Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John was the son of John and Margaret who both predeceased him. He was born in 1881 at Bishop Auckland. Upon the death of John’s father, the family moved from Bishop Auckland to Thorngate Barnard Castle which was Margaret’s home town.
1891 shows that Margaret was widowed and both she and her daughter Annie worked as flax spinners. Also living at their home was John’s siblings Bridget, Michael, May, Catherine, along with their Irish grandfather, John Monegan, who was a general labourer.
By 1901 Margaret had died but the family continued to live together at Thorngate. Annie was head of the household which included Bridget (flax spinner), Michael (quarryman), John (apprentice painter), Mary (flax spinner) and 13 year old Catherine who was still at school.
1911 showed the unmarried members of the family very much as before.
Both John and his older brother Michael enlisted into the army. John was killed in action on May 26th 1917. Michael who served with the 18th Durham Light Infantry appears to have survived the war.
John McDonough is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 130
