Photo: Dorothy Hall
Photo: Dorothy Hall
Photo: Dorothy Hall
TR5/190031 Private
T.A. Robson
Durham Light Infantry
23rd November 1918 Age 18
Son of Selina Robson, of 6, York Terrace, Barnard Castle, and the late William Edward Robson.
Behind this headstone is a family headstone which reads:-
In
loving memory of
Pte. Thomas Ambrose
only son of
William and Selina Robson
who died
Nov. 23rd 1918
aged 18 years
Also of the above
William Robson
who died March 11th 1928
aged 62 years
Also Selina Robson
died Aug. 1st 1939
aged 72 years
Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Thomas was the only son of William Edward and Selina (nee Morton) who married at Teesdale in 1891. They had two children together, the other child being a daughter, Charlotte
.In 1901 the family were living at 3 Newgate Barnard Castle. Father William was a railway signalman. Thomas had been born the previous year, 1900.
By 1911 the household had moved to 6 York Terrace Barnard Castle. Charlotte now aged 18 was working as a laundry clerk whilst Thomas was still at school.
His school was the Northern Counties School, Thomas being a winner of a St John scholarship.
Prior to enlisting Thomas was a clerk with the North Eastern Railway at Darlington.
Thomas appears to have only joined the Durham Light Infantry on 9 November 1918, only 2 days before the Armistice. It turned out he only served 22 days in total.
He had been posted to Clipstone Camp, Nottingham where he died of pneumonia. His body was brought home by train and the funeral took place at Barnard Castle.
The Teesdale Mercury 27/11/1918 reports:-
News was received on Saturday by Mr and Mrs W. Robson York terrace that their only son Private Thomas Ambrose Robson had died at Clipstone Camp Nottingham that day. The deceased was 18 years old and had only joined the army on the 9th inst. Previous to enlisting he was a clerk on the North Eastern railway at Darlington and formerly attended the County School being a winner of St John's scholarship.
The edition of 04/12/1918 reports:-
The funeral of Private Thomas Robson of York Terrace, took place on Thursday, the body arriving by train from Clipstone Camp the previous night. The bearers, were mainly deceased companions while Corporal Moses of the 53rd Durhams who had travelled with the remains, attended as the official representative of the regiment. The Rev. P McPhall, Primitive Methodist minister officiated at the grave side and the floral souvenirs were truly lovely.
His father and mother were subsequently interred alongside their son in the family plot in the non-conformist cemetery in Barnard Castle in 1928 and 1939 respectively.
Thomas Ambrose Robson is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.04, B135.20, B135.23 and B135.25 and at York on NER Memorial
He is not remembered in the DLI Book of Remembrance.
