Photo: Dorothy Hall
Photo: Dorothy Hall
In Barnard Castle (St. Mary) Church Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Joseph the beloved husband of
Elizabeth Ashmore
of Barnard Castle
who died Feb. 2nd 1901
aged 43 years
also Elizabeth died Jan. 11th
1886 aged 4 months
also Margaret died Dec. 12th
1890 aged 2 years and 3 months
daughters of the above
also of Arthur son of the above
who died March 7th 1914
aged 32 years
also Pte. Joseph Ashmore
who was killed in France March 9th 1916
aged 25 years
also Bugler Fred Ashmore
who died of wounds whilst a prisoner
at Mount Notre Dame France July 17th 1918
aged 21 years
also the above Elizabeth Ashmore
who died January 20th 1937 aged 75 years
Peter Wise has submitted the following:-
Joseph Ashmore was born 1891 at Barnard Castle one of five sons of Joseph and Elizabeth nee Blackett of Thorngate.
His father Joseph died in 1901. In 1911 he was a Grocer's Assistant. He married Beatrice Harrison in 1912. The couple had three children Joseph born 1912, Elizabeth born 1914 and Edward born 1916.
By 1914 he was possibly working as a Quarryman at Bowes for the North Eastern Railway.
Joseph enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry and embarked for France 19th April 1915.
His younger brother Fred also died in WW1.
Joseph was killed in action 9th March 1916. The inscription "At Rest" was added to his headstone.
Joseph was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
The Teesdale Mercury 29/05/1918 reads:-
Mrs Ashmore, widow of the late Sapper Joseph Ashmore, who was formerly employed by the North Eastern Railway Company at Hulands Quarry, took up her duties at Barnard Castle railway station last Saturday morning as assistant ticket collector. Her uniform was smart and seemly.
Beatrice married Tom Croom in 1919.
Joseph Ashmore is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25 and at York on North Eastern Railway Memorial
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 46
