Ypres Reservoir Cemetery: P. Priano
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Oliver, one of 12 known children, was the 4th born of 7 brothers and had 1 elder and 5 younger sisters. His father Richard Oliver of Blakeburn Haugh, Elsdon, Northumberland, was born March 26th 1843 and baptised at Birdhope Craig Presbyterian Church, April 12th 1843. He married in 1866 at Bellingham, Northumberland, to local girl Ann Hindmarsh, known as Annie, born 1846. By 1871 they had 4 children, Hannah (1867), Henry (1868), Richard Jnr (1870) and Robert born September 11th 1871 while they were living at Spithopehead where Richard Snr was a shepherd. They remained there and by 1881 Annie had given birth to a further 4 sons, John (1874), George (1876), Adam (1878) and Thomas Newlands (1879), followed by 4 daughters Mary (1882), Elizabeth (1883), Annie (1885) and Jane (1887). At the age of 17 years John is listed as a shepherd assisting his father with the help of elder brother Richard (21) while Henry (23) was employed as a shoe maker, their younger siblings with the exception of Annie and Jane were scholars, Hannah was married to plater Thomas Robson and living at Bellingham, Robert was living with his uncle and aunt, John and Jane Oliver, (brother and sister), at Ramshope assisting them as a shepherd, by 1901 he had returned home and it was John (27) who had taken his place.
John Oliver was married in 1906 to Isabella Frances born 1879 at Whittem, Berwickshire, in the Scottish borders, four years later, May 11th 1910, his father Richard died. By 1911 he and his wife had 3 children, Martha (4) born at Green Leighton, Richard (2) and Annie Gray Oliver (8 months) at Kirkhill, Cambo, Northumberland, where John was working as a farm labourer and to increment the family income they had taken in a boarder, groom/domestic, 15-year-old Allan Douglas Aikman. John and Isabella may well have had other children, however, without knowing her single surname this is difficult to establish. John’s mother Annie Oliver nee Hindmarsh died at Bellingham, Northumberland, December 11th 1916 aged 70 years.
Unfortunately, John’s military record has not been found in order to know the exact date of his enlistment which can only be established as post January 1916. He was attested at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and assigned as Pioneer 227832 to the Royal Engineers. At the time of his demise he was in Belgium, near Ypres with the 305th Road Construction Company. The work of the Royal Engineers during WW1 was fundamental for maintaining the movement of supplies, men and armaments.
Pioneer 227832 John Oliver Royal Engineers was killed in action September 17th 1917 and is at rest within Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium, grave I. D. 77. He was 43 years of age.
His widow received all monies due to him also his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. She commissioned at a cost of 16 shillings and 11 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “In Loving Remembrance Of My Dear Husband Capheaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.”
Isabella Frances Oliver did not remarry, she died in 1939 aged 60 years, registered in the district of Northumberland Central.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Oliver is remembered at Kirkwhelpington on K16.03, K16.05 and K16.06
