In St.Paul's Churchyard, Choppington is a family headstone which reads:
In
Loving Memory of
George Henry,
beloved husband of
Eleanor Ternent
of Choppington
who was killed in action in France
Jan 26th 1916 ?? years
also John George their beloved son
who died Jan. 23rd 1934 aged 22 years.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Henry Ternent was the eldest of 7 children, 3 sons and 4 daughters. His father John White Ternent was born in the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland, in 1851 and was married in 1877 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland to Alice Jane Dobson, born in the district of Morpeth in 1857. The young couple emigrated after their marriage settling in the United States of America where they resided for almost ten years, birthplace of George Henry circa 1878, Jane 1879, Ella May 1884 and Matthew 1886. By 1888 they had returned to the north east of England and Alice gave birth to a further 2 children Alice 1888 and Ida 1889. John had found employment at Pegswood Colliery as a coal miner, he and his family occupied 74, Howard Cottages in the village, before moving to Guide Post in the parish of Bedlington, Northumberland, birthplace of their youngest child John Jnr in 1892, also in the household was Alice Jane’s nephew, 15-year-old Thomas Dobson, a coal miner. George Henry joined his father at the colliery when he left school as did his brother Matthew by 1901, their sister Jane worked from home for her own account as a dressmaker, John had taken into his home his widowed father in law, George Dobson (73), listed as incapacitated.
Alice Jane Ternent died in 1907 aged 49 years, widower John was living at 12, Office Row, Barrington Colliery near Bedlington, in 1911. His elder children had all left home, he and his son John Jnr (19) worked at the colliery, daughter Ida (21) is listed as housekeeper.
In 1911 George Henry was living in 2 rooms at Hall’s Buildings, Choppington Station, near Bedlington with his wife Eleanor Hall, known as Ellen, born at Choppington, January 1st 1890, whom he had married during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1910 in the district of Morpeth. Their son John George Ternent was born in the district of Morpeth in 1911.
When war was declared, August 4th 1914, George Henry enlisted at Ashington, assigned as Private 11335 to the 11th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. part of Kitchener’s Third New Army, made up of men from Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland. The recruits were moved to Bullswater Camp near Frensham and Aldershot in Surrey. He departed with his regiment attached to the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division, for France, August 25th 1915, concentrating near St. Omer, continuing its training with the 24th and the Guards Divisions. Having transferred to the III Corps in mid-September they moved to the nursery sector nearer the front line at Armentieres.
Private 11335 George Henry Ternent Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action, January 26th 1916, and interred at Ration Farm Military Cemetery, La Chapelle-D’Armentieres, Nord, France, grave I. D. 4. He was 37 years of age.
His widow received all movies due t him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, also a pension for herself and their child, sent to her at her home address. She commissioned at a cost of 13 shillings 5 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Eleanor Ternent Choppington Station Northumberland.” Although his brothers would have been eligible to serve no records have been found.
Eleanor did not re-marry and sadly their only child John George Ternent died aged 22 years, January 23rd 1934. In 1939 she was living at 5, Glebe Terrace. Choppington, a property shared with widower James Jameson, widow Barbara Wade and her son John.
Eleanor Ternent nee Hall died in 1951, aged 61 years, registered in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
It should be noted that the Register of Soldiers Died lists George Henry as having been born at Blyth Northumberland, 11th Battalion N.F. number 1135. This differs from the CWGC and other documents which list him correctly as Private 11335 and census documents which confirm his birth in USA.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Henry Ternent is remembered at Choppington on C36.01 and C36.04 and at Whorlton on W53.01
