Christopher Wishart was born at 102 James Street in the district of Benwell, Newcastle on 13 February 1890. He was the only child of Robert Wishart, an iron shipwright from Glasgow, and his wife, Mary Ann Charlton. However, Robert had been married before, and Christopher had six half-siblings. By 1911 he was living with his parents at 25 Pitt Street in the parish of Westgate and working as a metal moulder. The following year he married Mary Wilson, and at least six children were born of the marriage between 1914 and 1932.

Christopher enlisted in Newcastle during April 1917 and joined the Machine Gun Corps. He was eventually sent to France in February 1918 and posted to the 41st Battalion which was formed the following month from the Machine Gun Companies of the 41st Division. Within three weeks of formation, the battalion came into action when the Germans commenced what would be known as the ‘Spring Offensive’ and fought in the First Battles of the Somme (1918) before moving into Flanders during April. The battalion spent the summer in the Ypres area and took part in the Final Advance in Flanders, which began in early September.

On 14/15 September, while in the line at Dickebusch, Christopher was one of five men affected by an enemy gas shell and sent to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station from the 139th Field Ambulance for treatment. It’s unknown when, or if he rejoined his unit who would go on to be part of the Army of Occupation and began demobilisation in March 1919.

After the war, Christopher and his family lived at 4 Prospect Place before moving to 54 Cookson Street in 1930. By the end of the 1930s, they had moved back to Prospect Place (No.16) where Christopher was living at the time of his death on 17 June 1943.

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