Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Fred the son of John and Sarah Ann (nee Baker) was born at Wallsend in 1888.
In 1891 the family were living at 155 Malcolm Street, Byker, Newcastle. Father John was a foreman stone mason whilst his eldest son, Arthur was an apprentice stone mason. The other children Margaret, Mary, Tom, Fred and Nellie were all at school at this time.
By 1901 Sarah has become a widow and had moved with her family to take over the Burns Head Inn on the Bank at Barnard Castle. Her son, Tom, had work as a gardener.
Sarah married in 1904 Matthew Gash.
In 1911 they couple were still at the Burns Head Inn with Matthew now listed as innkeeper. Only Fred is still at home as the other sibling had flown the nest. They have a servant, Mary, to help out. Sarah died in on 11 December 1917 which was only a few months before Fred was killed. She is buried at St Mary’s Churchyard, Barnard Castle.
Fred enlisted at Darlington. Prior to enlisting Fred was a hairdresser/tobacconist at 15 Market Place. He relinquished the business on going off to war. A concert was held for Fred and another soldier, John Wright, before they left for the front.
Fred was listed as missing and presumed dead on April 12th 1918.
An article in the Teesdale Mercury 22/05/1918 it reports:-
“Yesterday morning Mrs Merryweather, Burns Head Inn, Barnard Castle, his sister in law, received a letter from 2nd Lieutenant Flin of the Durham Light Infantry regretting that nothing was known of the fate of Private F Merryweather, late hairdresser in this town. He was a runner of the company this officer was commanding and on the 12th April the Germans made a heavy attack on the English positions who were forced to withdraw.“ When I last saw your brother he was unwounded in a rifle pit but no one saw him in our withdrawal to our new positions so I fear he must have fallen into enemy hands and I trust you may hear from him shortly to this effect Officers and men are anxiously waiting news of him.”
This turned out not to be the case.
Strangely 15 Market Place (previously the Raby Hotel) was used as an office during the World War 1 but was also occupied by hairdresser, Fred Merryweather until 1914.
Steerwerck is a village near Le Grand Beaumart British Cemetery were Fred was buried.
It remained untouched for much of the First World War, but on 10 April 1918 it was captured during the German advance and remained in their hands until the beginning of October. Three soldiers known to have been buried at this cemetery in April 1918 were destroyed by shell fire.
Meanwhile his brother, Arthur, emigrated in April 1910 from Liverpool bound for New York, his final destination being Kansas City. He sailed aboard the ill-fated RMS Lusitania which was later sunk by German U boats in 1915. He died of sarcoma of the lungs which is a very rare type of malignant tumour on April 24th 1919.
Fred Merryweather is remembered in Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 81
