View source for Robson, Mary Jane

Mary J Robson (nee Rutherford) lived in [[Percy Terrace]] from at least 1911, firstly at [[2 Percy Terrace|Number 2]], but later in [[1 Percy Terrace|Number 1]]. She was the daughter of Archibald Dodd Rutherford, a general dealer at Lanehead and his wife Annie. She was born on 8 June 1863 almost certainly in Greenhaugh although her birth was registered in Bellingham. In 1881 she was working as a cook at High Leam, Corsenside in a household headed by Mary Dodds, ‘the Proprietor’ and her son, Joseph Dodds, a yeoman farmer. In the third quarter of 1886 her marriage to Thomas Robson, a joiner, born in Falstone was registered in Bellingham. Their first child, Thomas was born in 1888 in Bellingham but Thomas snr. was working in Elswick, Newcastle in 1891 and the family living at 1 Crispin Street. Mary’s brother James, aged twenty-two, also a joiner was boarding with them. From Newcastle the Robsons moved to Kirkharle where Thoms was estate joiner. Their son Archibald R (born c. 1892) was born in Newcastle but the following children Annie (c. 1895), James Robert (c. !896) and Elizabeth (1903) were born in Kirkharle. On census night 1901 Thomas’s mother, Isabella Robson was living with them. Thomas died 29 April 1905 and he is buried in Bellingham Cemetery. Mary Jane was living in [[2 Percy Terrace]] in 1911 and was running a boarding house. The only two other occupants of [[2 Percy Terrace|No. 2]] on census night were daughter, Elizabeth and a locomotive engine driver for the NBR, Thomas Jerrat. It is important to note that Mary’s father, Archibald Rutherford, was listed as the sole occupant (although married) of [[1 Percy Terrace]] in 1911. Tragedy struck the family with the death of son Thomas in Germany in 1918 – he left a widow and two young children and is commemorated in various rolls of honour in the town. In 1921 Mary had moved into Number [[1 Percy Terrace]]. Her son, James Robert was obviously the breadwinner as he was working as a railway fireman for NBR. His wife was Meggie Elizabeth and there was a granddaughter Nora aged one. Visiting Mary on that night were Thomas’s widow K(C)atherine and her children, Mary (11) and Thomas James (9).  Mary hadn’t entirely abandoned her boarding house past in that Robert Arthur Bell, a twenty-six-year-old, grocer’s assistant to John Allan was boarding with them. In 1939 Mary was still in [[1 Percy Terrace]] but the head of the house was now Thomas A Young, a journeyman joiner with his (presumed) wife Elizabeth (born 1902). Mary Jane died on 18 February 1946 and is buried with her husband, Thomas in Bellingham Cemetery.
[[Category:People]]