James Harold Riddle

James Harold Riddle was the son of James and Margaret Riddle (née Hartley). James senior was the son of Nicholas Riddle and Mary Patterson and was born in Elsdon, Northumberland, on 4 December 1849 and baptised on 5 February 1850 at the Presbyterian Church, Otterburn Northumberland. His mother Margaret Hartley was born in 1855 in Durham, Sunderland. They were married in 1874 (A/M/J Durham) and had seven children, six of whom survived infancy: Wilfrid Patterson b. Horton Fold Durham 11 September 1875 (O/N/D South Shields), Ursula Viola Mary b. Stockton on Tees 1881 (J/A/S Stockton - DOB given as 26 June 1882 on 1939 Register), Thomas Norman (also Norman Thomas) b. Stockton birth registered 1883 J/F/M Stockton d. 1903 (A/M/J Christchurch Hants) age 20, Winifred b. Stockton 6 July 1885 (J/A/S Stockton), James Harold (also Harold James) b. Stockton 7 July 1887 (J/A/S Stockton) and Aubrey Stanley b. Doncaster 25 January 1892 (J/F/M Doncaster). In 1881 James (31) and Margaret (26) were living at 59 Parliament Street, Stockton on Tees, with their son Wilfrid (5). They were still living in Stockton on Tees in 1891. James was a traveller in the biscuit trade. He and Margaret now had five children: Wilfrid (15), Ursula (9), Norman (8), Winifred (5) and Harold (3). Also in the household was Rosette Meyers (16), James' niece, who was described as 'help'. By 1901 James (51) was living with his family in Hessle, Hull. He was still working as a commercial traveller. In the home on the night of the census were his son Wilfrid (25) an architect's assistant, Ursula (19) no occupation, Norman (18) a dentist's pupil, Winifred (15), James Harold (13) and Aubrey (9) who were all still at school. James and Margaret employed a domestic servant, Ethel Rogers (17). Norman died two years later at the age of 20. At the time of the 1911 Census James (61), now a commercial traveller in butter provisions, and Margaret (56) were living at 8 Mapperley Park Drive, Nottingham. Only three of their surviving five children were still living at home: Ursula (29) a housekeeper (domestic), Winifred (25) a sick nurse and Aubrey (19) who was an apprentice electrical engineer. James Harold was already living in Canada (1911 Census) and Wilfrid had married Edith Birbeck Adams on 2 September 1907 (O/N/D Sculcoates Yorkshire East Riding) and was living in Withernsea Hull. Margaret Riddle died in 1915 (A/M/J Nottingham) aged 61. When James Harold enlisted in Canada in 1916 he named his father as his next of kin; James snr was then living at 31 Watcombe Circus. James was still at the same address in 1919 when he completed a form listing his son Aubrey's surviving blood relatives: himself, Wilfrid, Ursula and Winifred. James snr died aged 82 on 29 December 1931 (O/N/D Rothbury); he was then living at 5 South Terrace, Rothbury, Northumberland. Probate was awarded to his children Wilfrid and Ursula. Of James' siblings: Wilfrid married in 1907 and in 1911 he and his wife Edith Birkbeck (27 b. Lincoln 3 August 1883) were living at Sherwood Lodge, Lee Avenue, Withernsea, Hull, where he was an architect and surveyor for Hull Corporation. He and Edith had two children, Ursula Mary (b. 12 April 1908) and Kenneth Wilfrid Adams (b. 31 August 1909). They were to have at least one more child, Margaret (b. 20 August 1921). Wilfrid attested in 1916 and was assigned to the Inland Water Transport Section, Royal Engineers, in May 1916 (172777 A/Lance Corporal) but was discharged on 28 June the following year on being appointed to a temporary commission in the Inland Waterways and Docks, Royal Engineers. In 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register, Wilfrid and Edith were still living at Sherwood Lodge, Withernsea, with their daughters Ursula (unpaid domestic duties) and Margaret who was still at school. Wilfrid died on 8 June 1941. Ursula was working in Weybridge in 1919 when her father completed the form listing Aubrey's surviving relatives. In 1939 she was living on Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth, Wales, and described guest house proprietress. Ursula died on 4 March 1968 (J/F/M Stockton); the Probate record gave her address as 2 Warren Edge Road, Southbourne, Bournemuth. Winifred was possibly working as a nursing sister in Aleppo in 1919 when her father completed the form listing Aubrey's surviving relatives (handwriting on form unclear). In 1939 she was matron at Studley College, Alcester, Warwickshire. A probate record for a Winifred Riddle gave the date of death as 11 August 1944 (1944 J/A/S Merioneth South) and her address as Brynglwys, Aberdovey, Merionethshire.

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