Born on the 7th December 1889 Thomas William Campey was the third child of to Yorkshire born bricklayer Tom Campey and his wife Margaret (nee Lister). Known to the family as Tom, he had older brothers Joseph and George, an older sister Elizabeth and younger siblings Rhoda, Flora, Mark, Michael and Mabel Margaret all brought up at 17 Hill Heads, Monkseaton. By 1911, aged 21, he was working as a labourer for his father, but Kelly’s Directory for 1914 show him to be a chimney sweep.

Tom joined the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment as Private 20774, but ended the war serving as Private 13929 in the Labour Corps, after being wounded in October 1917.

Post war Tom married in the last quarter of 1921 to Sarah Syrett, their first child James was born in 1922 and they went on to add Norman, Audrey, Joseph, Thomas, Marion plus two more to their family. The 1939 Register show them living at 48 Chestnut Avenue, Whitley Bay and Tom was working as a plasterer’s labourer.

Thomas William Campey died in Whitley Bay in September 1957, three years after his wife.

His brothers George, Joseph William and Michael all served in WW1.

Thomas William Campey is remembered at Whitley Bay in W84.30