Heddon in 1911

Harold Thomas Chapman in 1957. Photograph kindly supplied by Gillian Massiah (2015).

Last year we looked at the 1901 Census for the village. This year, we are particularly interested in the 1911 Census because of the commemoration of WW1 which started just three years after the Census. Many of the male residents of Heddon would serve as soldiers in the conflict, some would be injured, and a few would give their lives. Few families would remain untouched.

First, some details from our local time-line to set the scene.

In 1902, the Margaret Pit, situated at the foot of Station Road, and the last deep mine to be worked in the village, was bought by the Throckley Coal Co., and was worked until the early 1930's. After that it's reserves were accessed from the Isabella Pit at Throckley.

On 26th June 1902 an oak tree was planted for the coronation of Edward VII by Fenwick Charlton on the green at the top of Station Road . The 1901 Census showed he was born in 1851 (50 years old) and working as the Colliery Engineer at Heddon Margaret Pit.

The first power driven aircraft was flown by the  Wright brothers on 17th December 1903. One of the casualties on our War Memorial would be killed in action serving in the Royal Flying Corps just a few years later.

In 1908, the Old Age Pension was introduced. In Heddon the Methodist Chapel was altered, creating a porch and schoolroom, and a  forge was set up beside the Swan Inn, starting a small business that would run until 2011.

Heddon on the Wall Methodist Church. Photo by A Curtis (2010).

Mains gas was laid into the village in 1910, and in 1913, a large fire at Town House Farm destroyed buildings and livestock. It was fought by local people until the fire brigade from Newburn arrived, having been alerted by a youth on a bicycle.

Only elementary education was given at the Church School in the village but Rev. William Pringle, Vicar of Heddon between 1905-32, ran a private school at the vicarage, offering a higher education to local children. He advertised in the Newcastle Journal on Thursday 16 April 1914.

The First World War was to start on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. More than 9 million combatants were killed; a casualty rate exacerbated by the belligerents' technological and industrial sophistication, and tactical stalemate. It was the fifth-deadliest conflict in world history, paving the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved.

According to the family history data site, findmypast.co.uk, the falling birth rate, large numbers of people emigrating, and the reportedly poor health of the nation gave the government cause for concern in 1911. A large healthy workforce was needed for Britain to continue to develop as an industrialised nation, and these concerns prompted the government to include questions on ‘fertility in marriage’ in the 1911 census. Women were asked to state the ‘years the present marriage has lasted’, the number of children born alive to the present marriage (not just those who were living in the house) and how many had died.

The start of the twentieth century was a time of rapid industrial and technological development in Britain and the government needed a specific idea of which industries were in growth or decline. So in the 1911 census people were asked for the first time to state which industry they worked in, in addition to their profession or trade. Many people misinterpreted this request and provided more information than they needed to, giving the name (and sometimes address) of their employer, as well as the industry.

The enumerator would later hand-write a numeric code  next to each occupation entry on a household form to identify the nature of the occupation. There are nearly 1000 codes.

A similar system of roughly the same number of codes was also used to categorise birthplaces.

The biggest cause of people missing from the 1911 census was civil disobedience. As part of the protest against the government’s continued refusal to grant women the vote, the suffragettes organised a mass boycott of the census. Exact numbers will never be known, but it is estimated that thousands of women may be missing from the 1911 census. I have found no clear evidence that this was the case in Heddon.

In the 1911 Census, each household had its own form to complete, but as in 1901, the schedule number assigned to the household shows the enumerator's path around the village. The Heddon enumerator started in the south-east corner of the parish, at Blayney Row and nearby, Moore Court.

Blayney Row. Photo by A Curtis (2013).

Moore Court. Photo by A Curtis (2011).

No.6 Moore Court, was home to another Colliery Overman, John O'Neill (53, born Ireland) and his wife, Mary Jane (53, Crawcrook). Their son, Thomas (29, born Heddon), Colliery Deputy, was one of the WW1 casualties.

In 1911, most of the working men in the houses were employed in coal mining: hewers, putters, 'rolley wayman' underground, colliery screeners, and those operating stationary or moving engines. There were a few working in the steelworks (probably at Newburn), on the railways, and as labourers for the Newcastle & Gateshead Water Company. Few of the ladies were working outside the home, although some younger family members were employed as dressmakers, domestic servants, shop assistants and school teachers.

In 1911 (as in 1901), No.1 Moore Court was home to the Jobey family. Thomas Benjamin Jobey (Colliery Overman, aged 63) and Barbara Ann Jobey (aged 63) had 10 children, 9 still alive. One of their sons, George Jobey (born Heddon, age 25), is recorded on the Census as a Clerk / Accountant. He played football for local boys' clubs in Morpeth before joining Newcastle United in 1906, who won the Championship in 1908-09. He later played for Arsenal, Bradford, and the Scottish club, Hamilton Academical during WW1, when the Football League was suspended. He eventually became a football manager, notably of Derby County (1925–1941). He died on 9 May 1962, aged 76.

