Stephen Mattimoe (1869-1950)

 Stephen Mattimoe was born on Christmas Day 1869 in Bishop Auckland., Co. Durham.

The following year Stephen moved with his parents Thomas and Ann and brothers Patrick, Jack, Thomas and Peter to the hamlet of Gordon Gill near Ramshaw.

He attended the local school and when old enough (fourteen) joined his father and brothers working in the local mine.

Stephen married Mary Ellen Hagan in 1889 and lived in the Gill until 1911 when the uncertain future of the local mine led Stephen  to move his family to Eldon Lane so that he could find work in Eldon Colliery

Stephen later moved his family to Leeholme to take up work at the larger Leasingthorne Colliery where he progressed to Charge-man.  The dangers of pit life where demonstrated in 1929 when Stephen was caught by a fall of stone whilst working underground ansd suffered a broken arm and injuries to his ribs.

Stephen and Mary Ellen had a large family though few lived to full maturity, Thomas Edward (1890-1896), James Francis 'Frank' (1892-1918), Annie (1894-1918), Teresa (1895-1895), Mary Eveline (1986-1915), Joseph 'Joe' (1898-1958), Cornelius 'Con' (1901-1978), Timmy (1903-1927) and Tommy (1929 2002).

Mary Ellen was an excellent manager of the household and its finances which enabled her to help others.

On retirement from the mine Stephen became a 'knocker up' responsible for rousing those miners who were on the early shift and also became a lamplighter of the gas street lights.

Mary Ellen died in 1948 and Stephen died in 1950.

More pictures of the family can be found in the Family Album

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