Grandfathers and their families part 2

Crowther

Grandad Crowther was the eldest of a family of 6 children.  Their parents were Thomas Frederick Crowther, born 1858 in Liverpool and died in 1900 in Govan, Glasgow, and Hannah Isabella Wouldhave, born 1861 in North Shields and died in 1911 in Jarrow.

Grandad, Joseph Crowther

Joseph (Joe) was born in 1890 in Jarrow and died in 1969 in North Shields. He married Margaret Slaughter in St Mark’s Jarrow in July 1914. He had enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1909 for five years; his occupation was painter and he spent some of his time in the RNVR training as a painter.  He re-enlisted in October 1914. He was assigned to HMS Duncan in 1915 which was part of the Cruiser Squadron on the Finisterre-Azores-Madeira Station. In late 1915, HMS Duncan moved to the Mediterranean, conducting operations in support of the Italian Navy and then against Greek royalists.  He was awarded chevrons, in 1915, 1916 and 1917, and medals, 1914-15 Star, British war medal and Victory medal. 

Grandad on the far right wearing his medals

In July 1925 he was awarded the RNVR long service and good conduct medal.  He served with the RNVR until 1933 and was invited to the Jubilee review of the RNVR by the Queen.

Newspaper cutting

Sometime after 1930, Joseph and his family moved to North Shields since they were in Burt Avenue in the 1939 register. Joseph and Margaret celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1964. 

George Wouldhave Crowther

George was born 1892 in Jarrow and died in 1915 in Jarrow.  George was a drilling machinist at Palmers Works in Jarrow, where he had served his apprenticeship, and was living with his brother, Alfred Ernest Crowther at 8 Dee Street, Jarrow when he enlisted in Sunderland with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps on 20th September 1914.  He was discharged on 23^rd October 1914 after serving 33 days. His papers state he was discharged under Kings Regulations para 392 part (iii) b, which means he was rejected for an unspecified reason. Whatever the reason was for non-approval by the recruiting officer, George returned to his role as an iron driller.  Just over a month later he died of Lobar Pneumonia on 25^th November 1915. Lobar Pneumonia is a communicable disease and it may be possible that George was showing symptoms that led to his discharge From the Rifle Corps. The informant of his death was William Robson Wouldhave (WI113), his uncle. (Some time later William Robson Wouldhave's daughter Phyllis Mary Wouldhave (PH101) married Alfred Ernest Crowther, George's next of kin).

Alice Amy Crowther

Alice Amy was born 1894 in Jarrow and died in 1975 in Halifax.  In the 1911 census, Alice was a domestic servant living at home in Jarrow but by 1939 she was a Supervisor in a chocolate factory living with Lilian Eunice Rhodes in Wadsworth Street, Halifax. She was a member of St John’s Ambulance.  She married Leonard Fletcher, a widower, in August 1945. On the marriage certificate Leonard’s occupation is caterer and Alice’s occupation is stationer.  They were married in the Parish Church of Mount Pellon in Halifax.

Great Aunt Alice's Wedding Day

Alfred (Alf) Ernest Crowther

Alf was born 1897 in Barrow on Furness and died in 1989 in Wallsend. Alf married Phyllis Mary Wouldhave in August 1927 at St Paul’s Church in Jarrow. Phyllis was the daughter of William Robson Wouldhave who was the brother of Hannah Isabella Wouldhave, Alf’s mother.  Therefore Alf and Phyllis were cousins. Alf’s occupation was given as Driller on the marriage certificate.  In the 1939 register Alf is living in Wallsend and his employed in the Shipyards as a pneumatic driller.  (Phyllis proved elusive in the 1939 register). 

Josiah (Jos) Roberts Crowther

Jos was born in 1903 in Jarrow and emigrated to Australia in 1925.  He married Nora in Australia and returned to visit family in 1960, staying with Alice and Len Fletcher. 

Jos and Nora on their visit in 1960

Unfortunately we have very little further information on Jos except a photograph from Sydney Photographers showing a wedding, possibly one of Jos's daughters?

Wedding in Australia

McAndrew

Grandad was the only son and youngest of a family of 6 children.  Their parents were Edward McAndrew, born 1853 in Gateshead and died in 1930 in Wallsend, and Mary Paddon, born 1854 in Newcastle and died in 1938 in Wallsend. The family lived in Bigges Main (a colliery village just north west of central Wallsend - today a golf course lies directly over the site).

The Map shows Bigges Main to the left and Wallsend Village in the Centre (from History of the Parish of Wallsend 1923)

Grandad, Edward McAndrew

Edward (sometimes known as Ned) was born in 1893 in Longbenton and died in 1969 in Wallsend. He met his wife Elizabeth Burridge while he was 18 years old working on Pockerly Farm in Beamish.  Elizabeth was living with her family in Beamish and working out on a farm. They married in June 1912 in the Registry Office in Newcastle. Edward worked in coal mines, also acting as an advocate for other miners as part of the Miners Federation of Great Britain, a precursor of the National Union of Miners.  He was the representative for Edward Pit, Wallsend in 1928. Edward Pit was first used in 1913 and closed in the 1930s.  It was sited where the present day Tyne Metropolitan College now stands.  In August 1925 there was a serious disaster in the mine and five miners were killed as a result.
In the 1920s Edward was a keen advocate of home rule for Ireland, even though he never visited Ireland.  In the 1939 register, he was working at a Local Training Centre in Wallsend and was an ARP Warden during WW2.  Edward and Elizabeth celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1962.

Grandad Mac and the Monseigneur

 

Mary Ann McAndrew

Mary Ann was born in 1879 in Felling.  Unfortunately, we can find no other information about Mary Ann. She is with the family in the 1891 census but not after that date.

Bridget McAndrew

Bridget was born in 1881 in Felling.  In the 1901 census she is a Domestic Servant, living at home in High Lane Row, Bigges Main, Longbenton. She married John Connolly in 1902 in Wallsend.  John was a plate riveter in the shipyards. They had three children Thomas (1902), John (1904) and Edward (1907). In the 1911 census Bridget is an inmate at the Lunatic Asylum in Morpeth.  She is described as formerly a Housewife. Bridget died in Morpeth Assylum in May 1917, aged 36 years. John died in 1952 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Catherine McAndrew

Catherine was born 1885 in Gosforth.  In the 1901 census she is a Domestic Servant, living at home in High Lane Row, Bigges Main, Longbenton. In 1909 she married Thomas Lowery in Hexham district.  In the 1911 census Thomas is a Farm Hind (Hind means a farm servant, especially a skilled worker, having charge of two horses and being provided with a cottage on a farm) at Nafferton near Ovingham. In the 1939 register, Catherine is a widow living in the Dixon Household near Hexham.

Ellen McAndrew

Ellen was born in 1887 in Longbenton.  She was Godparent to John Connolly, her nephew in 1904. She had a child, Thomas Mosson McAndrew, born in February 1909, although there is no father given on the certificate.  Thomas is with his grandparents Edward and Mary in the 1911 census but there is no sign of Ellen in the census and we have no other information about her.

 Sarah McAndrew

Sarah was born in 1890 in Longbenton.  She married Michael Melody in 1910.  Their daughter, Mary was born in 1910. In the 1911 census Sarah is with her daughter in Nafferton, near Ovingham staying with her sister, Kate, and her husband, Thomas Lowery, In 1913 Sarah and Mary are listed on a ship travelling to Brisbane.  Their destination is Townsville, Queensland.