St. Sever Cemetery Extension
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Oram was born 1889 at East Murton, County Durham, one of 9 children, of whom only 8 survived, 5 sons and 3 daughters, born to Christopher Oram 1852 of Cornforth and his wife Margaret Ann Rogers born 1854 at South Hetton, County Durham. They were married in the district of Easington in 1874. In the early years after his marriage he was working as an agricultural labourer living at 1 East Murton with his wife and 3 children. By 1901 the family had moved to Church Cottage, Dalton le Dale, Durham and were still living there in 1911, Thomas now aged 22 was working as a coal miner putter.
Thomas married Catherine Short Henderson, native of Easington, born 1892, in the that some district in 1912, she gave birth to their only child, a son, John Thomas, July 14th 1913. During the Great War Thomas answered his county’s call, enlisting at Seaham Harbour he was assigned to the Royal Fusiliers as Private 15506. His full service record no longer exists on of the 70 per cent destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is therefore impossible to know his movements. The 2nd Battalion was attached to the 86th Brigade, 29th Division. The Division arrived in France March 1916, arriving at Marseilles and moved to concentrate in the east area of Pont Remy between the 15th-29th of March. They participated extensively on the Western Front.
The resting place of Private Oram would indicate that he was either wounded or suffering from illness as he is interred near Rouen, a vast hospital area during the conflict. Private 15506 Thomas Oram died March 10th 1917 and is at rest at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Seine-Maritime, France on the southern edge of Rouen grave O. VI. G. 12.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards which would have consisted of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Catherine Oram remarried within 6 months, in the district of Sunderland, to George Edward Whiteley born 1891, a native of Sheffield, they went on to have 6 children. Mary 1920 and Edna 1922 were born in the district of Easington. After the family moved to Ecclesall near Sheffield, Catherine gave birth to a further 4 known children, Elizabeth 1925, Ruby 1927, Margaret 1930 and Joan in 1934.
Thomas and Catherine’s son John Thomas Oram married Elsie Moore during the 3rd quarter of 1942 whilst serving with the Royal Navy. His mother died in 1957 aged 64, his wife Elsie in 1962 aged only 37 and his step-father George Edward in 1968. John Thomas Oram died at Sheffield, Yorkshire, aged 79 in 1992.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas' two brothers Rogers and Richardalso died in the Great War, whilst Christopher was severely injured and invalided out of the Army.
Thomas Oram is remembered at Dalton le Dale on D39.01 and D39.04 and at Murton on M47.01, M47.06, M47.09 and M47.12
