Photo: Brian Chandler
The headstone reads:-
In Loving Memory
of
James Charles Mackender
Beloved husband of
Alice A. Mackender
And fourth son of
John & Jemima Mackender
Of Pegswood, who died at the V.A.D. Hospital
Ashington July 7th 1918 aged 31 years
Also John William their son
Who died November 23rd 1916 aged 4? months
Colin McMillan has provided the following:
James Charles Mackender’s birth is registered in the England and Wales Civil Registration Birth Index 1837-1915 in the Jul-Aug-Sep quarter of 1887. He was born in Foulsham, Norfolk, to John Mackender and Jemima Mackender who were 32 and 27 respectively at the time of the 1891 census. James was 3 years old and had five siblings, of whom four were older than him. They were William (11), Edith (9), Walter G (8), and Herbert G (5). The younger child was Albert S who was 1. John, who was born in Lakenheath, Suffolk, and Jemima who was born in Smallburgh, Norfolk must have moved around quite a lot as their children were born in such places as Themelthorpe, Tunstead and Smallburgh as well as Foulsham. John was a plate layer working for the Great Eastern Railway. The address at the time was given as Great Eastern Railway Gatehouse, Foulsham.
The 1901 census shows that many changes had taken place during the previous ten years. The family were now living at 335 Welbeck Terrace, Pegswood. John was working in a coal mine as were his sons William (shown on the census form as John W), Walter, Herbert and James. 12 year old Alfred was still at school and the family had now been joined by three other of John and Jemima’s children: Laura M (10), Alice M (5) and Jemima M (3). Edith was married and now was Edith Potts. She and her husband Ralph Potts were also living there along with their daughter, 4 month old Lillian Potts. Laura, like some of her older siblings was born in Foulsham, Norfolk, but Alice was born in Blyth and Jemima junior and Lillian were both born in Pegswood.
The 1911 census shows that John and Jemima had 10 children and that one of them had died, presumably born between the censuses of 1901 and 1911 and therefore not recorded on either. By this time James had moved on. He was now living at 29˝ Maple Street, Hirst, (an area of Ashington). He had married Alice Amelia Mackender (nee Brough) from Jarrow, on 12th December 1908 at Bothal, and they had a daughter, 1˝ year old Florence who was born on 20th August 1909 at Cramlington. They were living at 3 Portland Terrace, Pegswood. Also living with them was their nephew 6 year old Herbert Gorge [George?] Mackender, who was born at Pegswood Colliery.
It appears that James attested for service at Morpeth on 10th December 1915 when he was 28, was given the regimental number 96420 and posted to the 4th Durham Light Infantry. His entire military service was “at home”, that is to say in Britain, and lasted 2 years and 210 days. He was admitted to the Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital at Ashington, on 5th July 1918, suffering from pneumonia from which he died two days later.
James Charles Mackender is remembered at Bothal on B48.01 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 175.
