Husband of W.P. 'Bill'
Richardson's Aunt, Gladys
Gilliland
Norman was born on 30th July 1904 and
his birth was registered in the Chester le Street
Registration district. He was the youngest child of
William Hindmarch, a miner, and his wife Mary Elizabeth
(nee Nicholson), a Lancashire lass, and he was baptised
in the Chester le Street parish church on 14th September
1904.
As yet the information about his siblings is incomplete.
The 1911 census shows that the family, which consisted
of Norman, his parents and four brothers and just one
sister, lived in Waldridge Fell. The census also shows
that his parents had had nine children, of which two had
died.
Norman's brother Richard was born around 1891 and was
involved in mining. His brother Thomas was born around
1893 and was shown as a driver in a mine. Thomas became
blind but when and why are not known at present. His
sister Mary Ann was born around 1895, later she married
Charlie Dowson.
His next brother, Matthew, was born around 1898. There
is little a bit known about Matt. He joined the army in
1914 but was sent home after a couple of months when his
true age was discovered. Later in WW1, he joined the
navy and in due course emigrated to what in those days
was Rhodesia. The last of Norman's siblings shown on the
1911 census was George, born around 1900. Sadly, George
was killed in a motorcycle accident. As yet we have not
yet been able to identify the records of the births or
deaths of the babies who had died before 1911 or locate
the other living child.
Norman worked as a surveyor, first for Chester le Street
Rural Council, then for Boldon Urban Council which meant
moving from Chester le Street to live in Boldon a year
or two before the outbreak of WW2.
Outside of his work, he played the organ and it was
through this interest that he met Gladys Gilliland, the
third daughter of John Edward Gilliland and his wife Ada
Isabel (nee Lee). On the 30th November 1929, Norman and
Gladys were married at the Primitive Methodist Church,
Chester le Street. Their witnesses were John George
Pringle and Ada Gilliland, Gladys' younger sister.
Gladys was 24 and her occupation was recorded as School
Teacher. They were to have one son, David, who was born
in April 1932.
During World War 2, Norman was Chief of the Fire Service
and a Fire Warden as well as his usual duties. The
stress of all this probably was a factor in causing a
heart attack in 1942. When the doctor called to the
house, it was feared that Norman was dead.
For a short while, the family then stayed with his
brother-in-law Jack and his wife Winnie in Sedgefield.
Norman resumed work after a few months and the family
moved to Crichton Avenue in Chester le Street to get
away from the bombing. Boldon was very close to an RAF
aerodrome (now Sunderland Airport). Also bombs were
dropped when targets at South Shields, Newcastle and
Sunderland had
been missed. Norman died on 1st May 1951,
he was just 46 years old, his funeral took place at
Durham Rd Methodist Church, Chester le Street followed
by cremation at Newcastle.
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