Lorna ‘s ancestors contained some remarkable people, one of whom was her‘Nana Nicholson’, Annie Tennet who although she had a large family herself took in and reared several children who had been orphaned through the death of family members.
Some of the Nicholson family at Marsden beach, South Shields, with Nana Nicholson at the front with a hat on..
Another ancestor of note was Joshua Hindmarsh who was constable at Combhill,, Netherwitton, Northumberland and he refused to read the Riot Act during the Militia Riots in 1761. Unfortunately he had to make a public apology or he would have been charged with treason.. This is a copy of this apology from the Newcastle Courant of the 6th March 1761.
Lorna’s most distant ancestor in time was Sir Roger Thornton who was Lord Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne when it was granted its Royal Charter in 1400. His ancestry is shrouded in mystery for an old rhyme states that ‘In at the Westgate came Thornton in With a happen hapt in a ram’s skin.’. His image is now in an alcove in Northumberland Street
