In Gorre British and Indian Cemetery, France is the name of 19509 Private James Webster serving with the 2nd Battalion (The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers) Yorkshire Regiment who died 17/12/1915.
James Webster was born in South Hetton in 1886, the son of Robert Webster, born 1851, and his wife Alice Emery, born 1850, South Hetton. Alice was the daughter of Isabella Webster born 1809, at Walker, she married John Webster, born 1801, he died after 1851.
James was the youngest son of ten children, seven boys and three girls: Christopher born 1872 South Hetton, William born 1874 Boldon Colliery, John Thomas born 1878 Boldon Colliery, George born 1880 Boldon Colliery, Robert born 1884 Easington, James born 1886 South Hetton, Hannah born 1888, Mary born 1890 Boldon Colliery, Frances Anne born 1894 Boldon Colliery.
In 1881, James’s parents were living at 68 Alfred Street, East Murton. Prior to this they lived at South Hetton.
In 1891, James’s family were residing at Wells Row, Boldon. By 1901 they had moved to Rectory Bank at Boldon Colliery.
James married in 1910 Elizabeth Jane Waistell, born 1889 Murton.
They were residing in 1911 with their father in law John Waistell, a Bricklayer, born 1852, Rickling Hill?, Aycliffe and his wife Margaret Jane born 1853, Sunderland, and their one year old daughter Edna Waistell, who sadly died in 1913 at 2 Lancaster Street, Murton. They went on to have three other children Robert Webster, born 1911, died 2001, and John Waistell Webster, born 1913, died 1989 and James Webster, born 1915, died 1995.
James was a coal miner putter employed at Murton Colliery before enlisting into the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment at Seaham. He went to France on the 2nd October 1915, soon after this he was attached to the 176th Tunnelling Company.
He died on the 17th December 1915.
His widow was living at Green Street, Murton with the three children at the time of his death. She eventually moved to 2, Fatten Pastures, Murton Colliery, Co. Durham.
James Webster is remembered at Murton on M47.01 and M47.06.
