Photo: Brian Chandler
J. Green
Durham Light Infantry
16th February 1916
In memory ever dear
Always remembered
By his loving son and family.
Colin McMIllan has provided the following:
There was a James Green born and living in Morpeth pre-World War 1 who was married to Emma Green (born in Bellingham). Their address is given as 1 Harbottles Yard, Morpeth in 1911 when they were 34 and 32 respectively. They had three children: James William Green was 3 and the younger children were twins Isabel and Cecil aged 1 month. A visitor also was with them at the time of the census: Isabel Stewart, widow, 56. James and Emma had been married 13 years and in that time had had 5 children, two of whom were now dead. James was a coal miner (hewer).
In the census of 1901 James and Emma were living at 7 Harbottles Yard and were lodgers in the household of Fanny Green, a 61 year-old widow. They were married but James was not described as being the son of Fanny and therefore it is possible that he and she were only distantly related or perhaps not related at all. He was a coal miner. Other members of the household were Fanny’s sons, Joseph, 36, a general labourer, and Edward, 21, an iron fitter. Both were single. Another boarder was Arthur Watson, single, 23 and a “machinist agent”. All were born in Morpeth except Joseph who was born in “Hawkhill, Northumberland" and Emma who came from “Buteland Northumberland”. (There is a Hawkhill about 3 miles from Alnwick and there is a Buteland Heights near Bellingham).
If this is the James Green who is buried in Morpeth Churchyard, he was Pte 27718 and belonged to 3rd Battalion D.L.I. and died on 16th February 1916, aged 39.
By the time the CWGC were putting together their records his wife “E. Green” was living at 2 Union Street, Morpeth.
James Green is remembered in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance and possibly in Morpeth on M17.02