Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Elliott born at Consett in 1897 was the only son of Thomas Elliott of Consett, County Durham, born 1852 and his second wife Margaret Hodgson born at Alston, Cumberland in 1863, whom he married in the district of Lanchester in 1893. John William had 2 full blood sisters, Elizabeth (1894), known as Lizzie, Maud (1899) and 5 half brothers and sisters. Half-brother George H. Hodgson born 1893 at Consett was the illegitimate son of his mother Margaret, half siblings Margaret Elliott (1887), Thomas (1888), Margery (1890) and Maria (1892) the offspring of Thomas Elliott and his first wife Maria Waite born 1863 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, whom he had married in the district of Lanchester in 1883 and had died aged 29 years in 1892, within 3 months of the birth of daughter Maria Elliott.
Thomas Elliott whilst living at 5, Constance Street, Conside and Knitsley with his first wife and children was employed as a furnace man at the plate mill, by 1901 he and Margaret and the children had moved to Consett Terrace, Consett where he was working as a steel worker. After the death of Thomas in 1904, aged 52 years, in 1911 Margaret was living in 3 rooms in a tenement building at 38, Cutlers Hall Road, Blackhill, County Durham, with daughter Maud (12), supported by her son George Henry (18) working as a coal miner/putter, John William (14) a driver and her son-in-law Robert Heslop a steel smelter, all of whom were employed by Consett Iron Company. Robert Heslop had married her step-daughter Margaret Ann Elliott who had an illegitimate son Norman Richard (3), they had a one-month old son William Heslop.
John William Elliott was living near Annfield Plain, County Durham when war broke out with Germany and enlisted at Stanley when he turned 18 years of age, He was assigned to, “C” Coy, 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 3528 which as part of the Territorial Force was engaged on the coastal defences between Roker and Whitburn as well as training the volunteers for service overseas at Boldon, Ravensworth and Newcastle.
The main body of men had departed from Newcastle-upon-Tyne railway station April 19th 1915 and upon their arrival in France were transferred to Belgium where they fought on the Ypres salient until August 1916 as part of the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumberland Division, suffering heavy casualties due to shell fire and gas attacks on the Gravenstafel Ridge and the defence of Boetleer’s Farm.
Private Elliott joined his regiment in late 1915 when he turned 19 years of age and became eligible for service overseas and was killed in action near the city of Ypres, February 28th 1916. He is at rest grave I. H. 1., Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), West Vllanderen, near Ypres, Belgium. He was 19 years of age and single.
His mother Margaret as sole legitimate beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory medal sent to her at 14, Prospect Terrace, New Kyo, Annfield Plain, County Durham. She commissioned at a cost of 10 shillings 6 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Still To Memory Dear And Sadly Missed By All.”
Margaret Elliott nee Hodgson died in the district of Lanchester in 1933 aged 70 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Elliott is remembered at Greencroft on G54.01 and at Annfield Plain on A38.01 A38.04 and A38.11
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 28 with the year as 1918 - all other sources read 1916
