John Allen Smith
he was a lace threader
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John Allen Smith was born in 1871 at Nottingham, he was the son of the late Charles Frederick Smith a marble mason and the late Mary Ann Smith née Brown of 5 White Swann Yard, Pelican Street, Radford, Nottingham
His father Charles Frederick Smith was born in 1850 at Nottingham, he died in 1897 aged 47 yrs his mother Mary Ann Brown was born in 1851 also in Nottingham she died in 1899 aged 48 yrs, they were married on 13th March 1870 at the Basford parish church, they went on to have 9 children,
In the 1891 census the family were living at 3 Enfield Street, Radford, Charles Frederick is 41 yrs and is a mason, he is living with his wife Mary Ann 40 years and their 9 children including John Allen 21 yrs a lace threader
Private John Allan Smith, enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He landed in France on 25th August 1915, he died of wounds 19th January 1916. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension.
The War Memorial has A. Smith as does his death notice in Nottingham Evening Post; the Army knew either as George Allen Smith [SWDGW] or John A Smith [Medal Roll]
Obituary published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 15th February 1916 reads :-
“SMITH. – Died from wounds received in action, January 19th, Private J. A. Smith, 11th Northumberland Fusiliers, of 5, White Swan-yard, Pelican-street, Radford, aged 37 years. He bade no one his last farewell, he waved his hand to none; his spirit fled before we knew that from us he had gone. – From his sorrowing wife and children, also mother, father, and George.”
Above obituary is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
John Allen Smith
Commonwealth war grave headstone marking his grave at Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Nord. Courtesy of Murray Biddle