Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Arthur Edmund Tarn was one of 6 children of whom only 5 survived.
His father Jacob Tarn was born at Kirkhaugh, Northumberland October 20th 1874 and baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Haltwhistle, April 11th 1875. Jacob’s parents were farmers of 125 acres at High Row, Northumberland.
Jacob Tarn was married May 28th 1898 at Haltwhistle to Elizabeth Alice Potts, native of Garrigill, historically in Cumberland. Elizabeth was born August 25th 1878, she was the daughter of farm worker Peter Potts and Leah Sarah Millican.
By 1901 Jacob was employed as a shepherd at High Row supporting not only his wife but two children, Arthur Edmund born April 8th 1899 and Bertha Rebecca aged 6 months. Ten years later their family was complete with the births of Isaac Wallace in 1902, John Edward 1904, Peter Bernard, January 11th 1906 who sadly died February 3rd 1909 and Jacob Matthew in 1910. The Tarn family had remained at High Row, in 1911 Arthur Edmund (11) and Bertha Rebecca (10), Isaac Wallace (8) and John Edward (7) were scholars, Jacob Matthew was only 11 months old.
When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, Arthur Edmund was too young to enlist. When he was called up for General Service, May 18th 1917, he was working as a lead miner. During his physical examination it was noted that he was blind in his right eye and had only 6/60 vision in the left eye. Despite this he was posted as Private 205098 to the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, in reserve, classed as category B2, “able to walk 5 miles, see and hear sufficiently for ordinary service.”
Private Tarn was transferred October 11th 1917 to the Army Veterinary Corps and posted, October 17th, to the Station Veterinary Hospital A.V.C. in Luton, Bedfordshire. He was examined again by an optometrist at Aylesbury Military Hospital, December 12th 1917 and marked as category C2 (same as B2). A third examination, May 16th 1918 at No.8 Centre Bedford found a deterioration of the left eye to only 1/60 vision. The initial cause of his blindness and poor sight had been caused in childhood by an attack of iritis, an inflammation in the coloured ring around the eye’s pupil.
Private 205098 Arthur Edmund Tarn Army Veterinary Corps was transferred to Class W Army Reserve. Class W was for, “all those soldiers whose services are deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil rather than military employment.” He was discharged at Luton, September 24 1918 under King’s Regulations 392(xvi), “no longer physically fit for War Service,” and awarded a weekly allowance for 28 weeks in the sum of 13 shillings 9 pence, as of October 2nd 1918. Awards; British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Arthur’s first cousin Engine Room Artificer Mark Aitchison Tarn Royal Navy died of disease whilst on active service, August 31st 1915.
Arthur Edmund was married October 16th 1920 at Bellingham With Henshaw, Northumberland to Elizabeth Thompson the daughter of John and Catherine Thompson of Mochrum, Wigtownshire, Scotland. Elizabeth had a daughter, Eileen Violet S. Thompson born October 10th 1917 at Haltwhistle, Northumberland. Arthur and Elizabeth had 2 daughters, Catherine Alice born January 27th 1921 and Mary Agnes, July 22nd 1923.
By 1939 Arthur Edmund was unable to work as he was now totally blind. He was living at High Row, Kirkhaugh with his parents. His wife Elizabeth was employed in the home of cowman Edward Thompson at Smallburn Cottage, Castle Ward, Northumberland as housekeeper.
Arthur Edmund Tarn died March 10th 1960 in the district of Northumberland Central, his widow Elizabeth Tarn nee Thompson at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, January 11th 1968.
Details of Arthur Edmund and Elizabeth’s daughters;
Catherine Alice Tarn married, James Hubert Pickering in 1941 who was born at Alston, historically in Cumberland, with whom she had a son James Alan Pickering, born in 1943. The marriage of James and Catherine ended in divorce, her ex-husband remarried as did Catherine in 1959 in the district of Leeds to Bryan Lancaster with whom she had a son in 1959 (possibly living therefore details are withheld).
Catherine Alice Lancaster-Pickering nee Tarn died at Blackburn, Lancashire in 1986, Bryan Lancaster in 1998. Catherine’s son James Alan Pickering died July 18th 2017.
Mary Agnes Tarn in 1939 was a domestic servant in the household of retired engineer John Warner at 42, Leamoor Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire. She was married in 1943 at Haymarket, Suffolk to Dennis Herbert Clayton born October 12th 1912 at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, with whom she had a daughter in 1944 (possibly living therefore details are withheld).
Her first marriage ended in divorce and she remarried in 1948 to Alan Gray Faddy, born October 27th 1923, in his home city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Their daughter was born in 1944, (possibly living therefore details are withheld). There may also have been a further 2 children, 1951 and 1952 as yet unproven.
Alan Gray Faddy died in Sudbury, Suffolk, in 1985, his widow Mary Agnes Faddy-Clayton nee Tarn, at Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, April 2nd 1995.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
