​​Buddle soon helped introduce the safety lamp invented by Humphry Davy & was a member of the Sunderland Society, set up to investigate colliery safety^​ and in this connection made scientific investigations into mine ventilation and advocated the keeping of proper records. The most important appointment, however, came when Buddle was appointed as General Manager to Charles Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. Londonderry had married an incredibly wealthy heiress, said to be the wealthiest woman in Britain, Lady Frances Anne Vane Tempest, and thus Buddle came to run her Durham collieries^{. ​}Together, Londonderry and Buddle embarked on a project to develop a Port at Seaham, intending to bypass the Tyne and Wear monopolies. The building of the port began in 1828, and would not be finished until fifteen years later, in which the first shipment of coal was sent out on Buddle's personal ship, Lord Seaham. He even saw through much of the development of the town, his influence being so great that, when his sister Ann died, the ships dressed in black and the shops closed as a matter of respect. He also represented the Marquess on the committee of coalowners who regulated the North East coal trade with London.^​​​ Although he was mostly active in the Great North Coalfield, the records show Buddle took on work all over Britain and overseas, including matters in Portugal, South America, Russia and Nova Scotia. Two of his latest colliery appointments were in 1837 when he became the owner of West Towneley Colliery and also the viewer to the Bishop of Durham; a post previously held by his father.​

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In collaboration with William Chapman, Buddle is also considered to have designed the pioneering locomotive Steam Elephant for Wallsend Colliery and an eight-wheeled geared engine for the Lambton Waggonway.^​

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Buddle was a coalowner in his own right as well as a viewer and practical manager for many pits in the region of the rivers Tyne and Wear, and his advice was sought on both mining and railways from as far afield as Nova Scotia in Canada^.​​

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Buddle was an active member of Newcastle society, and held numerous positions in his lifetime. In 1838, he was elected vice-president of the prestigious Literary and Philosophical Society and also became vice- president of the North of England Fine Arts Society. In 1842 he was appointed as Steward for Northumberland at the Newcastle Infirmary, a position which allowed him to appoint physicians to the hospital, and, due to his interest in theatre, he was Chairman of the committee for the new theatre in the 1830s, and he personally designed the heating system for the Theatre Royal. Throughout his life, Buddle donated money to numerous causes, including one to relieve the poverty of seamen employed in the Northern Whale Fishery, the benefit off widows and orphans of mining disasters, and the erection of Penshaw monument in memory of his friend John George Lambton, first Earl of Durham.

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Death

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A Unitarian, Buddle died unmarried at his home in Wallsend in 1843, after becoming ill after riding with Lord Londonderry to inspect the collieries. He left a personal fortune of around £150,000, mostly to to his nephew-in-law Thomas Burnet and his nephew Robert Thomas Atkinson, who died less than two years later. Buddle & Robert are both buried in St James' Churchyard, Benwell, along with Buddle's sister, Ann. When Buddle died, his funeral procession was over a mile long and took over three hours to travel from his home in Wallsend to his resting place in Benwell. The number of mourners was so great that, according to one contemporary newspaper report, "so large a concourse of people was perhaps never before assembled in Newcastle on such a mournful occasion". The long list of pall bearers and principal mourners included many of the most rich and powerful men in Newcastle, such as local councillor and wealthy corn merchant William Armstrong and his son, also William, who was just a few years away from setting up his great engineering works on the banks of the Tyne in Elswick.

 

 

 

 

Last Will & Testament of John Buddle Jnr Esq

Thanks to David Kidd for the Transcription

 

This is the last will and testament of me, John Buddle, of Wallsend in the county of Northumberland Esquire made this ninth day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty three. I appoint Armorer Donkin and William George Armstrong of Jesmond in the county of Northumberland Esquires and my nephew Robert Thomas Atkinson Executors.

 

In trust of this my will I give to my sister Mary Burnett during her life my dwelling house, out offices and garden at Wallsend aforesaid and I give to her absolutely all my household furniture linen and other household effects not hereinafter specifically bequeathed.

