There was no discrimination of who suffered, young, old, rich or poor and we mustn’t forget that this was a worldwide epidemic, as it is today. No one was safe from it. Royal families around the globe also suffered. Prince Charles who had a mild form of Covid 19 in today’s pandemic while the Kaiser and the Kings of Spain and Belgium contracted influenza back in 1918.
Locally, a report had been received on 4 November 1918 of a death at Studley Agricultural College of Doris Cicely daughter of the Honourable Francis and Lady Anne Bowes Lyon of Ridley Hall, Bardon Mill. She died after a severe bout of influenza.
The newspapers also published the death in late October 1918 of Dr A. Conan Doyle, son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who died at St Thomas Hospital, London from influenza.
On 17 December 1918 the Newcastle newspapers headlines reported the death of an Association Footballer. That player was Angus Douglas, who played Outside Right for Newcastle United. He previously played for Chelsea. From Lochmaben, [a small town 4 miles west of Lockerbie]. Angus was only 31 and had been married for 12 months. His wife had also died from the deadly disease, only 8 days prior to his death. He had been ill a few days with the flu when pneumonia set in, causing his death.
