Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Carr, was the youngest of 9 children. His father William Carr, born in the district of Houghton le Spring, Parish of West Rainton, in 1834, met his future wife, Jane Stoker, born 1835, in her home village of Lumley, County Durham, where he had been living with his widowed aunt, Ann Punshon and cousin William, employed as a coal miner. He and Jane were married, November 17th 1855 in the district of Chester-le-Street, two years later their daughter Ann was born and baptised at Broomside, September 2nd 1857. Mary Jane and Susannah in 1860 and 1861 respectively while they were living at Lodge Hill, Gilesgate, Durham City, sadly Mary Jane died in 1862. Lodge Hill was also the birthplace of Elizabeth 1864, William Jnr 1866 and Hannah in 1868, before they moved to the village of Freehold Field by 1871 where they resided at Freehold Field House and William Snr sup[ported his family employed as a coal miner. Ten years later they were living at West Row, Freehold Fields, Jane had given birth to a further 3 children, George 1872, John 1875 and Thomas in 1877. By 1881 William Snr had been joined at the colliery by William Jnr (15), daughter Susanna was employed as a farm labourer, Hannah (13), George (9) and John (6) were scholars, Thomas (4) remain at home with his mother as did Elizabeth (17). In 1891 William Snr and George (19) were both working as coal miner, John as a driver, the family now lived in the village of Rainton Gate, however, they had moved to Heworth, Gateshead, County Durham, by 1893.
Thomas Carr was married in 1893 to Isabella Bruce, born 1873, with whom he had a son, William Henry born in 1893. Sadly, Isabella died aged only 23 years of age in 1896, he returned to his parent’s home at Holly Hill, Heworth, Gateshead. Thomas and his brother John (26) working as hewers supported his now retired father, their mother and his son.
Thomas Carr married for a second time at St. Mary’s Church, Heworth, July 26th 1902 to Rebecca Brewes, born at Felling, June 30th 1882.
His mother Jane Carr nee Stoker died in 1904, by 1911, widower William, his daughter Susannah and grandson William Henry occupied rooms at 3, Holly Hill Cottages, a dwelling house at Felling, Gateshead. Thomas was living in 4 rooms at 8, Benson’s Terrace, Felling, with his wife and 3 children, a son Leslie born April 3rd 1903, and daughters, Jane Brewes, January 26th 1906 and Hannah Brewes, April 14th 1908, Thomas Jnr was born, April 9th 1913.
War with Germany was declared, August 4th 1914, all regiments needed to raise new battalions Thomas was one of about 500,000 men who volunteered to serve between August 4th and the end of September 1914. He enlisted at Felling, August 29th 1914, at the time was 37 years of age. Just as younger men told an untruth as regards their age in order to enlist so did Thomas, declaring he was 30 years and 7 months old. Assigned as Private 16208 he posted to the 11th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) Durham Light Infantry, 60th Brigade, 20th (Light) Division, but was discharged the same day as medically unfit. The officer in charge did not make a record of Thomas’ character or address, this enabled him to represent himself, which he did, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, joining the 23rd (4th Tyneslde Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, which was raised as of November 26th 1914. Assigned as Private 239, after initial training in Newcastle the battalion moved to Alnwick camp, in the grounds of Alnwick Castle in early May 1915. They joined the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division who were concentrating at Ripon in Yorkshire in mid-1915, and in late August were taken over by the War Office and moved to Salisbury Plain to begin final training. Having departed to France in January 1916 the division concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. They were in action on the 1st of July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme attacking just south of the village of La Boisselle, not far from Albert but did not participate in any further major attacks. In 1917 they fought in the the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux during the Arras Offensive. In August they were involved in the fighting at Hargicourt and in October they took part in the Third Battles of Ypres at the Broenbeek. In 1918 they were in action in the Battle of St Quentin and then moved to Flanders seeing action in the Battle of Estaires, the Battle of Bailleul and The First Battle for Kemmel Ridge during the Battles of the Lys, suffering heavy losses forcing the 102nd Brigade to be reorganised. The 23rd Battalion, May 16th 1918, was reduced to cadre strength and transferred to Lines of Communication.
Without the benefit of a second war record it is not possible to follow this soldier’s exact movements, however, he died whilst a prisoner of war in the hands of the Germans at Mons, Belgium, May 29th 1918 (entry CWGC) and interred by them at Mons (Bergen) Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium. The extension to the communal cemetery to the north side is now part of the town cemetery and here are buried Russian, French, Italian, Romanian, Belgian, German and Commonwealth soldiers. Mons was in the hands of the Germans for the entire duration of WW1 as of August 23rd 1914. During the Second World War the military installation at Fort Breendonk was a prison camp, this may well have occurred also during WW1. It should be noted that the date of his death recorded on the WW1 Pension Ledger and Index Cards differs from that of the details recorded by the CWGC. Private 239 Thomas Carr Northumberland Fusiliers was 41 years old.
His widow of 8, Benson Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, received his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, she commissioned at a cost of 14 shillings an additional inscription to be added to her husband’s military headstone, it reads, “God Shall Clasp The Broken Chain Closer When We Meet Again”. Rebecca was awarded a pension of 29 shillings 7 pence, June 12th 1919, to be received weekly as of June 16th 1919, for herself and 3 children, Jane Brewes, Hannah Brewes and Thomas Carr Jnr, until each child in turn reached the age of 16-years, at which time it would have been reduced, William Henry (25) and Leslie (16 as of April 3rd 1919) were excluded.
Thomas’ father William Carr died aged 85-years during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1918.
Details of Thomas and Rebecca’s children;
William Henry died at Gateshead, County Durham, in 1945 aged 51-years.
Details as regards Leslie Carr as yet unknown.
Jane Brewes Carr married in 1927 to James Marley born in the district of South Shields, October 13th 1901 and later brought to live at Felling by his family. In 1939 he was employed as a plater’s labourer at the shipyards, he and Jane were living at 11, Benson Terrace, Felling, with their children, Barbara born 1928, Leslie 1932, William 1938 and possibly a Martin C Marley in 1934. Jane Brewes Marley nee Carr (65) died in 1971 registered at Gateshead, County Durham.
In 1939 living 2 doors away at 9, Benson Terrace was her brother Thomas Carr and his wife Mary S. Hymers born December 25th 1912, whom he had married at Gateshead in 1933, their son Thomas Jnr was born, June 23rd 1933. Thomas supported his family employed as a printer’s compositor and died in 1983 aged 70-years, registered at Gateshead, County Durham.
Details as regards Margaret Brewes Carr as yet unknown.
Rebecca Carr married Thomas Lynch in 1940, Rebecca Lynch-Carr nee Brewes (88) died in 1970 registered at Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Carr is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