In 1911, Blayney Row housed 133 individuals occupying 29 of the 30 houses in the terrace, and Moore Court housed 72 individual in 10 houses. The comparative figures for 1901 were 56 living in Blayney Row and 81 in Moore Court.

Both terraces were built for employees of Heddon Brickworks by Bates of Heddon Hall in 1889. They were sold to Throckley Coal Company in 1895.

Cadwallader John Bates (1853-1902), antiquarian, inherited Heddon Hall, Colliery and Brickworks from his father, Thomas Bates. Cadwallader was named after a cousin, the 12th and last, Lord Blayney (1802-1874), an old Welsh (and later, Irish) family. Moore Court was named after the maiden name of Cadwallader’s great uncle, also Thomas Bates (1775-1849), a famous stockbreeder.

Mary Lowery (29), recently widowed, was living with her three children, Jane (10), Barbara (7) and Robert (0) in the home of her parents,  Matthew (65) and Barbara Ann Jewitt (56), at No.10 Moore Court. The family occupied the same house in 1901. Her husband, Robert Lowery (38) was killed in an accident at Heddon Colliery on Friday 13th January 1911. He was employed as Deputy Overman at the Pit  and was "... in a stooping position, examining a portion of the workings, when a mass of stone, weighing several tons fell and crushed him" (Newcastle Journal, Saturday 14 January 1911).

Newcastle Journal, Saturday 14th January 1911.

A son of Matthew and Barbara Jewitt, Stephen Jewitt (26, Heddon), living at 17 Blayney Row in 1911, was killed in the Great War and is named on the War Memorial in Newburn.

Thomas Cann (69, born Norfolk) is recorded on the Census from Moore Court (but not in a numbered property) as 'Night Watchman in charge of the Tyne Commissioners Reclamation Work'. Perhaps he was living temporarily in a hut (or even a barge on the river).

The Station Master of Heddon on the Wall Railway Station in 1911, was Edward Wilson (52, born Dudley, Worcestershire). William Harle, the Station Master in 1901, had moved to Appleby Railway Station in Cumbria.

Although two cottages at Heddon Hall were occupied in 1911, there appeared to be no one in residence at the Hall itself. William Robert Wilson, recorded there in 1901, had been found shot in 1903. There is an article about his son on the blog.

'Station House', Heddon Haughs. Photo A Curtis (2013).

Dundee Courier (p.7 col.7), Wednesday 25 November 1903.

Max Holzapfel and family were living there while Kenton Lodge was being rebuilt but this was completed around 1908. Frederic Wise gave Heddon Hall as his address during the war years. Sir Frederic Wise (1871-1928) entered banking in 1903 and later founded the stockbroking company of Wise, Speke and Co. of Newcastle-on-Tyne. During World War I, he was Chairman of Volunteers and Military Representative for Northumberland, and he also gave his services to National Service, the Food Ministry and the Treasury. He was Unionist MP for Ilford from 1920 and knighted in 1924.

R.W. Shield (46, born Alston) was farming at Heddon Banks in place of John Heslop, recorded there on the 1901 Census.

The Wrights were still operating the Post Office in Jubilee House. John Wright (13, born in Heddon), grandson of John Wright (67, Colliery Weighman), would be another casualty of the First World War. Next door, Joseph Jordan (30) was still baking, assisted in 1911 by his sister, Minnie (27).

The Wolland family were still living in Mushroom Row. Henry Wolland (37, born Swansea) and Isabella Wolland (38, born Berwick upon Tweed) had had 8 children, all born in Heddon, but the Census recorded that only 7 were still alive. An entry on the form for Henrietta (age 12) had been crossed out. The oldest son, Albert Wolland (18; apprentice fitter in Steel Works), would be killed in the War.

The Barron family were still in Blue Row. One son, Gilbert James Barron (15; Colliery Pony Driver) was to be  another casualty of the Great War.

Wanless was another common name in the village. Some of the family were still living in Blue Row. Stephen Wanless (65, born Heddon; Quarryman) and his wife, Isabella (62, born Newham) had 7 out of 8 children still alive. One son, Robert Wanless (37, born Heddon; Fireman at Brickyard) was living in 1901 with his uncle, George Mason Reay at the Swan Inn. In 1911, he had been married for 8 years to Mary Ann Wanless (36, born North Shields) and had two children: Eileen (7) and Dorrina Thompson (4). We have some memories of Winnie Spoor (nee Wanless) born in No.4 Blue Row to Stephen Wanless (b.1878) and his wife, Diana (nee Young; b.1878,Acomb), although I can find neither of them on the 1911 Census.