 

I give my freehold estate at Benwell in the county of Northumberland my tannery at Chester-Le-Street in the county of Durham my leasehold property at Wallsend aforesaid (subject as to my dwelling house out offices and garden there to the bequest thereof hereinbefore contained in favour of my said sister Mary Burnett) all my estate shares and interest in any collieries and coalmines seam or seams of coal of which I may die possessed or interested in whether as lessor or lessee and of and in all stock in trade and other effects of or belonging to any collieries or coalmines which I may be carrying on alone or in partnership with any other person or persons at the time of my decease all my professional places papers books and instruments and my library and all my plate and plated articles of every description unto my nephew Robert Thomas Atkinson.

 

I give my estate at Hooker Gate in the county of Durham all my ships and shares of ships and all my shares in the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway and in the Great North of England Railway to Thomas Burnett of Newcastle upon Tyne nail manufacturer.

 

I give all my musical instruments and music of every description to the said Robert Thomas Atkinson and Thomas Burnett equally to be divided between them.

 

I give all my shares in the Northumberland and Durham District Banking Company to my grand nephews and grandnieces the sons and daughters of the said Robert Thomas Atkinson, Thomas Burnett and of my nephews Smart Atkinson and John Atkinson and of my nieces Mary Ann Humber, Ellen Newton, Ann Elizabeth Burnett, Elizabeth Fothergill and Mary Bowman equally to be divided between them. I give the following pecuniary legacies to my nieces Mary Ann Humber, Ellen Newton, Ann Elizabeth Burnett, Elizabeth Fothergill and Mary Bowman and to my nephews Smart Atkinson and John Atkinson the sum of one thousand pounds apiece.

 

I give to Sarah Westmoreland and Margaret Westmorland during their joint natural lives and to the survivor during her life my house in Lisle Street Newcastle upon Tyne and on the death of such survivor I give the same to the said Thomas Burnett. I give the following annuities, to the said Sarah Westmoreland and Margaret Westmoreland during their joint natural lives and to the survivor during her life an annuity of forty pounds. To my friend Mrs Margaret Wilson (daughter of my late friend Matthew Smith deceased) of in the said county of Durham widow an annuity of one hundred pounds during her life. To my friends Elizabeth Fryer, Barbara Fryer, Mary Fryer and Margaret Fryer all of Ryton in the county of Durham an annuity of twenty pounds apiece during their respective lives and on the death of any or either of them I give the annuity of her then so dying to the survivors or survivor of them during her or their natural lives or life and if more than one in equal shares. To Jane Pollard of Newcastle upon Tyne aforesaid and spinster daughter of Joseph Pollard late of the same place corn merchant deceased an annuity of fifty pounds during her life.

 

To my old and faithful servant John Charlton an annuity of thirty pounds during his life and to my servant Richard Armstrong an annuity of ten pounds during his life and as to all the rest and residue of my estate and effects as well real as personal I give and bequeath the same to the said Robert Thomas Atkinson and Thomas Burnett equally to be divided between them and I direct sufficient funds to be appropriated in the names of my Trustees and Executors for the time being out of my personal estate and invested on government or real security to assure by means of the income there from payment of the several annuities hereinbefore bequeathed which funds on the dropping of the said annuities shall follow the destination of the residue of my personal estate and I declare that all legacies and annuities given to females shall be for their respective and separate and peculiar use and benefit and shall not be subject to the control debts or engagements of any husband or husbands to whom they are or may be married.

 

I declare that my said Trustees and Executors shall be responsible only for their or his own respective acts defaults and receipts and be exempt from liability for involuntary losses and be at liberty to deduct and allow to each other all expenses incident to the execution of the trusts of my will. For witness whereof I have to this my will set my hand the day and year first herein before written.

 

(Signed) Mr Buddle.

 

The signature at the foot or and of the foregoing writing was made by John Buddle of Wallsend in the county of Northumberland Esquire in the presence of us present at the same time and we in his presence and in the presence of each other have attested and do subscribe the same as his last will the several having been first made.

 

David Kidd wrote in his Biography of Buddle - "Buddle’s stipulation that legacies and annuities to females were for their separate and peculiar use and not subject to their husbands reflects perhaps his experience with Lord Londonderry and his admiration for Frances Anne Vane-Tempest whose own marriage settlement certainly upheld that principal."

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The following link is for a document prepared by the St James' Heritage and Environment Group - Copyright 2011.