Photo: Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes has provided the following:

Michael was born circa 1886 (see note below) in Sunderland, the sixth child of twelve to James & Caroline Green (nee Storey). James from Southwick married Caroline in the June Q 1874 at Sunderland Register Office. Caroline originally came from South Shields.
To date, including Michael, I have found eleven of the children:
James Green born March Q 1875;
Mary Alice Green born December Q 1876. Mary died late April 1877 aged 6 months and was laid to rest on the 24th April 1877 in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Southwick;
Martha Green born March Q 1878; Mary, born circa 1880;
Jane born circa 1884;
Emma Green born June Q 1889;
Paul Green born March Q 1891;
Caroline Green born December Q 1892;
Henry Green born September Q 1895 and
Thomas Green born September Q 1897.

The only birth record I can find for a Michael Green in the time frame and area was December Q 1886. On the "Find My Past" site there was no mother’s maiden name given, on the G.R.O. site it gives the mother’s maiden name as Cortavill. More detailed research is needed to confirm date of birth.

Five years prior to Michael’s birth his parents and older siblings were living at 13 William Street, Southwick. Michael’s father James gave his occupation as a Plater, working in a shipyard. Subsequent census returns give his occupation as a Plater’s Helper.

By the time of the 1891 census the family had moved from William Street in Low Southwick up to 23 Edward Burdis Street, living in two rooms. Both James the father and James the eldest child were working in a shipyard, the father was employed as a labourer and young James employed as a rivet heater. The records show that Michael was attending school along with his sisters Martha and Jane.

Tragedy struck the family when Paul, aged 11 months, sadly died at the family home of Edward Burdis Street on the 23rd November 1891. He was laid to rest on the 25th November 1891 in Section KK Grave no. 2934 of Southwick Cemetery.

In 1901 the family was still at 23 Edward Burdis Street, while three of the older children had left home there were still six children living with their parents. Michael did not follow his father and eldest brother into the shipyards as his employment on the census return was given as a driver below ground in a coal mine. His job would have been to drive the horses on the main underground.

At the age of 24 in 1911 Michael was still single and had changed his employment. He had left the mining industry and was now employed as a ship’s riveter; it was his younger brother Henry who, now aged 15, was employed as a driver below ground in a coal mine. The family was still residing in two rooms at Edward Burdis Street.

Michael’s service records have not survived but his medal card shows he joined the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers on the 13th August 1914 and was given the service number 9301. At the outbreak of WW1 Michael would have been stationed at Portsmouth, where the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was assigned to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. They landed at Le Havre on the 14th August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force and were engaged in various actions on the Western Front. It was possible that Michael took part in the Battle of Mons and that it was during this time he was wounded and then sent back to England. Nothing more was known until Michael’s death was recorded on the 8th December 1914 at The Hospital, Mansfield. His body was returned home to Southwick. On the 13th December 1914 Michael was laid to rest in Section 2, Grave no. 308 of Southwick Cemetery. A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.

Only three years after Michael’s death his father James died aged 63 years on the 9th December 1917 at 26 Edward Burdis Street, he was laid to rest on the 12th December in Section 2 Grave no. 386.

His mother Caroline died aged 62 year on the 30th May 1919 at 25 James Armitage Street. She was laid to rest on the 5th May in Section 2 Grave no. 399, both are buried in Southwick Cemetery.

Michael Green is remembered in Southwick on S130.13 and S130.15, in Sunderland on S140.048 page 44 and S140.048 page 266 and in the Battalion History

The CWGC entry for Private Green