In Southwick Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:-
20/28 Sergeant
J.E. Ferguson
Durham Light Infantry
20th February 1918 Age 37
Peace Perfect Peace
The husband of Lizzie Ada Dixon (formerly Ferguson), of 8, Municipal Terrace, Washington Village.
Derek Haynes has provided the following:-
James was born September Q 1880 Sunderland the son of Thomas and Hannah Hutchinson Ferguson (nee Elliott), his parents married March Q 1873 Sunderland. On the 1911 census Hannah states that there were ten children from the marriage, with two dying. At the time of researching this I have found nine. Elizabeth Wilson March Q 1873; John December Q 1874; Jane Elliott March Q 1876; Isabella March Q 1877; Mary Ann Elliott June Q 1878. Mary died in the December Q 1879; Hannah Hutchinson September Q 1879; Mary Ann Elliott September Q 1882; Margaret September Q 1884; Eva – March Q 1887. All the children were registered in Sunderland
By 1881 the Ferguson family was residing at 6 Hay Street in the parish of Monkwearmouth, father Thomas was employed as a Mariner.
On the 5th August 1887 aged 52 years Thomas died leaving Hannah to bring up a very young family on her own. At the time of the death of Thomas the children’s ages ranged from the eldest Elizabeth aged 15 years to Eve only a few months old. By now the family had moved to 11 Morgan Street, in the parish of Southwick. Thomas was buried 8th August 1887 in Southwick Cemetery Section N Grave no. 4619.
By 1891 the family had once again moved home, James aged 10 years and attending school in Southwick was now residing in two rooms at 4 Stoney Lane with his widowed mother and seven siblings.
We do not know when the family again moved home but in 1901 they were at 1 Waterloo Street, Southwick living in four rooms. With children moving away for employment or marriage there was only James, his younger sister Eva and their mother Hannah at home. James, now aged 20 years, was employed as a Ship’s Cementer and the breadwinner of the family. Being the main wage earner for the family came to an end when on the 13th April 1903 James married Elizabeth A. Ambler.
James and Lizzie began their life together at 7 Wellington Street, Southwick and had ten children. Thomas born 12th September 1903 Sunderland; Elizabeth born 8th August 1905 Southwick; 1908 should have been a very happy time for the Ferguson family as in the June Q triplets were born. These were James, Jane and John. Sadly on the 19th May aged 1 hour John died. Tragedy then struck again when on the 8th July aged 2 months Jane died, finally the last surviving triplet James died 17th August aged just 3 months; Hannah Hutchinson born 11th May 1910; James Richard born 29th August 1912; Sarah Anne born 24th April 1914; Twins Eva and Mary born 15th August 1915. All three children were buried in Southwick Cemetery; John was buried 20th May 1908; Jane was buried 11th July 1908; James was buried 20th August 1908
Some time prior to the 1911 census being taken (2nd March) James and his family moved to 12 Stoney Lane. James, Lizzie and the three children (Thomas, Elizabeth & Hannah) were living in two rooms.
Aged 35 years and 2 months, giving his address as 7 Wellington Street, Southwick and his occupation as a Labourer, James on the 19th August 1915 in Sunderland enlisted into the 20th Battalion of the D.L.I. and was given the service number 20/28.
The medical report at the time of enlisting gives a very brief description of James: Height: 5 feet 3 inches; Weight 130 lbs.; Chest: 35 inches.
James embarked for France on the 4th May 1916 from Southampton and disembarked at Le Havre 5th May 1916. On the 15th May 1916 James was promoted in the field to the rank of Serjeant, only four months later on the 12th September 1916 he suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg and a fractured femur. James returned to England on board HMHS St. Andrew Military Hospital ship.
From the 16th September 1916 until the 14th September 1917 James was a patient in B Ward 1st Western General Hospital, Liverpool. He was then transferred to Crofton Auxiliary Hospital, Liverpool where he remained until his death.
Leading up to his death James had two operations on his sinuses the first on the 2nd December 1917 and then on the 19th February 1918. It was after the last operation that his temperature rose to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, pneumonia set in and he became septic and died from exhaustion on the 21st February 1918.
His body was returned to the family home at 7 Wellington Street, Southwick and he was laid to rest on the 26th February 1918 in Section 3 Grave no. 840 of Southwick Cemetery. A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.
For services to his country James was awarded the British War Medal and The Victory Medal.
HMHS St. Andrew Military Hospital ship was built on Clydeside, Scotland and equipped to carry 180 casualties.
On the 8th August 1918 the Ministry of Pension awarded a pension of 48 shillings and 9 pence a week to Lizzie and her 7 children which took effect from the 26th August 1918.
In the December Q 1920 in Sunderland Lizzie Ann remarried this was to Thomas Dixon. The family can be found on the 1939 Register residing at 8 Municipal Terrace, Washington, Co. Durham. It would appear that Lizzie and Thomas had one child, Joseph, who was residing with them along with Lizzie’s children from her marriage to James.
James Elliott Ferguson is remembered at Southwick on S130.08 and S130.22, at Sunderland in S140.048 Part 2 page 38, in Peter Gibson’s book, in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page 33, and in the Battalion History page 48.
