Photo: B. Chandler
The headstone reads:
William Henry Blake
Major R.G.A.
Called from his country's service
To the higher life May 19th 1916
In the 53rd year of his age.
Also Lucy his wife
who died July 8th 1949 aged 84
(The last line is unreadable)
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 20/05/1915 reports:-
Death of Major W.H. Blake
Member of Commercial Exchange
News was received yesterday of the death of Major W.H. Blake, who for years was a well known and respected member of 'Change.
Major Blake died of pneumonia in a Northern Musketry Camp of which he was Commandant. The deceased officer was connected with the Territorial Artillery, and had been mobilised since the outbreak of the war. He was a native of Norfolk, and was originally a brewer, but several years ago he set up as an analysical chemist in Newcastle, and specialised in the analysing of Durham and Northumberland coal, as to the constituents of the different brands of which he became an expert. Major Blake lived at Ebchester and he leaves a widow but no family.
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 22/05/1915 reports:-Military Funeral at Whitley Bay
The funeral with military honours took place at Whitley Bay New Cemetery on Sunday afternoon of the late Major William Henry Blake R.G.A., of Holly Lodge Ebchester and Commandant of the Whitley Musketry Camp who died on Friday last after a brief illness. The procession started from 4 Holywell Avenue, Monkseaton to where the deceased officer's body had been conveyed after death. Leading the way to the cemetery was a specially selected firing party from units training in the district and consisting of some 220 men. Then followed the band of the Prince of Wales' Own (West Yorks) regiment under Bandmaster J.J. Connor, followed by the coffin draped in the folds of the Union Jack and borne upon a field gun carriage, eight non-commissioned officers walking on either side of the vehicle. The family mourners in three carriages came next followed by about 250 officers, non commissioned officers and men, the latter with side arms, representatives of all the units attached to the immediate district. Bringing up the rear were about 60 officers including those attached to the Tyne Garrison Headquarters'Staff. The burial service was conducted by the Rev. R.D.R. Greene, senior chaplain Tyne Garrison and the usual military honours were given to the dead by the buglers and firing party. A very large concourse of people lined the route from Holywell Avenue to the burial ground.
William Henry Blake is remembered at Newcastle on NUT043 and NUT052
