John Mayer Handley
Before enlistment, occupation butcher, employed by the Sherwood Meat Company, Alfreton Road, Nottingham
22 October 1908 to 18 April 1909: 4th Bn Notts and Derby Regiment (Special Reserve)
19 April 1909 to 11 May 1915: Royal Garrison Artillery
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John Mayer was the son of James and Emma Handley (née Cope).
His father was born in Scotland in 1854 and his mother in 1866 at Stoke on Trent. They were married in 1880 (reg. Lichfield) and had six children: Margaret Phillis (1881) b. Lichfield and Ada Alice (1883), Tom Arthur (1885),Winifred Louise (1886), John Mayer (1890), and Hilda May (1899), whose births were registered in either Derby or Shardlow, Derbyshire. Winifred was baptised at Derby St Chad in 1886 and her brothers Tom and John were baptised there on 7 December 1890; their parents' address was given on the baptismal registers as 76 Byron Street, Derby.
James and his wife and daughter Margaret were living with her parents in Staffordshire in 1881. James was a pointsman (railway) but later became a railway signalman.
The couple and their five children were recorded on the 1891 Census at 76 Byron Street, Derby, but had been living there from at least 1886.
By 1901 James and Emma had moved to 121 Violet Street, Derby. Only four of their six children were in the home on the night of the census, Tom, Winifred, John and Hilda, who had been born in 1899. Margaret and Ada were living with a widowed aunt, Isabel Fawcett, in Thornton in Craven, near Skipton, where they were employed as cotton winders.
John was living in Nottingham in 1908 when he enlisted in the Special Reserve and then the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1909, including giving his birth place as Radford on his Attestation papers (all other records born Derby). He also confirmed in 1909 that he had 'not lived out of his father's house for 3 years'. His next of kin were his father James, mother Emma and brother Tom, and the record gave two Radford addresses (1) 36 Osborne Street, Radford and (2) 95 Hartley Road, Radford. An enquiry from James, who was then living in Derby, to the Army in 1915 about his son refers to 'the old address, 36 Osborne Street'. It would have been feasible for James, as a railway signalman, to obtain a transfer from Derby to Nottingham. John' sister, Winifred, also had a connection with the city as she was living here after marriage in 1910 (reg. Derby).
James and Emma had separated by 1911. James was living on Secheveral Street, Derby, with Elizabeth Fitchett (41) single, whose occupation was given as general domestic servant. She had two daughters, Nina (1904, reg. Belper, Fitchett) and Cassie (1909, reg Belper, Handley), surnames Handley. Emma [Hough] was living on Osborne Street, Alfreton Road, Nottingham, with Samuel Hough and was described on the census as his wife, married 13 years, and with two children, surnames Hough: Hilda May (11) and Henry Trevor (b. Derby 1902 JAS, reg. Handley). There is no record of a UK marriage, Hough/Handley.
Two of their daughters were now married; Margaret to John Sugars (1905, Derby Christ Church) and living in Derby in 1911 and Winifred to Arthur Simmins (1910, Derby St Chad). Arthur came from Nottingham and he and Winifred were living on Forest Road, Nottingham. Ada was living in Seaforth, Lancashire, in the home of an uncle, Richard Handley, and his wife, and working as a machinist. She married Robert Sangster, a police constable based in Seaforth, in 1912.
At the time of 1911 census John (20) was serving in Gibralter as a Gunner with No 54 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery. His brother, Tom, has not been traced after 1901.
His mother emigrated to Australia in 1914 (see 'Extra information'). His father died in 1920 and in 1921 Elizabeth Handley (51), described as a widow, was still living on Secheveral Street with her two daughters, Nina Handley and Cissie Handley. There is no record of a marriage Handley/Fitchett, and only Cissie's record was annotated 'father dead'.
John Mayer Handley attested in the Royal Garrison Artillery at Nottingham on 19 April 1909. He was aged 18 years 7 months and employed as a butcher.
He had previously enlisted in the 4th Battalion Notts & Derbys Special Reserve (2863 Private) on 22 October 1908 and was consequently discharged on 18 April 1909 'in consequence of having joined Regular Forces RGA on 19 April 1909'. He had served for 177 days.
John joined the Royal Garrison Artillery (Gunner) at Tynmouth on 19 April 1909. On 10 December the same year he was posted to 54 Coy RGA in Gibralter where he served until 23 October 1914. John returned to England on 24 October and served at home until 7 March 1915 when he embarked for BEF France, joining on 8 March. He served with 123rd Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery.
He was appointed paid acting Bombardier on 25 January 1913 and then to Bombardier on 17 October 1914. He was promoted Corporal on 9 May 1915.
John was killed in action on 11 May 1915. His body was exhumed and brought into Perth Cemetery (China Wall) Belgium, probably after the Armistice (grave ref. II.D.5).
