Photo : Carol Taylorson
Headstone at Jarrow Cemetery
John Gibson with his Family
At Jarrow Cemetery is the family headstone showing
In Loving Memory of
John William Gibson
who died Dec 2nd 1926, aged 66 years
also Elizabeth his wife
who died Dec 9th 1926 aged 64 years
John William Gibson their eldest son lost
at sea October 19th 1917 aged 35 years
John William Gibson [junior], was born on the 18th September 1882 at 2 Bridge Street, Jarrow to John William Gibson, [senior], born 9th February 1860, [baptised 23rd July at St Peters, Liverpool, son of John and Sarah Gibson], died 2nd December 1926, and his wife Elizabeth [nee Brown], Gibson, born 1863 South Shields, died 9th December 1926. [Both died from lobar pneumonia]. They were married in 1883 and had 5 children. John William, Sarah, born 1st May 1885, who resided at Preston, North Shields at 46 Hopper Street, [Although the 1901 census states she is living with her uncle he in in fact her step Grandfather. He is the second husband of Elizabeth’s mother. In 1911 she is living in the house of a barrister in Jesmond and working as a laundry maid. She marries Henry Younger on he 25th March 1919, at St Paul's parish church in Jarrow, and his occupation is listed as soldier, [Service number 212907, he attested as a Group 6 Derby scheme recruit and was in the Royal Engineers a a sapper in the 219th Field Company, he was born on the 17th May 1892], In 1939 she is living at Morpeth], Robert Gibson, born 1887, Richard Thomley Gibson, born 19th October 1896, died December 1983, [who married in June 1928 a Barbara Jeffels McDonald, born Hebburn, 2nd July 1904, died 10th December 1985, {daughter of George and Barbara McDonald}, in 1939 were residing at 27 Northbourne Road, Jarrow], Henry Gibson born 27th July 1903, [married a Margaret nee Thompson, born 22nd October 1903 and in 1939 were residing at 26 Holly Street, Jarrow with three children].
John William Gibson senior was in 1881 boarding at 2 Waterside Cottages, Hedworth Monkton and Jarrow and was a Colliery Stoker.
John resided at a few addresses always in Jarrow, 1882, 2 Bridge Street, 1885, 90 Hope Street, 1887, 16 Derby Street, 1896, 68 Church Street.
In 1901, John William Gibson snr, and his family were now residing at 56 Hope Street, Jarrow, and by 1911 they were all residing at 222 Hope Street, Jarrow.
In 1901, John William Gibson jnr., was a Shipyard Labourer, by 1902, he signed on for his first crew on the Ramsey, then by 1911 he was a Marine Stoker, now in the Mercantile Marine, and amongst the ships he was a crew member of were the 'Ramsay' official ship number 115831 in 1902, for a year, 'Silver Wings' official number 118498 in 1904 for up to 2 years, for sailing to New York. He was also a crew member of the Novington, official number 132729, Masarua, official number 133095, 24th April 1914 to the 3rd May 1914, Ramsey again as a Donkeyman, from the 15th March 1915 to the 20th June 1915 and the Silver Wings from the 9th July 1915 to the 15th August 1915. Raeburn official number 113365, 4th August 1915 to the 20th September 1915.
John William Gibson attested on the 2nd September 1915, at Montreal, Canada, into the Canadian Army, he was 5 feet 3 inches tall, 124lbs, 33 years 10 months old, fair complexion, Blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his date of birth incorrectly, as the 9th September 1882. He was allocated the service number 120704, and was enlisted into the 69th Canadian Battalion. On his enlistment papers his complexion was now described as dark, Black eyes with Brown hair! John had enrolled on the 19th August 1915. He was discharged on the 3rd March 1916, as medically unfit at St Johns.
John William Gibson junior was a Fireman and Trimmer aboard the 3,120 tons steamer, S.S. Hazelwood, official number 113908, when she was torpedoed by an U-Boat UC 75, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Lohs, 8.7 nautical miles south-east of Anvil Point, east of Portland Bill carrying coal from the Tyne to Nantes. He was one of 32 casualties.
His parents had moved in 1912 to 4 Ernest Street, Jarrow.
Acknowledgements: Carol Taylorson
Research: Jean Atkinson/James Pasby
John William Gibson is remembered at Jarrow on J2.10 and in our list of Ship's Crews.
Dive footage of the SS Hazelwood
The CWGC entry for Fireman John William Gibson
