26 Western Hill, Durham

Of all the houses in Britain, this is probably the one that means the most to me.

26 Western Hill Rd is the place where my Grandmother Helen Lottie Good died. It is the house of my Great Grandparents, William Browell Charlton and Mary Green. The place my Grandparents were visiting with my father and his younger brother when all of a sudden, everything went wrong.

My Grandfather, the Rev. Robert Charlton, had left his ministry in Saskatchewan to bring his young family back to the place he knew as a child. While there, he accepted a post managing the Westgate Mission Hall in Newcastle. His wife Helen worked by his side. It was a huge undertaking.

The couple were taking a short break and were visiting the Charlton’s at the house in Durham when Helen fell ill and died overnight. The date was March 15th, 1920. Here is anther view looking down Western Hill towards the town (the house is on the left).