 Richard Rennison was born on 29 October 1889 in Shankhouse , Northumberland to coalminer James Rennison and his wife Ann . He spent time working as a " General Dealer " and as a photographer . He also spent time as a Methodist preacher in Tyneside . In 1923 , he married Jessie Little in Nicholforest , Cumberland . The pair moved to Gretna in 1926 , by which time Rennison was describing himself as a saddler , an ironmonger and a boot maker . When he moved to Gretna , he initially set himself up as a saddler and opened a cafe , before being taken on by Hugh Mackie , the manager of the Old Blacksmith 's Shop . Rennison died on 5 August 1969 at Haltwhistle , Northumberland . 
