Short, John

John Short was born at Walwick on 27 April 1822 and baptised in Humshaugh on 9 June 1822. His father Joseph was a blacksmith at Walwick in 1851, and employed one man. That man may well have been John who was listed as a blacksmith journeyman. Besides Joseph and John the other members of the household were Sarah (64), Ann (26), Sarah (26) who was a dressmaker, and Joseph’s grandchildren John (8) and James (3). Ten years later John was heading the household at Walwick North Farms and working as a blacksmith and grocer, He was single, as was his sister Sarah who was housekeeping for him. The couple were also caring for two nephews, John, a blacksmith’s apprentice and James, a scholar. By 1871 John and Sarah, nephew John and another nephew, Thomas (9) had moved into Cruddas Terrace, Bellingham. The younger John was now a blacksmith but his uncle John was just a labourer. In 1881, again in Cruddas Terrace John aged 58 was a general labourer, Sarah was housekeeping and young John (38) was a blacksmith. In 1891 both John Shorts were unmarried and both working as blacksmiths, living together in 11, Charles Street, South Shields. John Short’s death was registered in South Shields in the first quarter of 1894 with his age given as 74.