Rev William King - St John the Devine Church
 

Rev King was appointed Vicar of St John the Devine in 1920. In 1921 he was involved in the dedication service of The War Memorial in Red Row

Interesting that Fred J. Helmsley of Woodside Farm, who had seen service in WW1, unveiled the monument

J.P. Whittle
 

This Amble monumental mason 'J.P. Whittle'. Come across this name a few times. Ashamedly without giving him much thought. It says he actually designed the Chev/Broomhill memorial as well. Probably should be a significant individual for amateur local history buffs? a 'Person of interest' :D
Do we know anything about the chap?

I can resist anything but a challenge.

James Whittle born in Amble in 1898 to Joseph Pringle Whittle, a monumental sculptor, and Elizabeth nee Marr, both born in Alnwick. On the 1911 census they are living in Wellwood Street. In 1939 he is living at 20 Lindisfarne Road, occupation, monumental sculptor. Brother, William Marr Whittle was also a monumental sculptor. Must be a lot of headstones done by them I would imagine.

When I saw this post I wondered if anybody would pick up on Joseph Pringle Whittle. He was my greatgrandfather, James (Jim) my grandad. He had two brothers Will and Jack. Whittle and Sons did the monumental masonary on the Town Square memorial and the Bede Street amongst others.

Splendid.


And.. there's WW1 Service papers for Jas. Whittle Jnr. - Joined aged 18 in Jan 1916. Went to France in the summer of the following year. Served in the 210th and 124th Siege Batteries Royal Garrison Artillery. Was gassed 21/3/1918 which hospitalised him for a few weeks. Demobbed to the Army reserve 23/2/1919

Gives his occupation on attestation as 'Sculptor (apprentice)', lived 22 Wellwood Street.

Was their workshop in Wellwood Street?

The workshop was on Percy Street where the Chemist is now - I have very vague memories of it when I was a child circa 1964/65.

Jim told me the story about being gassed. The RGA were firing one way and the enemy were firing back. His gun crew were wearing gas masks at the time but a shell blew up close by and covered him and his gas mask with mud and he couldn't see a thing. To keep doing his job (I think he was loading) and the gun fireing he removed his gas mask leaving the nose clip on. A gas shell exploded under the gun carriage blowing the clip off and the last thing he remembered was somebody screaming "Whittle.. Whittle...." - he woke up in the field hospital.

I remember the chemists being built then later the house next to it. No memory of what was there before. :(

Up until I was eight I used to go across the railway line on the brow of Percy Street on my way to school. Most of the road was bordered by the allotments on the south side but I do have a vague memory of a glass shop front with headstones in the window where the chemist now is. That is really dredging through the darker recesses of my mind!

It's not where the chemist is now but a little further to wards Windsor Tce, it is now converted into a house called West Percy House. John Mole had it after Whittle and he made the original conversion. For a while it was a greengrocers shop, a hair dressers and one or two other things.

Thanks Alan J you've triggered a synapse. That would be "Jacky Mole", I seem to remember that name. And you're right about the the workshop being where the house now stands, it's on the 1920's ordinance survey map - cheers Al

I remember that building near the crest of the hill next to the railway line. Well I suppose it's still there but as you say modified a lot over the years. I remember it as a 'junk shop', owned by Mrs Gordon? (is that correct or am I getting mixed up?) I think she lived at the Salt Pans. Her son Frankie was a fitter at Whittle pit. Got into a bad accident when he was struck in the head with a steel rope - the drift hauler rope. He was never the same. Lived Edwin Street. Been dead a few years now.

Amble Club Memorial
 

This article mentions Mr J.P. Whittle and his two clever sons who have recently returned from the army

That's interesting. Of the 3 brothers, my grandfather Jim served but I know my Great Uncle Jack was at school - he was conscripted in WW2 and landed in France as part of the first wave on D Day but that's another story. Not sure about Will but he doesn't appear on the absent voters list??

J.P. Whittle
 

Found this somewhere

JP Whittle, monumental mason, was responsible for a number of war memorials including tablets in churches in Amble and the Embleton Memorial Cross.

Hadz

Amble Methodist Church memorial
 

The unveiling of the memorial at Amble Methodist Church - designed by J P Whittle

Advert from 1939