Peter Whittaker & Peter Nicol have provided the following:

James was born in 1897 at Carlton Iron Works, which had been ecclesiastically renamed Stillington in 1872. His father was Henry Albert Bridges, born in Bristol, and in the 1901 Census he was recorded as a “pig iron worker”. His wife was Ann(e) Elizabeth Jackson (34 – born at Billingham 1 October 1866) and the family lived at 42 Morrison Street, Carlton Iron Works. There were six children; Ann (10), Mary (9), Lucy (7), Henry (5), James (3), and Emma (1), all of whom were born at Carlton Iron Works.

The 1911 Census shows James’ with his family at 83 Parliament Road, Middlesbrough. His father was aged 46 and gave his occupation as “blast furnace slagger”. The children recorded were Henry Albert (15 – coppersmith apprentice at a brass foundry), James (13), Emma (11), and Beatrice (8). The Census Return stated that there had been eight children of the marriage born alive of whom six were still living.

James enlisted on 10 December 1915. He was discharged on 17 June 1919 as no longer medically fit but was awarded the Silver War Badge. This was issued in the United Kingdom and the British Empire to service personnel honourably discharged due to wounds or, as in James’ case, to sickness.

James died of tuberculosis in Bishopton on 1 January 1920, aged 22 with his father present, as his death certificate, which describes him as a “Fitter and Turner”, shows.

Sadly, despite exhaustive searches of local burial records and Evening Gazette death notices, James’s grave has not been located.

James’ mother, Anne E. Bridges was recorded in the 1939 Register as living at the High Street, Bishopton and was described as a “retail cycle accessory – petrol dealer”.

James Bridges is remembered in Bishopton on B142.01

There is no CWGC entry for Private Bridges