Robert Stephenson (37, Bedlington) was now the policeman living in Clayton Terrace, a successor to Robert Oliver, policeman there in 1901.

88 people were living in the terraced houses east of The Swan, known as Heddon Square Yard. In one property, William Ernest Eddy (21, High Pit, Northumberland) would be another War casualty. He was the son of William Eddy (55, Blanchland), also a coal miner, and Annie Marie Eddy (54). They were neighbours to the Snowdons. Next door again, Thomas Bushby (48) and Mary Busbhy (nee Coulson, 42), both from County Durham, shared a three roomed house with 8 children, and Mary's father and brother.

George Jameson Gibson (23, Heddon), working as a coal miner in 1911, was lodging with the Malthouse family in Church House. He also appears on Heddon's War memorial.

The new incumbent of Heddon Vicarage was William George Pringle (45, Durham) who had succeeded  Ernest William Richard Walters in 1905. Edith Walters is recorded in 1911 as a widower living in Cullercoats along with son Arthur (16) and a domestic servant, Eliza Hawkins (20) who was originally from Heddon.

Richard Thompson (68, Burnopfield) had succeeded John Armatage (b.1866) as Publican at the Three Tuns Inn. Two of his sons, William (21) and Thomas (19) were working at a Motor Car Works, one as an electrician and the other as a wood turner.

John Armatage (46) was now Manager of The Royal French Arms at Frenchman's Row. His brother, George Armatage (b.1852, Wylam) was working as a Blacksmith and Horseshoer and lived with his family in a property identified on the 1911 Census as Quarry House, Houghton. His son, George (23, Heddon) was also in the business. Another son, Robert Armatage (19, Heddon), a postman, would later be a casualty of the First World War.

As it was in 1901, George Mason Reay (46) was still innkepper at the Swan pub. John Pestle (51) was still Head Teacher, living in the School House opposite the inn.

Widow, Mary Waugh (41, Yorkshire), was running a small shop from one of the cottages in Three Tuns Yard ('Haddock's Hole').

The 1911 Census records three addresses that we don't use today: 'New Buildings' (2 households), 'Winships Buildings' and 'Stanley Houses' (3 households in each). These were probably the houses on the south side of the Hexham Road, west of the Vicarage. Henry Stephenson Amos (35, Throckley), wife Dorothy (38, Throckley) and four children lived in one of the New Buildings. The business started by Henry Amos eventually became the Roman Wall Forge.

In one of the three Winships Buildings was Henry Murray (13, Gateshead), another of the names on Heddon's War Memorial. His father, Joseph Murray (42, Ponteland) was occupied as a Joiner.

The 1911 Census records the Knott family in residence at Close House: James Knott (56, born Howdon-on-Tyne; Shipowner), his wife, Margaret Annie (56, Holmfirth, Yorkshire) and two of their three sons: James Leadbitter Knott (28, North Shields; Shipowner) and Henry Basil Knott (20, Jesmond, Shipowners Clerk). Both sons would be casualties of the Great War. The eldest son, Thomas Garbutt Knott (b.1879) was out of the country. Staying with them was a naval architect, Norton Butler Napier Good (24, London) and 11 servants.

In 1911, Fenwick Charlton (60), former Heddon Colliery Engineer, was living at  Houghton House, and gave his employment as 'Laundry Business', employing two of his sons, William (30) and George Frederic (26).

Oakwood Lodge, west of Houghton on the Hexham Road, in 1911, was the home of Henry James Chapman (49) working as Head Gardener. Sharing the lodge was his wife, Elizabeth (46), and six sons. He had been employed for his experience in propagation and cultivation of orchids, a passion of Norman Charles Cookson (Tyneside Industrialist, 1841-1909) at Oakwood House. One of the greenhouses still exists today and is to be restored. There is more on the Chapman family here.

Greenhouse, Oakwood, Wylam. Photo A Curtis (2014).

In West Heddon, John Robert Watson (22, Ovingham) was working as a shepherd. He lived with his father, Thomas (54), and mother, Elizabeth (52) at Heddon Steads. He would be another casualty of the First World War.

The Rev. Richard Burdon (80) was at home in Heddon House, along with his cousin, Cecilia Briscoe (51, Ireland), four servants and a young visitor from Rothbury. Richard Burdon died at Heddon House in 1919 aged 89 years.

There were two more casualties from East Heddon: Thomas Gibson (24, Callerton Fell), son of Thomas Gibson (61), farmer at Heddon Birks; and William Alfred Scarlett (22, India), son of William Henry Scarlett (49, London; working as a trainer of young horses) and Eliza Elizabeth Scarlett (47, Aldershot). William Henry's sister, Ellen Scarlett (25, India) was working as a domestic servant for Richard Burdon at Heddon House.