Tyneside Scottish Badge
Morpeth Herald 21/07/1916 carries a brief obituary:
ROLL OF HONOUR
MATHER.- Died in France, on July 6th, 1916, in No.3 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, from wounds received in action, Signaller Edward Mather (Tyneside Scottish), of Stakeford Lane, Choppington. Deeply mourned by his father and mother, sisters and brother.
Morpeth Herald 20/10/1916 carries a brief obituary:
Signaller E. Mather, Choppington, died of wounds.
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
Edward Mather, the son of William, an agricultural labourer and Dorothy Isabella Mather, was born at Ulgham, Morpeth Northumberland in 1888. At the age of three in 1891 his family, which now included siblings Francis aged 8 and Robert aged 6 was living at Ulgham Grange Farm, Morpeth where his father worked as an agricultural labourer.
The 1901 Census shows Edward, aged 12, living with his family at Manor Farm Cottages, Kenton, Gosforth where his father is still working on the land. Also in the family at this time are sisters Jane Ann, age 9, and Margaret who is 5 years.
When Edward was 23 in 1911 he is a shown as a boarder in the census at that time living in the house of William Elliott at Netherton, working as a farm labourer. It’s possible Edward went into the mining industry after 1911 as there is an E. Mather shown on the ROH 1914-18 for the Netherton Coal Co.
Edward enlisted at Bedlington when living at Nedderton and its likely he was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and died several days afterwards. The CWGC records show his parents living at North Gate Cottages, Stakeford Lane, Choppington after his death. There is no mention of him being married in the documents reviewed. A book written about the Northumberland Fusiliers Tyneside Scottish by Stewart and Sheen shows he lived at East Houses, Netherton.
Edward Mather is remembered in Bedlington on B15.07 and B15.26 page 132
