Photo: Dorothy Hall
5/81870 Private
James Frederick Hopson
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
22nd March 1917 Age 18
Until the day dawns
Son of Robert and Sarah Jane Hopson, of Hole in the Wall, Newgate, Barnard Castle. Served in France.
Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Frederick (known as Freddie) was born the son of Robert and Sarah Jane in 1899 at Barnard Castle. Freddie was baptised on January 4th 1899. The couple had married in 1895 and went on to have 4 children although 1 (possibly their youngest son Robert Stanley) died at a young age.
According to the 1901 census father, Robert, was working as a flax dresser (shoe threads and twine).
The family were still living at the same address (Hole in the Wall, Barnard Castle) in 1911 However, there had been an addition to the family as a new son, Robert Stanley, had arrived.
The Teesdale Mercury 28/03/1917 reports:-
A social was held in the Primitive Methodist school rooms Newgate on Thursday evening, the Rev. CH Lightfoot prosiding. The chairman expressed the sorrow felt by all and sympathy for Mr and Mrs R Hopson, the caretakers of the church whose son Freddie, after one brief month's absence from home had died in hospital. Mrs Hopson was with him in his last hours and was returning that evening. He would ask them to rise to their feet in this unanimous expression of their grief.
His death had occurred in Walkergate Hospital, Newcastle on March 22nd 1917.
The cause of his death is not known. He had served for a short time in France so perhaps he had been wounded or alternatively he could have developed an illness. Freddie had only been away from home for barely a month.
James Frederick Hopson is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.13, B135.23 and B135.25
