Photo: Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes has provided the following:

Arthur was born in the December of 1905 in Sunderland, the son of Thomas William and Mary Brown (nee Smith). Arthur’s parents were married at Holy Trinity Church, Southwick on the 24th December 1904; his father Thomas was employed as a Blacksmith in the shipbuilding industry.

On the 2nd of April 1911, at the time the census was taken, the Brown family was living in three rooms at 25 Hawthorn Street, Southwick. Arthur, aged 5 by now, had two younger sisters: Jane Ann Hope aged 3 years (born September 1907) and 1 year old Margaret Gray (born March 1910). Both births were registered in Sunderland.

Because of how common the two surnames are it would need more detailed research to find additional children for Thomas and Mary (a search of parish records). I do know of two other children born to Thomas & Mary as there are records of the deaths of two sons at a very young age)

William Brown was born in the September 1919, but sadly died on the 26th April 1920 at the family residence of 44 Edward Burdis Street, Southwick; he was buried in Southwick Cemetery on the 29th April 1920.

In 1928 the family suffered another tragedy when Mark Smith Brown (born June 1927) died at the age of 11 months on the 26th February and was also buried in Southwick Cemetery on the 29th February. Mark also died at 44 Edward Burdis Street.

When Mark died Arthur was 23 years of age and now a time served Shipwright. He had not long completed his apprenticeship in one of the many shipyards that were occupying sites on the banks of the River Wear.

The 2nd of April 1934 saw happier times for the Brown family and especially Arthur, when he married 21 year old Jenny Mould, the daughter of the late John Anthony & Jane Mould (nee Crawford) at the church of St. Columba, Southwick.

There were four children from the marriage, all in Sunderland:
James William – December 1934;
Marian E.;
Patricia – March 1938
Thomas William – March 1940

Arthur and Jenny would only have eight years together. 1939 saw the beginning of World War 2. Arthur enlisted in the Pioneer Corps as a Private (Service no. 13051269). His skills as a Shipwright would have come in very handy in the Pioneer Corps as it was the job of the Pioneers to construct airfields, erect bridges, build roads etc. a lot of the time under heavy enemy fire.

Arthur died on the 25th July 1942 at his home 77 Morgan Street, Southwick. He was laid to rest on the 28th July in Section AA, Grave no. 156 of Southwick Cemetery.

Jenny was left alone to bring up four young children, the eldest James was 8 and the youngest Thomas was 2. I do not believe Jenny remarried (I could not find a marriage) so it must have been very difficult for her to provide for herself and the family. It is possible that Arthur’s parents who were still alive were able to provide assistance for their late son’s family.

Arthur’s father died in Sunderland General Hospital in March 1957, aged 75 years, and his mother Mary died late June or early July in 1961 aged 76 years in Ryhope General Hospital. Both are buried in Southwick Cemetery. Thomas on 19th March 1957 in Section AA, Grave no. 72 and Mary on the 5th July 1961 in the same plot as her husband.

Arthur James Brown's name does not appear on any local memorial.

The CWGC entry for Private Brown