Colin McMillan has provided the following:
Elliott Ashton was born in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in or about 1894.
In 1901 he was 7 years old and the seventh surviving child of 45 year old Morpeth born Edward Ashton, a confectioner and bread maker, and 46 year old Annie Ashton. born in St. Leonard’s on Sea, Sussex. Elliott’s siblings were Eliza Mercy Ashton (21), Harriet Ashton (20), Benjamin Ashton (18), John Robert Ashton (15), William Edward Ashton (12) and Grace Isabella Ashton (10). They were all born in Morpeth and Benjamin was the only child who worked. He was a “mason”. They were living at Cramlington at the time.
By 1911 the household consisted of only four members: 28 year old Benjamin, a stonemason, was head of the family. The mother, Annie was listed although the father, Edward was not. Of the others there were 20 year old Grace who was still single, and 17 year old Elliott himself, employed as a junior clerk working for an iron and steel merchant. (The 1911 census document showed that in 35 years of marriage Annie had given birth to 13 children, 6 of whom were dead). The family were then living at 86 Eighth Avenue, Heaton, Newcastle.
Elliott Ashton enlisted at Newcastle and served with the 1st 6th (Territorial) Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and his date of entry into France was 20th April 1915. He was killed in action in the Western European Theatre of War on 13th November 1916 and was awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1915 Star.
Morpeth Herald 01/12/1916 carries a brief obituary:
"News has been received that Lance-Corporal Elliott Ashton, N.F., has been killed in action in France. He is the youngest son of Mr Ed. Ashton, baker, Morpeth. Before joining the Army, Lance-Corporal Ashton was a shorthand clerk in an office on the Quayside, Newcastle, and was greatly respected."
Elliott Ashton is remembered at Morpeth on M17.01, M17.09 and M17.29