Tyneside Scottish Badge
Derek Johnstone and Carole Fife have provided the following:
Joseph Rutherford was born about 1896 at Hartford, a village south of Bedlington in Northumberland. His mother, Annie Rutherford, was from Hopston in County Durham and married Thomas Middlemas, a coal miner from Morpeth around 1900.
It is assumed Annie had been widowed. The 1901 Census shows Joseph, aged 5 living at Bell’s Place, Bedlington with his mother Annie and stepfather Thomas Middlemas. Also in the household are his sister Florence 6, step-brother Robert who was 8 months old and his mother’s sister Mary Rutherford 18.
In 1911, Joseph was working in the coal mines as a putter and still living at Bell’s Place, Bedlington with his mother and step-father.
Joseph enlisted at Bedlington and on his death his effects went to his mother Annie Middlemas, an indication he was not married.
Joseph Rutherford is remembered at Bedlington on B15.02 and B15.06
