Photo: Tony Harding.
In St. Mary's churchyard is a family headstone for Swinney which includes:
Also their dear son
N.A. Swinney
2nd Lt. 13th N.F.
who was killed in France 28th April 1916
aged 20.
Morpeth Herald 05/05/1916 carries an obituary:
SECOND-LIEUTENANT NORMAN A. SWINNEY KILLED IN ACTION
Second-Lieut. Norman Atkinson Swinney, eldest son of Mr James and Mrs Swinney of Northfield Villa, Morpeth, was killed in action on April 28th. The sad intelligence was received by his father from the War Office on Tuesday morning.
The deceased was educated at the Morpeth Grammar School and Armstrong College. After serving one year with Messrs Swinney Bros. Ltd., he joined the Officers’ Training Corps on August 6, 1914.
Six weeks later he went to Durham and enlisted in the Public Schools Battalion. He then proceeded to Epsom to train, and was there promoted to the rank of corporal. He got his commission in March, 1915, and was attached to the 3rd Northumberland Fusiliers. When he went to the Front in October, 1915, he was attached to the 13th Northumberland Fusiliers.
Six weeks ago this young officer was home on leave for a week, when he received a cordial welcome from his many friends.
Although only 20 years of age he was a man of splendid physique and delightful disposition. For three years he was organist of the Congregational Church, Morpeth, and had exceptional musical ability. He was well known in the town and very popular with his fellows, and his loss will be keenly felt by his wide circle of friends.
One Hundred Years of Congregationalism in Morpeth Page 42 contains a brief account of the unveiling of the memorial in the church and says: “Mr. Norman Swinney had, just prior to volunteering for the army, been appointed as church organist. We had a rich heritage in him and in his comrades who fell.”
Colin McMillan has submitted the following:
Norman Atkinson Swinney was born about 1896 and at the time of the 1901 census was 5 years old. He lived with his family at 5 South Terrace, Cottingwood Lane, Morpeth, having been born in the town. His father and head of the household was the 32 year-old James Swinney, an iron founder, employer and also born in Morpeth. Norman’s mother, Minnie Swinney, 25, was born in Bell’s Close. There was a daughter, Elsie aged 4 and one other member of the household was the servant, Ethel Cairns, who was single, 17 and described as “general servant domestic”. She, like Norman’s sister Elsie, was born in Morpeth.
By the time of the 1911 census certain changes had taken place: Minnie had become Mary Hannah but it is believed that they are one and the same person as the ages at the times of the two census’ are (within a year) correct. Also, the 1911 document shows that the length of time of her present marriage to James was 17 years and their oldest son, Norman, was 15. She is recorded as having four children born alive and four children still living and this really confirms that James did not take another wife between 1901 and 1911. Another significant change is the addition to the family of two siblings for Norman and Elsie: Margery now 9 and James Merley, 5 months. There were two more members of the household when the information was collected. They were Margaret E Heppell, 29, single, a professional nurse born in Newcastle and Mary Hedley, 27, single, General servant (domestic), born in Belsay. The family had now moved to Northfield Villa, a large house in Kings Avenue and next door to the house of Robert Nelson Swinney whose son, Capt. J.H.C. Swinney, was also a soldier of the First World War and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Norman Atkinson Swinney of 13th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers died on 28 April 1916 aged 20. He is buried in Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt.
Norman Swinney is remembered in Morpeth on M17.01 M17.02 M17.06 M17.09 M17.10 M17.18 and M17.29
