Looking Back

William Armstrong and Anne Potter married in 1801 and had two children.

One of them, Anne, married William Henry Watson in 1826, but sadly died shortly afterwards, aged 25.

Her brother, William George Armstrong, an attorney at law, married Margaret Ramshaw in 1835.

When Margaret died in 1893, she left more than £120,000 to her husband, William George Armstrong, Baron of Cragside.

Lord Armstrong’s cousin Addison Potter was the son of maltster Addison Langhorn Potter and Mary Brunskill, who married in 1817.

By 1846, Addison had opened a coke, firebrick and clay works in Willington Quay.

He pioneered a gas-making plant in 1848, which served street lamps in Howdon and later Wallsend, and was headquarters of the 3rd Northumberland Artillery Volunteers from their formation in 1860.

Addison married Mary Robson in August 1859.

The Potter family lived in West Chirton House, North Shields, with sons Addison Molyneux, Charles John and George Stephenson.

Mr Potter was the first chairman of the local school board in Willington Quay in 1863.

By the 1871 census, they had moved into his family home, Heaton Hall in Newcastle.

At his colliery interests, brickworks, cement works and brewing firm, he employed nearly 1,000 people.

Daughters Mary, Annie, Margaret and Frances were looked after by a nursery-maid and governess, with five domestic servants, a butler and two cooks.

Addison served as mayor of Newcastle in 1873 and 1874.

He died on February 23, 1894, leaving more then £30,000 to son Charles John, who carried on the family cement manufacture business until 1912.

If anyone has further information, they can ask for Discover at North Shields Customer First Centre on 0181 643 5270 or email [email protected]