.
As his sole legitimate beneficiary his widow Isabella received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 31, Frank Street, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, County Durham. Isabelle commissioned at a cost of 4 shillings 1 pence an additional inscription to be added to her husband’s military headstone, it reads, “Ever Remembered.”
Isabella Wootton nee Harbron did not re-marry, she died aged 73 years in 1962, registered at Durham Central.
Joseph and Isabella’s daughter Frances died in 1924 aged 8 years.
Their daughter Elizabeth Wootton married in 1929 at Gateshead to William Hollywell Barker born at Gateshead, October 5th 1907, with whom she had a daughter Elizabeth born July 8th 1930. Their marriage appears to have ended in divorce as he died in 1985 at Brentwood Essex, whereas, Elizabeth married for a second time in 1947 to Leonard John Burwood Hayes born September 9th 1920 at Lambeth, London, Surrey. Daughter Elizabeth Barker in 1939, aged 9 years, was living at 31, Frank Street, with her grandmother Isabella who had also taken in granddaughter Ellen Wootton born July 8th 1921 who supported them all employed as a drapery shop assistant. Elizabeth Barker married in 1950 to John Fergusson and died November 24th 2001 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, County Durham. Her mother Elizabeth Foster-Hayes-Barker nee Wootton died in 1975 aged 63 years, step-father John Burwood Hayes in 1989 aged 79 years, both registered at Chichester, Essex.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Foster Wootton is remembered at Gateshead in G39.004 and G39.024
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 175
