Heddon voices from the early 1900s

Our meeting on Monday, 11 January 2016 was time for the AGM, discussion of our new year's programme, and listening to part of an oral history recording made by Mr & Mrs Hall speaking about village life in Heddon in the years around 1904 and 1914. The recording (about two hours in length) was made on 08/02/1978, and is available at the Northumberland Archives, Woodhorn, reference T/114 and T/116. I transcribed part of the same recording during my first visit to the archives in 2011.

My background notes to the recording are given below.

• Mrs Isabella Hall (nee Gibson) was born in Blue Row, Heddon on the Wall in 1894.
• Her father was John Potts Gibson b.1865.
• Lived for a time at Iron Sign (along Military Road beyond Rudchester).
  
• Returned to Heddon – several cottages.
  
• 1911 Census shows living with her aunt Hannah Gibson, probably in middle one of the three Carters Cottages on Towne Gate, Heddon.
• Married Robert (‘Bobbie’) Hall from Newburn in 1923.
• Both of Robert's parents came from Newburn where his father was employed as a blacksmith.
• Robert Hall died February 1987.

The Gibsons are one of the oldest families in Heddon. I managed to piece together some of their lines from Census records. Additional information has been added from a more detailed family tree kindly provided by a living relative, Ralph Gibson, son of Edward Septimus Gibson, now resident in Stamfordham.

John Gibson born 15 Sept 1808 in Hilton, Monkwearmouth and died on 18 Sept 1873 in Heddon. He is described as Quarryman in the 1851 Census. He married Isabella Jamieson at Ovingham on 10 Jun 1837. She was born in 1814 at Ovingham,  described as a widow in the 1881 Census, and died 03 Feb 1893 in Heddon.

The father of John Gibson (1808-1873) was born in 1750 and his grandfather in 1725. They came from East Witton in North Yorkshire.

233) In loving memory of John Gibson who died Sep 18th 1873 aged 67 years. Also Isabella wife of the above who died Feb 3rd 1893 aged 79 years. Also David son of the above who died Jan 12th 1900 aged 55 years. Also Hannah daughter of the above who died March 14th 1931 aged 79 years. "Peace perfect peace".

John Gibson (1808-1873) and Isabella Gibson (nee Jamieson, 1814-1893) had the following children:
Mary Ann Gibson b.1838 Heddon
William Gibson b.1839, died 1844.
John Gibson b.24 Jul 1841 Wrekenton, Gateshead, d.16 Apr 1910 at Throckley. He married Mary Ann Slack in 1871.
David Gibson b.1845 Wrekenton, Gateshead, operating as a carrier of goods from Heddon to Newcastle (Tues & Sat) in 1886, d.12 Jan 1900 at Heddon.
James Gibson b.1848 at Heddon, d.Jan 1906 at Heddon.
Hannah Gibson b.1851 at Heddon, d.14 Mar 1931, Heddon. Carrier of goods with David.
William Gibson b.1853 at Heddon, d.1910 at Heddon.
Elizabeth Isabella Gibson b.1857 at Heddon, d.1871 at Heddon.

240) In loving memory of John Gibson who died at Throckley April 16th 1910 aged 69 years. Also Mary Ann wife of the above who died at Throckley Sep 28th 1901 aged 52 years. "Until the day break and shadows flee away".

Mary Ann Gibson (above) married James Edward Patterson (b.1837) in 1867 at Newcastle and had sons: William Patterson b.1868 and David Gibson Patterson b.1870. On the 1911 Census, William Patterson (cartman, single aged 43) was living with his aunt, Hannah Gibson (1851-1931), in one of the cottages next to the Swan Inn (?Carters Cottages).

Newcastle Journal 14 May 1914 p.6

On the 1871 Census, the Heddon on the Wall household of John & Isabella Gibson also shows a grandson, John Potts Gibson age 6. His baptism record is dated 05 Sep 1864 at Gateshead, Durham with mother's name given as Mary Ann Gibson. His father's name is not given but Potts would seem likely.

The above James Gibson b.1848 at Heddon, died Jan 1906 at Heddon is described as Carpenter/Joiner (1881, 1901). He married (on 06 Apr 1872 at St Andrew's Church Heddon) Jane Donaldson b.1853 at Muthill, Perthshire (occupation Domestic Servant). She died in 1925.
They had 11 children:
Catherine Gibson b.1872 at Heddon. She married George  Dixon (b.1869).
John Gibson b.24 May1874 at Heddon (coal miner/hewer 1901)
Elizabeth Isabella Gibson b.15 Feb 1876 at Heddon., buried at Heddon 22 May 1897.
Margaret Ann Gibson b.05 Mar 1878 at Heddon, died 1961 in Glasgow. She married Alfred Walsh (1898-1940).
James Gibson b.05 Apr 1881 at Heddon (coal miner labourer 1901, hewer 1911). He married Margaret Ann Gray (b.1885, Ryton) in Heddon in 1905.
Mary Jane Gibson b.25 Nov 1883 at Heddon. She married Walter Hugh Dufton.
Wilhelmina Gibson b.29 Nov 1885 at Heddon (domestic servant 1901). She married Robert Dickenson in 1913 at Newcastle.
George Jamieson Gibson b.07 Jan 1888 at Heddon (brickyard lab. 1901). He was killed in WW1 on 23 Oct 1917.
Hannah Jane Gibson born 21 Jan.1889 at Heddon.
Ellen ('Nellie') Gibson born 08 Oct 1891 at Heddon. She married Charles Lane.
Frederick Ruprecht Gibson born 1897 at Heddon. He married Jane Rollingson in 1921 in Hexham District.

