Person:James Robson (7)

Childhood

James Cran Neel Robson was born in 1867 at Sunderland in County Durham. He was the son of Sarah Bowden Robson, formerly Neel, and her husband James Thorburn Robson, a mariner. James was named after his late uncle, his mother's brother James Cran Neel, who had died earlier that year aged 34, and who himself had been given his paternal grandmother's maiden name of Cran as a middle name. Thus young James Cran Neel Robson had both his mother's maiden name and his great grandmother's maiden name as middle names.

The 1871 census finds James living with his mother, siblings and maternal grandparents at 45 Fowler Terrace in Sunderland. His father was not at home on census night. As a mariner, presumably he was often away at sea. James's maternal grandfather died later that year. In the 1881 census James appears with both parents, siblings and his maternal grandmother at 8 Willow Pond Terrace in Sunderland. James's maternal grandmother died in 1886.

Adulthood

On 14th July 1889, aged 21, James married Isabella Davison at St Paul's Church in the Hendon area of Sunderland. She was eighteen. Sadly Isabella died after only eighteen months of marriage, aged nineteen, being buried on 24th February 1891. The census a couple of months later finds James living with Isabella's mother at 3 Thompson Street, and working as a painter.

Three years later, James married again. His second wife was another Isabella: Isabella Westmorland Hutchinson. They married on 1st September 1894 at the Venerable Bede Church in the Monkwearmouth area of Sunderland. They would go on to have five sons between 1895 and 1905. James's mother died in 1901 and his father died two years later in 1903.

The First World War would have a profound effect on the family. James's two eldest sons both joined up. His son James joined the Durham Light Infantry, whilst William joined the Northumberland Fusiliers. Both were killed in action. His son James was killed at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, aged 21. William died two years later in Belgium.

James died on 27th May 1923, aged 55. He was buried at Bishopwearmouth Cemetery. Isabella survived him by nine years.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. James Cran Neel ROBSON, December Quarter 1867, Sunderland Registration District, Volume 10a, page 494, mother's maiden name Neel

2. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 5008; Folio 86; Page 55, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 45 Fowler Terrace, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham
   Sarah Robson, wife, married, female, 40 [1830/1], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Sarah J. Robson, daughter, female, 16 [1854/5], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Elizabeth Robson, daughter, female, 13 [1857/8], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Alfred Robson, son, male, 10 [1860/1], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Mary Robson, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], b. Sunderland, Durham
   John N. Robson, son, male, 5 [1865/6], b. Sunderland, Durham
   James Robson, son, female [sic], 3 [1867/8], b. Sunderland, Durham
   John Neil, married, male, 64 [1806/7], Cord Wainer, b. Sunderland, Durham
   Jane Neil, married, female, 63 [1807/8], b. Sunderland, Durham

3. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 4991; Folio 7; Page 7, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 8 Willow Pond Terrace, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham
   James T. Robson, head, married, male, 52 [1828/9], Ship painter, b. South Shields, Durham
   Sarah B. Robson, wife, married, female, 50 [1830/1], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Alfred J. Robson, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1860/1], Painter, b. Sunderland, Durham
   John N. Robson, son, male, 15 [1865/6], Painter, b. Sunderland, Durham
   James C.N. Robson, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Scholar, b. Sunderland, Durham
   Jane Neel, mother-in-law, widow, female, 73 [1807/8], b. Wappen, Durham

4. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 4138; Folio 35; Page 64, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 3 Thompson Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham
   3 rooms occupied
   Isabella Davison, head, widow, female, 53 [1837/8], b. Bedlington, Northumberland
   William Davison, son, single, male, 22 [1868/9], Railway Signalman, employed, b. Darlington, Durham
   Eleanor Davison, daughter, female, 16 [1874/5], Dressmaker, employed, b. Sunderland, Durham
   Ephraim Davison, son, male, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Sunderland, Durham
   James Robson, son in law, married, male, 24 [1866/7], Painter, employed, b. Sunderland, Durham

5. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 4710; Folio 148; Page 7, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 65 Bell Street, Sunderland, Durham
   Two rooms occupied
   James C. Robson, head, married, male, 34 [1866/7], Painter House, worker, b. Sunderland, Durham
   Isabella W. Robson, wife, married, female, 32 [1868/9], b. Jarrow, Northumberland [sic]
   James T. Robson, son, single, male, 5 [1895/6], b. Sunderland, Durham
   William H. Robson, son, single, male, 2 [1898/9], b. Sunderland, Durham

6. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 30176; Schedule 65, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 25 Marlborough Street, Sunderland, Durham
   Three rooms occupied
   James Cran Nell Robson, head, male, 44 [1866/7], married, Ship Painter - Paint Manufacturing, worker, b. Sunderland, Durham
   Isabella Westmoreland Robson, wife, female, 42 [1868/9], married 16 years, 5 children born alive, 5 children still living, b. Jarrow, Durham
   James Thorburn Robson, son, male, 15 [1895/6], single, Apprentice Plater - Shipbuilding, worker, b. Sunderland, Durham
   William Hutchinson Robson, son, male, 12 [1898/9], School news boy, worker, b. Sunderland, Durham
   John Robson, son, male, 9 [1901/2], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Watson Robson, son, male, 7 [1903/4], b. Sunderland, Durham
   Henry Robson, son, male, 5 [1905/6], b. Sunderland, Durham

7. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. James Craniel ROBSON, June Quarter 1923, Sunderland Registration District, Volume 10a, page 617, aged 56 [1866/7]

8. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   ROBSON James Craniel of 10 Maple-street Sunderland died 27 May 1923 Administration Durham 20 Jul 1923 to Isabella Westmoreland Robson widow. Effects £529 12s. 2d.

9. ↑ Durham Records Online.

   bur. 31 May 1923, Bishopwearmouth Cemetery: James Cranill Robson, of 10 Maple Street, age 56 [1866/7], painter