Career
Coffee Johnny was a blacksmith in the village of Winlaton, a trumpeter in the Winlaton Brass Band, a bare-knuckle boxer and Geordie celebrity. He was well known for his tall height and for wearing a white top hat. This can be seen in photographs and in William Irving"s painting "Blaydon Races".
Although George Ridley"s original manuscript gives the spelling "Coffy" all later publications spell it in the usual way.
Local history archives contain anecdotal evidence that he was nickenamed Coffy because he always used to have a cup before school. There is also anecdotal evidence that he may have been of mixed race, hence his "coffee" coloured skin, which would have been unusual in Tyneside at this time.
Sara Koeffer was a German lady staying at Ravensworth Castle, near to Winlaton. Coffee Johnny was adopted by Thomas and Margery Oliver c.1840 Coffee Johnny married Elizabeth Greener and they had 9 children, Katherine, Mary, Elizabeth, Margery, Sarah, Margaret, Tom, Joseph and Hannah.
Coffee Johnny is buried in Saint Paul"s churchyard, Winlaton.
