Persons of Interest – Matthew Corr

Matthew Corr was my great, great uncle and the third son of James Corr and Margaret Barber in Gateshead, County Durham, born on 7 Jan 1878.

He was a coal miner and married Harriet Gaul on 6 Jan 1909, a spinster who already had four children,  at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle Upon Tyne. They had three more children.

Matthew joined the 12/13^th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, Soldier No 11243. He was killed in France and Flanders according to his death certificate. His body was never found, he was presumed dead on 4 Oct 1917, and is remembered at the Tyne Cot memorial in Belgium.

Harriet never remarried and died on 22 Nov 1943.

Whilst living at a tenement house at 42 Rendel Street, Scotswood Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Matthew was a witness in a murder case whilst on leave on 4 May 1915. Joseph Edward Simpson aged 2 years old was murdered by his father, Private William Simpson. It seems there was a quarrel between Private & Mrs Simpson and Private Simpson murdered the boy with a cut throat razor. Matthew found the boy’s body after Mrs Simpson raised the alarm. Private Simpson was found guilty on 25 May 1915. It was revealed on appeal that the child was slowly dying from water on the brain (now called Hydrocephalus). Private Simpson was sentenced to death, although this sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life.

 

On the second and fourth Mondays of each month, we share a short story provided by a member about a person of interest in their one-name study. Whether your person is good, bad, or simply interesting or unusual, please send us your story. This post is from Guild member Doreen Fawcett.

Why not submit a story (200-300 words OR a bit longer if need be) about a person of interest in your own one-name study. Email each story and image(s) to marketing@one-name.org.