FAMILY INFORMATION

[cuffie81]

There's a possible newspaper reference to your father in 1935, although it could be one of other Stephen Corner's.

I've included a few other possible newspaper items for the family.


Newcastle Journal
29 May 1928
Durham Horse Parade
page 2
...
Special prizes given by Major H Peele for best pit ponies in the show: - Lambton, Hetton and Joicey Collieries, Hetton (M. Corner), Weardale Steel, Coal, and Coke Co., Ltd, Thornley Colliery (C. Cook)


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
22 Jul 1929
page 2
Hordon Cottage Hospital
Carnival & Horse Show
...
The Douglas Murray Challenge Cup for best pit pony in the show, 13 h h or under, was won by Mr M Corner (Hetton Lyons Colliery).


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
11 Jan 1934
page 4
Hetton Man Hurt
Caught by a fall of coal while working on the mine at Hetton Lyons Colliery last night, Joseph Corner (29), of Richard Street, Hetton, received injuries to the head and ribs. He was removed to Sunderland Royal Infirmary and detained.


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
17 May 1934
page 6
First-Aid Successes
Hetton-le-Hole St John Ambulance Brigade, in an endeavour to further first-aid, promotes a First Aid and Cadet Student's Class. The class was recently examined by Dr J A Hall, of Fence Houses, and the results of the examination are as follows:
Certificates: ..., S. Corner
...


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
10 Jun 1935
page 8
Hetton Inquest
A verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind," was returned by the Coroner T V Devey at an inquest on Saturday night on Mary Ann Slater (58), of Lyons Colliery, Hetton, who was found hanging in an out-house on Thursday night.

Evidence given by Mr Slater showed that his wife had been in ill-health recently, and was depressed.

Stephen Corner, who found the woman's body hanging, and immediately applied artificial respiration until the arrival of a doctor, was complimented on his sensible action.


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
02 Aug 1937
page 2
Value Of Air-Raid Precaution Work
Collieries Official's View at Hetton
Ambulance Garden Party
Value of air-raid precaution training was stressed at Hetton Ambulance Brigade Garden Party, in the grounds of the Hetton House, Hetton, on Saturday afternoon, by Mr P S Blunden, Safety Inspector to Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries Limited, and County Officer and Air-Raid Precautions Officer of Durham County District of St John's Ambulance Brigade.

Mr Blunden said he was pleased to see by the certificates which had been presented the Hetton Ambulance Brigade was giving a lead in air-raise precaution work.
...
Nursing Display
...
Medallions: - Messrs M. Corner, S. Corner, M. Summers, and R. Hope
...


Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette
14 Aug 1939
page 5
Hetton Carnival
Parade, Jazz Bands, and Fancy Costumes
...
Cleanest pit pony, - M Corner, Hetton Lyons Colliery

[Ruskie]

He appears to be living at St Mary’s Road, Esher, Surrey in 1939 with unrelated people.
Steve Corner (Stephen) b 12 Mar 1907, single, precast labourer (heavy worker).

Did he have any involvement in WW2? If so, you can apply for his service record from the MOD (there is a cost of £30 and a very long wait).

It looks like his father Mark died in 1944.

Steve, I think Rena’s suggestion of joining local online groups might be worth doing in case there is someone who remembers your father and his family. Depending if there is a cost involved there is no harm seeking out local newspapers too as older people, who may have known your family, might read them.

[Maiden Stone]

What was Stephen's occupation when he married?

He appears to be living at St Mary’s Road, Esher, Surrey in 1939 with unrelated people.
Steve Corner (Stephen) b 12 Mar 1907, single, precast labourer (heavy worker).

Categorisation of his occupation as "heavy work" entitled him to extra food rations. 

[mackem115]

Thanks for all the tips.
It gives me some scope to research more

[mackem115]

My dad did not join the forces in ww2 because of poor eyesight, He was a member of the st Ambulance because we found a badge dated 1938. My late cousin searched her dad and brothers history and they were all miners and lived and died in Hetton. She could find no information on my dad and poor health meant she had to stop searching.

[Rena]

You are so very lucky to discover that your "Corner" family have received as much newspaper publicity as they did.

You will only get background information about your relatives if you do some research on the places they lived and the companies they worked for. 

The original address is that of a company that owned mines, thus it shows he and his parents lived in a miners cottage.  Since the 1800s owners of coal and ore mines have had to provide education for children of their employees and not employ young children to work down the mines.  Most mine owners had a "Friendly Society" where the employee and the employer banked money each week which could be used if a miner and his family needed money due to an accident or illness and at the end of the working life could withdraw the balance as a pension or a widows pension.

During WWII any able bodied man who could not be enrolled into the army for any reason  (due to flat feet/ fallen arches, etc) could still be summoned by the government to do some other job.  For instance many hundreds of men were ordered down the Mines to dig for much needed coal for the "war effort"

The question is; Why did the government send a man with medical knowledge to Surrey.    Was he billeted with others to dig this cave which was approx 8 miles away :-  Ashley Road Deep Shelter, Epsom

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/six-best-underground-caves-tunnels-14064485

Or was he part of another group of men travelling around south of the Thames digging defence systems.   Or was he based there in his capacity to administer first aid to the souls who lived there, whether they were civilians of belonging to H.M. Forces.

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/help/home-front

[Rena]

Your ancestor was definitely doing war work.  He was working in a company that made PRE-CAST CONCRETE defence objects.  For instance, every beach had huge square concrete blocks on them as a defence wall.
Look at these concrete boats that defended the shores of the  River Thames 

https://londonist.com/london/history/visit-these-concrete-ships-from-wwii

[Maiden Stone]

Your ancestor was definitely doing war work.  He was working in a company that made PRE-CAST CONCRETE defence objects.  For instance, every beach had huge square concrete blocks on them as a defence wall.
Look at these concrete boats that defended the shores of the  River Thames 

https://londonist.com/london/history/visit-these-concrete-ships-from-wwii

Good find Rena.
When I was a child there were still concrete blocks beside the narrow road leading to my village. If Britain had been invaded the blocks would have been moved into the road. There was a gun emplacement dug into the hillside above the road. Immediately below that spot on the road is a clough (ravine). 

[Tickettyboo]

The electoral registers show that in  1921 the family were living at 31 Caroline St., Hetton le Hole
Corner, Mark Crosby
Corner, Elizabeth.

and they purchased the rights to burial in Grave 1519, in the consecrated (C of E) section of Hetton le Hole Cemetery when their son, Thomas died in 1921. aged 12
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-297V-2?

Elizabeth died in 1941 and was buried in the same grave
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-29WW-B?

Mark died in 1944 and he too is buried in that grave
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJW-29WW-B?

NB links are to images of the burial registers on Family Search. You need to be signed into a (free) account  to view them

Boo