Service: Home 19 April 1909-9 December 1909 (235d), Gibraltar 10 December 1909-23 October 1914 (4y 318d, Home British 24 October 1914-7 March 1915 (135d), BEF France 8 March 1915-11 May 1915 (65d). Total 6 years 23 days.
He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC History of Perth Cemetery (China Wall) (extract): The Cemetery is 3km from the town of Ieper (Ypres). 'The cemetery was begun by French troops in November 1914 (the French graves were removed after the Armistice) and adopted by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in June 1917. It was called Perth as the predecessors of the 2nd Scottish Rifles were raised in Perth, China Wall from the communication trench known as the Great Wall of China, or Halfway House Cemetery. The cemetery was used for front line burials until October 1917 when it occupied about half of the present Plot I and contained 130 graves. It was not used again until after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields around Ypres and from the following smaller cemeteries [listed].' John is buried in Plot II and the history of the Cemetery and a note on his Army Service Record, indicates that his grave was brought in from a battlefield or smaller burial ground after the Armistice.
Original record revised and updated (RF, Aug. 2025)
CWGC Additional information: Son of James and Emma Handley, of 9, Pear Tree Rd., Derby.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'For such is the kingdom of heaven'
Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal, 18 & 19 June 1915: ‘Killed in Action. Corporal JM Handley, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, who has been killed, was born in Derby 24 years ago. He served eight years in the RGA, seven of which were spent at Gibraltar. He had been at the front about three months.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 2 July 1915: Photograph with caption, ‘Corporal JM Handley, RGA, native of Derby, killed in action.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
When he enlisted in 1909, John gave his next of kin as his father James, mother Emma and brother Tom of (1) 36 Osborne Street, Radford and (2) 95 Hartley Road, Radford. These two addresses were crossed through (undated) and the address of his father changed to 9 Pear Tree Road, Derby. The amendment was probably made after Police enquiries were made in 1915.
Correspondence in John's Army service record shows that he had been in contact with at least two of his family, his father and sister Winifred (Simmins), while he was in France. When his letters ceased they contacted the Army expressing their concern. The RGA Records Office contacted the Chief Constable of Nottingham to make local enquiries as it appears from John's service record that he had not updated his next of kin information.
Letter from Winifred Simmins, to the War Office: 'Dear Sirs, Can you give me any news of my brother, Bombardier JM Handley, No. 31456, 1-2-3 Heavy Battery RGA 6th Division, British Expeditionary Force France. We had heard nothing for six weeks in answer to repeated letters and parcels, Yours respectfully, Winifred L Simmins'. Letter noted in pencil ‘await Police report’ and ‘Killed in action 11-5-15’.
Letter from James Handley to RGA Dover Castle: ‘Dear Sir, Can ou please give me any particulars about my son Bdr 31456 John Mayer Handley 123 Heavy Battery RGA Exp. Force France who was reported killed in last Wednesday’s paper as Cpl 31456 Handley JM. I have heard that enquiries have been made at the old address, 36 Osbourn Street Nottingham, if correct I shall be pleased if you will let me know as we are anxious to know about him. I enclose addressed envelope hoping to have a reply. Yours, James Handley 9 Pear Tree Road Derby'
Letter from Chief Constable’s Office, Nottingham, dated 14 June 1915 to OIC GA Records, Dover Castle received by RGA Records Dover, 15 June 1915: 'Re: 31456 Bombardier John M Handley decd. Dear Sir, In reply to your letter of the 4th instant, I have to inform you that the sister of the above named, Mrs Winifred Simmonds, resides at 177, Forest Road, Nottingham. She has been seen and states that her mother now resides at 105, Stephens Street, Yarraville, Melbourne, Australia, where she is now known as Mrs Hough, and the father is believed to be residing at 9, Pear Tree Road, Derby. Enclosures returned herewith. Yours faithfully …'
James Handley completed a form for the Army on 7 April 1919 giving the names of his son's surviving blood relatives: Parents James and Emma, 9 Pear Tree Road Derby. Brother TA Handley (34) address not known. Sisters: MP Sugars (38) 9 Pear Tree Road Derby, AA Sangster (36) ?address, and WL Simmins (33) Forest Rd, Nottingham.
The information given by Winifred to the Police in 1915 about her parents, is borne out by several records. A Mrs Emma Hough (39), accompanied by Hilda Hough (9-sic) and Trevor Hough (10), who were third-class passengers included on an outward passenger list, SS Themistocles (Anchor-Donaldson Line), departing London 27 August 1914 for Melbourne Australia. There are also Australian records (not sighted) for Emma, Samuel and Henry Trevor Hough, including a marriage record for an Emma Handley.
Photo of John Mayor Handley
Buried in Perth Cemetery (China Wall) Belgium. (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of John Mayer Handley
Nottingham Evening Post, 2 July 1915 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)