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Thanks Andrea - I was going to do the 1901 censuses for everybody as the last thing!
What you have found all ties in. I have both Ernest John Scott and Alice Watt, daughter of John Rippon Watt, in my tree. Didn't know they were to marry.
And John Gordon and Mary (Ann) with Ernest are there at the same address. Alice and Mary Ann were sisters.
 
In 1891 Mary Gordon and Ernest were at 67 Dock Street - just the two of them.

John George tried his hand at many things: 1887 Mariner, 1889 Steward, merchant Service, 1901 Driller in shipyard, 1923 Grocer! Perhaps this makes his occupation of Butcher in 1881 more credible? Pity his age is given as 19 in 1881 (if this is the right family) pointing to birth 2 or 3 years earlier.

Peter

Many thanks for the replies!
John George Gordon gave his age as 23 when married in 1887, occupation Mariner.
Father Robert Gordon was deceased in 1887.

Yes – I really do need John George’s birth cert.!
There are 8 John Gordons born in Newcastle/Sunderland/Durham area in Free BMD between 1861 and 1865. Only two of them are John George Gordons and I’ve obtained both certs, but the fathers are not Robert Gordon (one of them is the March qtr 1865 Stockton 10a 57 you mentioned, Rosie).

There is an Alice Gordon in the 1861,71,81 censuses: Mariner’s Wife in 61 (not miner’s); widowed and with a son John, aged 8, in 71; with John G., a butcher aged 19 in 81. Sounds promising – but John George was a mariner/ship’s steward and the 1881 census has other John Gordons which fit the bill better, though unfortunately not living at home (Seaman, born South Shields, on board ”Sirius”;  Telegraph Clerk, born Newcastle, on board ”Earl Percy”). So I’ve no real evidence yet that Alice was Robert Gordon’s wife.
 
John George and Mary Ann had a son Ernest Wilson Gordon born in Monkwearmouth 27.02.1889. Mary and Ernest are in the 1891 census.