James Easom
Worked at Shirebrook and Langwith collieries.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
James was the youngest child of Thomas and Hannah Easom (née Spencer).
Thomas was born in Basford (1857) and Hannah in Bedworth Warwickshire, in about 1854. They were married on 20 May 1877 in the parish of Basford; both signed the register with their mark.
Thomas and Hannah probably had 12 children, two of whom died infancy: Ellen birth registered 1879 (JFM), Hannah b. 1880, Thomas birth registered 1883 (JFM), Elizabeth b. 1884, Betsy Ann b. 1886, Samuel birth registered 1888 (JFM), William birth registered 1891 (JFM), Emily/Emma b. 1892, John b. 1895, George b. 1897 d. 1898, Alice b. 1898 d. 1899 and James b. 1900. The children were born in Hucknall Torkard/Bulwell (births registered Basford).
In 1891 Thomas, a coal miner, his wife and their two daughters, Ellen and Hannah, were living on General Street, Bulwell (Hucknall Torkard) and still at General Street in 1891; they now had seven children, Ellen, Hannah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Betsy Ann, Samuel and William. Emily was born the following year.
The family had moved to 39 Prospect Court, Shirebrook, by 1901; of their ten surviving children, eight were in the home on the night of the census: Thomas, Elizabeth, Betsy, Samuel, William, Emma, John and James. The eldest daughters, Ellen and Hannah, have not yet been traced on the 1901 Census.
Thomas's wife, Hannah, died in 1908 (reg. AMJ) aged 50, and he married Annie Jaynes the same year (reg. OND Mansfield).
Thomas, a miner hewer, and Annie (50 b. Stroud Gloucestershire), were living at 149 Station Road, Shirebrook, in 1911. In the home on the night of the census were Thomas's two sons, John (15) a colliery pony driver, and James (10), and Annie's children (Jaynes), Edward a colliery pony driver, Kate (14) and Mabel (13) and her granddaughter, Jessie Freeman (5 b. Gloucester). William, a miner hewer, was living with his married sister, Elizabeth Easter (m. Thomas Easter, 1903 AMJ Mansfield) at 25 Merchant Street, Shirebrook, in 1911.
Annie Easom, died in 1918 (reg. JFM) aged 57 and in 1921 her widower Thomas, an out of work miner (formerly at Shirebrook Colliery), was living at 29 Merchant Street, Shirebrook, in the home of his married daughter Elizabeth Easter and her husband Thomas. Thomas Easom died aged 75 in 1933 (reg.JFM Mansfield).
James was probably serving in the Army by 1921 (see Military History). There is also a record on the 1939 England & Wales Register of a James Easom b. 20 May 1900, a labourer (iron foundry) living at 25 Ryecroft Street, Stapleford, along with two others, a labourer and a window cleaner.
James Easom attested in Mansfield in the Royal Artillery on 11 April 1921, he was 20 years old, occupation miner and had previously been employed at Shirebrook and Langwith collieries. He named his father, Thomas Easom, 27 (sic) Merchant Street, as his next of kin. At the time of the 1921 Census a James Easom (age 21y 1m) b. Nottinghamshire, D813/6 Driver RFA, was recorded at Fenham Barracks, Newcastle upon Tyne. However, the RA record shows that he transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers on 16 July 1921. (See 'Extra information')
James died on 17 June 1940. when RMS Lancastria was sunk off St Nazaire, France. His body was recovered and he is buried in L’Epine Communal Cemetery, Ile de Noirmoutier, France (Row 2. Grave 3). It may have been thought initially that James had been taken as a prisoner of war, as there is a POW record for 5042446 James Easom, Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, but no other details eg. date or theatre of capture.
RMS Lancastria, a Cunard cruise liner, was requisitioned by the Government in the Second World War as a troop ship. In June 1940 Lancastria was involved in Operation Aerial, the evacuation of Allied servicemen and civilians, including embassy staff and their families and refugees, from St Nazaire. Ships were subjected to air raids during the evacuation, which involved RN ships and small craft such as fishing boats transferring people from shore to larger ships at anchor in the Charpentier Roads, some 5 miles south-west of St. Nazaire. The transfers from shore and the return, took 3-4 hours.
Officially, Lancastria could take just over 2,000 passengers but the master, Captain Sharp, said he could take 3,000 'at a pinch'. He was told to take as many as he could "without regard to limits of international law.'' There were more than 4,000 on board, although some estimates put the number closer to 9,000, when at 1550 there was another German air raid. Lancastria was hit by three or four bombs and sank within 10-20 minutes.
Only 2,477 passengers and crew survived. The Lancastria Association lists 1,738 casualties but this number is probably inaccurate as it was not known how many were onboard nor their names, so the death toll might be 4,000-7,000.
His older brother, William (b. 1891), served with the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (21830 Private), and died at home on 25 September 1916 from wounds received in action. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
His nephew, Frederick (b. 1919), the son of his older brother, Thomas (b. 1883), and his wife Edith Maria, served with the Royal Engineers and died on 9 June 1941. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
A report in the Nottingham Evening Post, 10 October 1938, concerned a James Easom, age 38, miner, who was committed at Nottingham from Mansfield, pleading guilty to breaking and entering the Mansfield Woodhouse ex-service men's club. The police evidence included the information that he had been sent to a reformatory in 1915 until 1919, that he then enlisted in the Army, serving in India until 1923, then re-enlisted until his discharge in 1930. James had then worked in collieries in the Doncaster area. He had a long list of convictions including 15 months for bigamy. James was sentenced to three months, 'to follow upon a sentence he was already serving.'
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser, 16 August 1940: 'Cpl James Easom of Mansfield has recently been reported missing, served in the Auxilliary Military Pioneer Corps, of 30 George Street, Mansfield Woodhouse.'
Additional research/record updated (RF, Nov. 2025)
Photo of James Easom
L’Epine Communal Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)