Photo: Brian Chandler
In the cemetery is a family headstone which reads:
Rodger
beloved husband of
Louisa Lucy Parker
died July 16th 1918,
aged 57 years,
also Matthew Veal son of above
killed in action, August 30th 1916,
aged 24 years.
Thy will be done.
Matthew Veal was the son of Louisa Lucy and the late Rodger Parker (a police sergeant), who resided at 34 Wressle, Selby, Yorkshire. He was born in the fourth quarter of 1892, at Shotton Colliery, although he is described as a native of Pelton Fell, Co. Durham.
The 1911 Census tells us that he was living at 1 Mission Row, Newfield, Co. Durham, with his family and was employed as a ‘coal-miner/putter underground’.
Matthew enlisted on 11th August 1914, with the 10th Battalion. He appears to have had a poor conduct record in the army, being reprimanded five times between November 1914 and early May 1915. At the time of his death his mother’s address was given as 7 Percy Street, Lemington.
Acknowledgements: Ron Carson.
Matthew Parker is remembered at Pelton on P26.01 and at Pelton Fell on P27.01