This family was living in the Post Office (Jubille House), Heddon on the Wall  in 1901. Jane (a widow) was living in Frenchmans Row with sons John & Frederick in 1911.

William Gibson (above) b.1853 Heddon d.1902 described as builder (1881), butcher (1886), general lab. (1901). William d.1910 at Heddon. He married Mary Jane Armatage in 1878 at Gateshead. She was b.1858 in Wylam and d.1914 in Heddon.

Their children (all born in Heddon) were:
Ann Armatage Gibson b.27 May 1880. Described as a Domestic Servant, she married Edward Jackson (b.1882, Wallsend, described as an Engineer) on 09 Sep 1907 at St Andrew's, Heddon.
John Gibson b.14 Mar 1882 (Fireman Stationary Engine 1901)
William Armatage Gibson b.26 Jan 1884 (Brickworks Lab. 1901, Locomotive Driver 1911)
David Gibson b.19 Jan 1886 (Labourer 1911 and Colliery Fireman). He married Elizabeth Jane Turnbull (b.1894, Horsley)
Isabella Jamieson Gibson b.09 Sep 1888. She married William Martin (b.1887 Ashington, blacksmith) on 13 Oct 1910 at St Andrew's Heddon.
Margaret Evaline Gibson b.29 Mar 1891.
George Armatage Gibson b.13 May 1893 (Miner/putter 1911)
James Gibson b.1896 (Labourer 1911). He died 1962 in Heddon.
Matthew Gibson b.1897, d.1898 in Heddon.
Edward Septimus Gibson b.1898, d.1965 in Heddon.
Amy Hannah Gibson b.1903, d.1973 in Heddon.

Lived Clayton Terrace (1901) and Mary Jane (widow) with family in 1911.

John Potts Gibson, shown above as son of Mary Ann Gibson, b.1865 Gateshead. Described as General labourer (1881), coal hewer (1901), stoneman (1911), married c.1891
Mary Ellen Thompson b.1869 East Holywell, Northumberland.
Their children were:
Elizabeth Hannah B Gibson b.1893 Heddon
Isabella Gibson b.1894 Heddon married Robert (Bobbie) Hall c.1923
Ellen Gibson b.1898 Heddon
Olive Potts Gibson b.1900 Heddon
Jane Gibson b.1904 Heddon
This family lived in Heddon Square Yard in 1901 and Clayton Cottages in 1911.

James Gibson (1881-?), above, who married Margaret Ann Gray (b.1885, Ryton) in Heddon in 1905 had children:
John Gibson (b.1906)
Dora Gibson (b.1908)
Arthur Gibson (b.1911)
George J Gibson (1920-1984), married Mary Burns.
The 1911 Census records them as living in Stanley Houses, Heddon On The Wall. This may have been the butcher's shop, later Post Office on Hexham Road.

The 1861 Census has a Hannah Pattison, wife of Nicholas Pattison (Quarryman, b.1807), living in Heddon. She was born Hannah Gibson in Boldon, Co. Durham in 1813 (father's name given as William and mother's as Hannah), and died in 1879. Was she a sister of John Gibson (1808-1873)? One of their daughters, Margaret Pattison (1838-1903), married Joseph Malthouse (1838-1903) and their son Joseph Malthouse (1872-1942) married Margaret Mary Bowman (1883-1969) and are shown on the 1911 Census as living in Church House, Heddon.

George Jamieson Gibson (1888-1917) was boarding with the Malthouse family in Church House in 1911. He is described as Coal Miner - Hewer. In the First World War he served as a private in 24/27th Battalion (Tyneside Irish) of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Regiment No. 10412), enlisting in Newburn. He saw active service in France and was awarded on 15 July 1915 the Victory, British and the 1914-15 Star medals for the 1914-15 campaign. He was killed on active service on 23 October 1917, place unknown. George J Gibson is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 19 to 23 and 162) and on our own War Memorial in Heddon.

Thomas Gibson, also named as a casualty of WW1 on the Heddon memorial was from an unrelated farming family at Heddon Birks, East Heddon.

There are undoubtedly many more Gibson connections associated with the village and I wouldn't attempt to unravel them.