In St. Mary’s Churchyard is the Commonwealth War Grave of:

J. Yellowlay
Stoker RNR 7405/S
H.M.S. “Victory”
2nd October 1915

Colin Boyd has provided the following:

Joseph was born on 24th December 1887 in Cramlington to James Yellowlay (given as Yellowby), a miner, and his wife Margaret Jane.

In 1891 he was living with his parents, three brothers and one sister in Elliott Street, Cowpen, Northumberland.

By 1901 Joseph was living with his widowed mother, three brothers, one sister and a lodger at 12, Cooperative Terrace, Newsham, Blyth. His father James had died in October 1900 and Margaret Jane married John Wade in July 1905.

In 1911 Joseph Yellowley was living with his mother, stepfather and younger brother, Thomas at 11, Cooperative Terrace, Newsham.

Joseph Yellowlay enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 19th May 1915 when he was described as being 5ft 3in tall with brown hair and a fresh complexion and he was still living at the Cooperative Terrace address.

Joseph arrived at H.M.S. Victory on 20th May 1915 and unfortunately died in hospital ashore in Chatham on 2nd October 1915 from the effects of pneumonia.

Joseph Yellowlay is remembered at Blyth on B42.24, at New Delaval on N51.01 as Yellowley and in our List of Ships’ Crews.