Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Thomas Sydney was born on December 16th 1886 at Barnard Castle the son of Thomas and Alice (nee Tickner). He was baptised January 23rd 1887. The couple married in Surrey in 1882. Accounts vary but the couple had between 10-14 children who often went by their second forename other than the first. In fact, it is likely 14 children were born but 4 died.
They included Annie, Horace, Harry, Thomas Sydney, Samuel, Stephen Robert, Mary, Agnes, Winifred Alice, Margaret Emily, Ambrose and Catherine Joyce.
By 1901 Sydney was working as a roper’s assistant aged 14. His father was employed as a coachman/general servant.
Then in 1911 his father is shown to be a carting contractor whilst his sons, Sydney and Robert worked as cart men probably for their father.
Sydney married Greta Robinson in 1913. The couple eventually had three children Roy born October 2nd 1913, Winifred February 24th 1915 and Sydney 11th July 1916.
Sydney enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry (service number 31640) before being transferred to the Cameronians (number 201975).
Sydney is listed on the Tyne Cot memorial alongside almost 35,000 of his comrades.
Thomas Sydney Hall is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
