Carole Fife has provided the following:
Matthew was born near Widdrington, the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Bell, and his father was a farmer.
In 1881 the family was living at Druridge, and Matthew was still living there in 1911 after his marriage to Sarah Robinson in 1899.
By 1911 when they were living on a farm at Rothbury. They had five children, John, William, Gertrude, Matthew and Margaret. They moved to North Farm, Nedderton, some time after 1911.
Colin McMillan has provided the following:
Matthew Forster Bell was born in Widdrington and in 1911 was a 36 year old farmer living at Low Burradon, Rothbury. His wife was 33 year old Sarah. They had been married 11 years and in that time had seven children, five of whom were still alive and living with them. They were: John Henry Edminson (8), William (5), Gertrude (4), Matthew Forster (2) and Margaret Leila Anne aged under 8 months. A 17 year old single woman, Anne Simm, was also living with them. She was described as a servant. Like their father the oldest three children were born at Widdrington but the youngest two were born at Alwinton, indicating that Matthew Forster Bell moved to Low Burradon, Rothbury, sometime between the births of Gertrude and young Matthew Forster, i.e. between 1907 and 1909.
Matthew Forster Bell was killed on 6th July 1916 when aged 42. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal and is remembered with honour at Abbeville Communal Cemetery.
Later his widow moved to Morpeth where she lived at Riverside Cottage.
Matthew Forster Bell is remembered in Bedlington on B15.26 page 132 and in Morpeth M17.01, M17.09 and M17.29
