Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Coulson, was the 4th eldest of 4 known sons and 2 sisters, however Sarah Jane born in 1880 died in 1884, one of 6 who had died by 1911, off-spring of Matthew and Mary Anne Coulson. Matthew Coulson was born in 1854 at Gateshead Fell, County Durham, described in the day as a windswept, barren and treacherous heath, which later became known as Low Fell. He had moved with his family to Old Row, Washington, by 1871 and was married to Mary Anne native of North Bitchburn, County Durham, born 1853. Their son Thomas was born at Washington, January 2nd 1876, the aforementioned Sarah Jane at Hebburn in 1880 and in 1881 they were living at Waggon Row, Usworth, Chester-le-Street, where Matthew was employed as a coal miner. Daughter Mary Hannah, sons William and Matthew were born at Washington, 1883, 1884 and April 8th 1887 respectively, Ralph, June 17th 1890 at Sunniside (Crook), however, by the following year the family had moved to Inkerman Cottages, Tow Law, County Durham, where Matthew had been joined by 16-year old Thomas at the colliery.
The family consisting of Matthew, now employed as a pottery labourer, his wife, William (16) a ship riveter's catcher, Matthew (14) a house builders labourer and Ralph (10) had transferred to Northumberland by 1901, living at 14, Walker Road, Walker, a property they shared with Alex Dalziel, a blacksmith’s striker and his family.
In 1911 Matthew and Mary Ann were living alone in 3 rooms at 4, John Street, Hazelrigg, a village north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, as over the last 10 years their younger children had all married and left the family home.
William Coulson had married in the district of Northumberland in 1904 to Elizabeth Ann Gascoigne born August 1st 1883 at Burradon, Northumberland, their son George was born there soon after, June 22nd 1904, John William, February 21st 1909 at Hazelrigg and Ralph, June 5th 1911 at Castle Ward, Northumberland, where they were living in 3 rooms at 30, Charles Street, Hazelrigg. William was employed as a stone-man below ground at the colliery, to increment the family income they had taken in a lodger, hewer Robert Paul, married but working away from home. Their youngest child Annie was born April 29th 1913.
When war was declared in August 1914 William was one of the first to enlist in the newly formed 20th (1st Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, raised October 14th 1914 by the Lord Major of Newcastle-upon-Tyne which with the 22nd/23rd and 24th, having moved to the grounds of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland in March 1915, formed the following month, the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division. Taken over by the War Office, August 15th 1915, as Private 391, he moved to Salisbury Plain with his regiment for final training and departed to France, January 1916.
After a period of trench familiarisation the regiment moved to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming battles. Due to commence June 29th 1916 the opening Battle of Albert was postponed until July 1st due to bad weather. At 7.28 a.m. July 1st 1916 two huge mines were detonated in the explosive packed tunnels under the German lines, one to the north, the other to the south of the village of La Boisselle, near Albert. During the attack the 20th Battalion was supported by the 21st/22nd and 23rd Battalion.
Private 391 William Coulson Northumberland Fusiliers was reported as missing, his wife was informed and extensive investigations made as to his whereabouts. It was not until mid-November 1916 that he was struck off and is considered to have been killed in action, July 1st 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,337 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, commemorating servicemen from Britain and South Africa who died on the Somme before March 20th 1918 and who have no known grave. Private William Coulson was 32 years of age.
Morpeth Herald 17/11/1916 carries a brief obituary:
Mrs Coulson, 6, Delaval Road, Forest Hall, has received word that her husband, Private W[illiam] Coulson, previously reported missing was killed in action on July 1st.
His widow Elizabeth Ann nominated by him in a will as his sole legitimate received all his effects, monies owed to him from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal and a pension for herself and their 4 children of 22 shillings 6 pence a week as of March 12th 1917. sent to her at 8, Delaval Road, Forest Hall, Northumberland.
Elizabeth Ann remarried in 1922, district of Tynemouth, Northumberland, to Robert Mason, born October 7th 1893, ten years her junior. In 1939 they were living at 7, Kelvin Place, Longbenton, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, also in the household was Elizabeth Ann’s daughter Annie. Robert Mason was employed as a stone-man.
Robert Mason died aged 62 years in 1956, Elizabeth Ann Mason-Coulson nee Gascoigne in 1959 aged 76 years, both registered in the district of Northumberland South.
Details of William and Elizabeth Ann’s children;
George Coulson married Minnie Jarrett Watson, born November 18th 1904, at Castle Ward, Northumberland in 1933. In 1939 they were living at 23, High Row, Longbenton, George was employed as a coal miner. George Coulson of 44 Newbiggin Hall Estate, Westerhope, died February 10th 1988, aged 84 years, his widow Minnie, of 42, Attlee Close, Burredon, October 30th 1989, aged 85 years, both registered at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
John William Coulson, November 7th 1928, at the age of 19 years, joined the Royal Air Force. He was married in the district of Tynemouth, Northumberland, in 1935 to Elspeth Young Navin born July 20th 1910 at Morpeth. He died in 1978 aged 65 years, North Tyneside, his widow possibly in 1992.
Ralph Coulson in 1944 was living in Wales where he was married at Aled, Denbighshire to Sarah Thomas, cafe waitress, born between 1912 and 1914 at Llanrwst. He died at Colwyn, Clwyd, Wales in 1980 aged 68 years.
Annie Coulson was married at Tynemouth, Northumberland in 1933 to William S Thompson and again in 1950 to John William Anderson, Northumberland South.
Matthew and Ralph Coulson would also have been eligible to serve during WW1, however, no records have been found.
William’s father Matthew Charlton died at Gateshead, County Durham in 1916 aged 64 years, Mary Ann Coulson aged 75 years in 1928 registered at Castle Ward, Northumberland.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Coulson is remembered at Longbenton on L25.02 and at Whorlton on W53.01
