Photo: Derek Haynes
The headstone reads:
In loving memory
of our dear parents
Sarah Ann Burlinson
died 10: Aug. 1973 aged 63
And John Burlinson
died 11: July 1943 aged 37
Also Robert Morris ,
died 6: April 1930 aged 18.
Derek Haynes has provided the following:
John was born September 1906 in the registration district of Sunderland to John and Mary Burlinson (nee Smith) who were married in the September 1903 in the registration district of Sunderland. The other children from the marriage were:
William, born December 1903;
George, born December 1908;
Hilda, born December 1910.
I do know that the parents of the above children are John and Mary (found on 1911 census return) have found three more possibilities for siblings of John after 1911:
Elsie, born March 1913;
Ernest, born March 1920;
Arthur, born June 1925
All registered in Sunderland, and it is a good possibility that the three children mentioned above are John’s siblings as the GRO births record the mother’s maiden name as Smith. To be absolutely certain would need to purchase birth certificates or access baptism records.
We next find John, aged 4 years, on the 1911 census, living in 3 rooms at 24 Ravensworth Street, Sunderland with his parents and three siblings, his elder brother William and younger brother and sister George and Hilda. The family is living in the household of Mary’s mother, Annie Smith, a widow and her son, William. John’s father is employed as a fitter’s labourer in a shipyard.
On the 14th May 1932 in Holy Trinity Parish Church, Southwick, John married Sarah Ann Morris. At the time of the marriage John, employed as a Bricklayer, was residing at 18 King Street. Sarah, who is employed as a Domestic, is residing at 2 Cross Street. Both addresses are in the parish of Southwick.
John and Sarah had four children:
John, born December 1932;
Derek, born March 1935;
Jean, born March 1938;
Brian, born June 1942. All the births were registered in Sunderland.
Tragedy struck the family when, in January 1942, John, aged 9 years, the eldest child, died in the Hylton Road Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Sunderland. He was laid to rest on the in 10th January 1942 in Section V, Grave no. 10293 of Southwick Cemetery. At the time of this tragedy Sarah would have been expecting their fourth child, Brian. Without access to John’s service records we do not know if John was at home supporting his wife or by this time was serving in the Army.
What is known is that John joined the Border Regiment serving as a Private and was given the regimental number 14508377. He died aged 37 years at the family home 17 Ellis Square in July 1943; it is not known what the cause of death was. The following announcement was placed in the Sunderland Echo 13/07/1943:
At 17 Ellis Square, Southwick (suddenly) aged 37 years, John, the dearly beloved husband of Sarah Ann Burlinson (nee Morris). Internment at Southwick Cemetery on Thursday, cortege leaving residence at 1.45 for service in Southwick Parish Church. All friends kindly invited. Deeply mourned.
John was laid to rest on the 15th July 1943 in Section S Grave no. 9413 of Southwick Cemetery. A family headstone marks his final resting place.
Sarah, aged 63 years, died on the 10th August 1973 in Sunderland Royal Infirmary; she was laid to rest on the 16th August 1973 in the family plot along with her husband John and her younger brother Robert Morris, who was 18 years old when he died on the 6th April 1930.
