Carole Fife has provided the following:
John was born in Scotland Gate, Choppington, in 1895, the eldest child of Bartholomew and Jane Shotton. His father was a miner and in 1901 the family were living at Front Street, Scotland Gate. The family must have moved to Netherton Colliery not long after 1901 because John went to Nedderton Village School.
In 1911 the family were living at 40, Howard Row, Netherton Colliery and John was working as a pony driver in the pit. John enlisted in Newcastle, and his legatee was his mother, which would indicate that he had not married.
John Shotton is remembered in Nedderton on N52.01, in Bedlington on B15.02 and B15.09 and in B15.26 page 111
His name was added to the village cross (B15.02) in November 2019 at the request of his family who wanted his name on the memorial in his own town, and this was arranged by Bedlington Council. (Acknowledgments: Sydney Graham).
