Dorothy Hall has supplied the following:
James was the son of James (1891 a mason's labourer) and Esther Riley and was born in 1877 at Hexham. He was apprenticed as a mason to J. Darlington of Hexham.
In 1900 James enlisted at Hexham and joined the 5th Foot Northumberland Fusiliers (7679). His description says he was 5 foot 4 and a quarter inches high, weighed 122 pounds. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. James served in South Africa from 15th March 1901 to the 4th June 1902. He is listed on Hexham's South African Memorial H51.05
By 1911 his father had died and his mother Esther with her two youngest sons had moved to Benwell. James is a boarder at Mud Market Hexham.
At the outbreak of war in 1914 James re-enlisted but died on December 1st 1915 aged 38 years. He is buried in St Mary's Chrchyard but it is not known exactly where and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (2014) are arranging a new headstone.
James's brother Francis (Frank) also died in the war.
James is remembered on Hexham memorials H51.03, H51.06, H51.15 and H51.46
