Conor Ditchburn

Other Events:

• _UID: 10A05E9CEFE84551B89C83F237647D726A6B

Living married Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Cabinet Maker
• Occupation: Furniture Manufacturer
• Occupation: Shop Keeper
• _UID: 524445ABB6DF4DD7964CCC4FC5E3CAFEACA5
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, 49 Villiers St, Sunderland, Durham, England

Leslie married Lilian Ethel Burn on 7 Aug 1928 in St Thomas', Sunderland. Lilian (daughter of James Johnson Burn and Elizabeth Ann Cossins) was born on 10 Aug 1908 in Sunderland, Durham, England; died on 17 Jan 2007 in Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: 43692C7D1D2145C8983F8825E3FAA35E0219
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, 25 Kings Pl, Millfield, Sunderland, Durham, England

Notes:

These notes were provided by Leslie Ditchburn, and recall some of the memories of his mother Lilian Burn as related to her daughter Jessie

Some of my fondest memories stem from my childhood and the many times I spent with my Grandmother Burn and her family; and my cousins.
Grandmother Burn was widowed in 1914, at the beginning of the 1st World War, while living in Nile St. Grandfather Burn was a distant figure of whom I recall little, although don't recall ever seeing him sit down. He died when I was six and although I have little memory of him I do recall Gran talking about hom on occasions. His early years were spent at sea and Gran told mem that every time he left for sea he would recite Robbie Burns "My love is like a red, red rose." After Grandfather died Gran took in two lodgers.
It was while my father was at sea during the 1st World War that I spent many happy times with Gran at her home in Nile ST and with it being a family home there was little spare room, consequently when I stayed there I shared a bed with Auntie Beatie. Sometimes mother would stay overnight and as there were no spare beds she would share the bed with AUntie Beatis and myself. I enjoyed that I would pretend to be asleep and listen to them talking.
One conversation I overheard was Mam and Auntie Beatie discussing two proposals of marriage that Auntie Beattie had received from two different men. The discussion ranged over the various merits of both men as Auntie Beattie tried to reach a decision as to which one to marry. She married Stan, who later became a top Union man and stood for office in the Labour Party, and I was Auntie Beatie's bridesmaid at their wedding but only because I had a pretty dress. Much of the time I stayed at Grans was spent playing with my cousins with whom I would run messages for Gran such as the time I went to Ditchburns of Villiers Street for firewood.
Grandmother Burn was not a housewife, she was a home worker for Union Flannel for whom she was a seamstress. Much like Lillian in latter years Grans house was her work place as well as her home and as such was her main source of income. I would often go with Gran to Liverpool House to collect rolls of wadding, to make quilts for the Firm, as well as other materials. Union Flannel made a range of products and so Gran would spend her days sewing anything from shirt collars to blankets and the family had to fit in around her work.
It was during this period that Grans youngest son Joseph Baxter Burn was killed in the war, she was devastated but it was only when she got a letter from the War Office with

Living married Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]