Medal Card
Tyneside Scottish
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Thomas Ridge was born at Whitehaven Cumberland about 1871. I was unable to find Thomas in the 1891 Census but there is evidence to show he was married in that year (registered at Tynemouth) to Agnes Kennedy from Seaton Delaval, Northumberland when he would have been about 20 years old. It appears they had a daughter Lavinia who born in 1889, prior to the marriage.
In 1901 Thomas and his family lived at New Square, Seghill Northumberland with children Frances 9, John 7 and Lillian aged 3. Birth records show Thomas was still in Seghill in 1904 and Choppington Northumberland in 1908 when his son Thomas was born.
The 1911 Census documents show Thomas living at Double Row, Choppington Northumberland where he was employed as hewer in the coal mines. They have seven children at this time and there are three others in the house making a total of 12 people in living in four rooms.
Military records show Thomas enlisted at Bedlington and on his death his effects went to his widow who, in 1919, does not appear to have remarried.
Thomas Ridge is remembered in Choppington on C36.01 and C36.04