On Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium is the name of Second Lieutenant Edward Noel Mather, serving with the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 26/04/1915.
Barry Greenbank has provided the following:
Edward Noel Mather was born on the 23rd December 1887 at 13 Osborne Avenue, Jesmond.
The 1891 Census shows the family had moved to 30 Grosvenor Road, Jesmond. His father Philip, aged 41, born in Newcastle, was a solicitor. His mother, Laura E, aged 41, was born in Chirton, North Shields. He had four older siblings, all of whom were born in Newcastle. These were Maude J, aged 12; Philip S, aged 11; Laura H, aged 9 and Muriel M.L., aged 8. Edward was aged 3. There were two servants living in the house.
According to the 1901 Census, Edward was at Uppingham School, Leicestershire, aged 13. He played cricket there in 1904.
In 1911 the family was living at 56 Highbury, Newcastle. Philip and his wife Laura Emma were both aged 61, and he was a solicitor in Newcastle. Edward Noel, aged 23, was a solicitor’s articled clerk. There were two servants.
In 1911 Edward Noel was playing rugby in a Northumberland versus Lancashire match, and broke a leg three minutes into the game. He also played cricket in Morpeth in 1906, St. George’s Newcastle 1907-9. He also played for the Northumberland County Club Saturday team in 1913-14, though not in inter-county matches.
He went to France on 20th April 1915 with the 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Six days later he was dead. Probate, granted to Bertram Mather Solicitor, showed that his estate amounted to £212 2s 4d.
The Shields Daily News 01/05/1915 reports:-
DEATH OF LIEUT. NOEL MATHER.
Deep regret was expressed yesterday in North Shields and Tynemouth, on news being received of the death of Lieut. Noel Mather, of the 6th Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed in action on April 28th. Lieut. Mather was a younger son Mr P. E. Mather (Messrs Mather and Dickinson), and was a solicitor. He was formerly a prominent member of the Percy Park Football Club, and frequently played both for the county, and for the North against South. At the beginning the war, Lieut. Mather made a recruiting visit North Shields, on behalf of his battalion, holding out before the men the prospect of foreign service. He secured over score of recruits from the detachment of the Training League then drilling Queen Victoria Schools.
Edward Noel Mather is remembered at Jesmond on J1.06, as ‘Noel Mather’ at Jesmond on J1.12, at Gosforth on G9.33, and at Newcastle on NUT061 and NUT137.
Is he the “N.E. Mather” on NUT063?
