Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Robert was born at Romaldkirk in 1882 the son of William and Mary (nee Bolan). The couple married in 1876.
The 1891 census shows father William working as a joiner whilst Mary tends to the house. The other family members are Thomas, Elizabeth Albert and Joseph. who all attended school.
There are no major changes showing on the next census other than Albert is now a joiner/carpenter like his father.
1901 as before except Albert still living with the family is now joiner/ carpenter.
Robert married Hannah (nee Ebdon) at Darlington on September 28th 1900. It appears Hannah had a child, Alice, out of wedlock as she was born in 1896. With her husband the couple went on to have more children. Winnie, Joseph (who died aged 9 years), Harry and Maurice.
It has been reported that prior to the war Robert had worked for around 15 years for the Co-op. The Society played a special part in helping the family after the news of Robert’s death was received.
Robert attested for service on December 16th 1915. His records show him to be 5‘6” tall and a Catholic. His originally served as number 5584 but was later transferred to the Durham Light Infantry as number 201021.
He died of wounds on October 31st 1917 in Belgium and is buried at Canada Farm cemetery.
Canada Farm Cemetery took its name from a farmhouse used as a dressing station during the 1917 Allied offensive on this front. Most of the burials are of men who died at the dressing station between June and October 1917. There are now 907 First World War burials in the cemetery.
Robert Henry Etherington is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 301
