Photo: Bernadette Brech
Photo: Bernadette Brech John, Susannah and child
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Corrigan, was one of 8 children, son of farmer James Corrigan born circa 1844 and his wife Catherine Lenaghan born 1849, both natives of Doona, Ballycroy, County Mayo, Ireland, and married at North Mayo in 1873. John was born September 27th 1875 at Doona, as was his elder brother Patrick John, known as Pat, January 16th 1874, Michael, May 25th 1877, Mary, May 1st 1879, Catherine 1882, Bridget 1885, James 1887 and Anne in 1891. All the Corrigan children spoke both English and Irish, sisters Mary, Catherine and Bridget and John could read and write, however Patrick and Michael could not write and their siblings James and Anne were unable to read. (Details as per Irish census 1901)
James Corrigan died in 1892, Catherine and her younger children were still living in Doona in 1901. She is listed as a farmer helped by her daughters Mary (21), Catherine (19) and Bridget (16), Michael’s occupation is not listed, James (14) and Anne (10) were scholars. Pat had left the family home as he had married Mary Cafferky and was living with and supporting her widowed mother as well as his wife and children working as an agricultural labourer.
John Corrigan who had left Ireland for England at the age of 21, was living at 5, Boyd Terrace, Blucher Pit, Walbottle and had married, April 9th 1904, at Esh Laude Parish Church, County Durham, England, to Susannah McVeigh, born July 17th 1882, who was living at 26, Quebec Street, Langley Park. The couple initially settled at Ingoe Street, Lemington, their daughter Catherine was born In 1905 and John James, May 10th 1907. Sadly, Catherine died in 1908, at 48, Lucker Street, Lemington, only 2-years old. By the following year they had moved into 3 rooms at 55, Beaumont Terrace where Susannah gave birth to Mary Wallace, May 7th 1909 and Francis, April 16th 1910. John supported his wife and children employed as a deputy working below ground at the colliery. To increment the family income, they had taken in a boarder, 38-year-old Patrick Hart, coal miner/shifter, born in County Tyrone, Ireland. Later that years Edward was born September 26th 1911 and James within little over a month of the commencement of war, September 10th 1914.
When war was declared in August 1914 all regiments raised new battalions. John Corrigan enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, November 4th 1914, assigned to the newly formed 24th Battalion (1st Tyneside Irish) Northumberland Fusiliers part of Kitchener’s New Armies, as Private 350. In March 1915 the 24th/25th/26th and 27th Battalions moved to Woolsington where they formed the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division in June 1915. Taken over by the War Office, August 27th 1915 the Division moved to Salisbury Plain for final training, departing to France, January 1916. When John departed his wife was almost 5 months pregnant with their 7th child.
The 34th Division concentrated at La Crosse neat St Omer and underwent a period of trench familiarisation. Whilst at the front Private Corrigan learnt the news that his wife had given birth to a daughter, Rose Lena Corrigan, June 16th 1916.
Sent to the Somme the 34th Division participated during the opening Battle of Albert and were ordered to hold the village of La Boisselle which at the time was little more than rubble. Due to heavy losses all the brigades of the 34th Division were attached to the 37th Division between July 6th-August 22nd 1916.
At the conclusion of the first day of battle Private 350 John Corrigan, Northumberland Fusiliers was reported as missing, his wife was informed July 28th 1916 that he was considered to have been killed in action, July 1st 1916.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of 72,318 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating British and South African forces that perished on the Somme before March 1918 and who have no known grave. Private Corrigan was 40 years of age.
His widow received all monies due to him from the Army, a pension of 26 shillings 6 pence a week as of February 26th 1917 for herself and each of their children until they reached the age of 16, also his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 55, Beaumont Terrace, Westerhope, Northumberland. As per his will, administration at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, December 16th 1916, effects in the sum of 257 pounds 13 shillings.
After the demise of her husband Susannah had a very hard time, the details of what befell the family have, in part, been provided by her granddaughter Bernadette and are as follows;
Bernadette’s mother Mary, known affectionately as Molly, was sent to an orphanage, Nazareth House, Newcastle, having been recommended by the Reverend Father W. Savory. Admitted June 12th 1917 she left December 12th 1919, under, “observation.” Her one lasting memory as regards the place was the smell of polish. In 1917 Susannah and her children had been living at 23, Wellington Street.
At least 2 of Molly’s 4 brothers were sent to St. Vincent’s Orphanage. It is unclear whether any of the children received an education whilst in care however Molly went to Westerhope School and then to St. George’s Bell’s Close in Lemington after their move, got a scholarship to Gosforth Grammar School and then a place at St. Mary’s Training College, Fenham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where she qualified in July 1930 and was a teacher at Prudhoe R.C. School as of September 1930. Married in 1939 to John Kennedy she died in 2014, aged 105-years.
John Corrigan also attended Westerhope School and St. George’s Bell’s Close before being educated at St. Cuthbert’s R.C. School in Bath Lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and then Ushaw College Seminary. He was ordained in 1934.
Francis attended Bell’s Close from 1917-1923. He was one of 2 boys to get a scholarship and be chosen as an apprentice by Walter Ranciman Shipping Company as of 1902 known as Moor Line Ltd., He served aboard the cargo ship, “S.S. Orangemoor” owned as of 1922 by Skibs A/S Bogen-H. Waalman, Oslo, and in 1925 was due to join, “S.S. Linkmoor,” after a period of leave. Whilst on leave he was attacked by a gang in Lemington and left unconscious. Francis suffered severe brain damage and never recovered, spending his remaining years in St. George’s Hospital, Morpeth, until his death in 1961.
Edward Corrigan attended Bell’s Close. In 1925 he was accepted at Ushaw College on a scholarship which was known as a ‘Bishop’s Boy’. In 1931 he had an accident playing sport at Ushaw and developed TB. He was sent home and died later that year.
James Corrigan spent part of his childhood in Doona with his grandmother. When he returned in 1922 he attended Bell’s Close school. In 1926 he won a scholarship to St George’s Weybridge, however, in 1928 he developed pneumonia and returned home. He worked for Vickers Armstrong and then later Jaguar in Coventry. He married Betty Ions, a local girl, in 1936. She died soon after the birth of their son. He later married Catherine Togher from Co Mayo.
Rose Lena Corrigan, known as Ena, was looked after by her maternal aunt Kitty. Her aunt wanted to adopt Rose but Susannah couldn’t part with her. She attended Bell's Close and later Fenham R.C. School as a fee paying pupil. In 1932 she attended Greggs Shorthand and Typing course. Ena married Patrick Byrne in 1947 and died in Croydon, Surrey, in 2002.
Their mother Susannah had left school at 13 and trained as a seamstress with Moses in Durham City. She and John had bought 23, Wellington Street in 1915 and rented it out but it was sold in 1927/8 and she bought 66, Wellington Street and in 1930, Holeyn House, Hexham Road Throckley.
In 1935 Susannah bought the Children and Ladies Fashion Shop on Hexham Road, West Denton, then a fish and chip shop at the top of Wellington Street. It had a flat above which she rented out.
John Corrigan’s mother Catherine Corrigan nee Lenaghan died aged 88 years, August 4th 1937, Ballycroy, Co. Mayo, buried August 6th.
His widow Susannah Corrigan nee McVeigh died just short of her 90th birthday in 1971 in The Little Sisters Home on Westmoreland Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. It should be noted that she is listed by BMD as Susanna Corrigan and her date of birth is registered as July 17th 1885 which differs by 3 years compared to other records.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest in Peace
John Corrigan is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01 and in the Tyneside Irish List
