John William Bird
John was a coal miner loader, below ground.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John William was the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah Eliza Bird (née Goodall).
His father Joseph was born in 1857 at Worthington, Leicestershire, and his mother Sarah Eliza Goodall was born in 1862 at Fulwood, Sutton in Ashfield. They were married on 27 December 1887 at the parish church of St Mary Magdalene, Sutton in Ashfield, and had three sons, John William b. 7 November 1889 bap. St Mary Magdalene 9 December 1889, George James b. 1891 (JAS) bap. St Mary Magdalene 3 August 1891, and Joseph Wilfrid birth registered 1895 (JFM).
In 1891 Joseph, a coal miner, his wife and their son John were living on Fulwood Road, Sutton in Ashfield. Their second son George was born later that year, and Joseph four years later.
Joseph snr. died on 1 June 1895 in an incident which resulted in the prosecution of John Taylor, a collier, for manslaughter. At the subsequent trial Taylor was found 'not guilty' and discharged. (See 'Extra information') One of the witnesses named in the newspaper reports was Alfred Woods, another collier, who had been with Joseph Bird prior to the incident which led to Bird's death.
Joseph's widow, Sarah Eliza, married Alfred Woods, a widower, in 1897 and it is likely that this was the same Alfred Woods named in the newspaper reports.
Alfred (b. 1856, Suffolk) was working as a labourer and living in Hoyland, Yorkshire, when he married Elizabeth Frost (23), also of Hoyland, at Wath upon Dearne in May 1883. They had two children, James Arthur b. 1884 (reg. Barnsley) and Annie birth registered 1890 (JFM Mansfield). In 1891 Alfred, now working as a coal miner, his wife and their two children were living in Bereston Place, Mansfield. Elizabeth Woods died in 1896 aged 36.
Alfred and Sarah had four daughters, one of whom died in infancy: Martha Ann birth registered 1898 (JFM), Dorothy May b. 1900 (JAS) d. 1901 (JAS), Alice Miriam birth registered 1903 (JFM) and Jessie Eliza b. 1904.
In 1901 Alfred, a coal miner hewer and farmer, and Sarah were living at Heathcotes Lane, Fulwood, Sutton in Ashfield. Also in the home were his two children, James, a cow boy on his father's farm, and Annie, Sarah's three sons, John, George and Joseph, and their two daughters Martha and Dorothy. Dorothy died later that year.
Alfred, a coal miner dealer, and Sarah were still living on Heathcotes Lane in 1911 with his daughter Annie, their three surviving daughters Martha, Alice and Jessie, and Sarah's three sons; John, a coal miner loader, and George and Joseph who were a horseman and cowman respectively, presumably working on their stepfather's farm.
Alfred's son, James Arthur, a coal miner hewer, had married Elsie Rose Goodall, both of Fulwood, at St Mary Magdalene in December 1907 and in 1911 they were living on Heathcote Lane with their two children, Alfred (2) and Ethel (1).
Joseph Wilfrid Bird married Winifred Else at St. Mary Magdalene on 1 April 1916. He had attested in 1915 but was not mobilised until April 1918 (see 'Extra information'). He was demobilized in 1919 to 50 Alfred Street, Sutton in Ashfield. Joseph worked at New Hucknall Colliery and was killed in a roof fall on 25 January 1920 aged 25; he was given a military funeral at St Mary Magdalene churchyard. (See 'Extra information')
Alfred's daughter Annie married Harry Cargill at St Mary Magdalene on 3 September 1919 and later lived in Doncaster.
By 1921, and still at the same address as in 1911, Alfred snr. was recorded on the census as a farmer (own account). Only his wife Sarah, her son George and their daughter Jessie were in the home on the night of the census. Alfred and Sarah later moved to Rookery Lane, Sutton in Ashfield.
Martha Ann Woods married Harry Morley in 1923 (reg. Mansfield) and later moved to Yorkshire where she died in 1947.
Sarah Eliza died on 1 April 1924, aged 61. Alfred died in February 1931; probate was awarded to his unmarried daughter Jessie Eliza. Both Sarah and Alfred were buried in St Mary Magdalene churchyard.
George James Bird married Emma Marshall in 1928 and they moved to Doncaster where George died in December 1968.
Alice Miriam Woods married Henry Cockett in 1931 and in 1939 were living with their daughter Dorothy on Carter Lane, Mansfield.
Jessie Eliza Woods married Bernard Bettison at St Mary Magdalene in March 1931, a month after her father's death. She died in 1964.
Enlisted at Sutton in Ashfield and served initially in the South Staffordshire Regiment, battalion not known (47073 Private), before transferring to the 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own Volunteers).
John was killed in action in Belgium on 13 June 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium (Panel 37).
CWGC history of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (extract): 'The Menin Gate is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war.' (www.cwgc.org)
The Hucknall Morning Star & Advertiser, 7 June 1895, published a lengthy report of the inquest into the 'violent death' of James Bird on Saturday, 1 June. Bird had spent part of the day with an Alfred Woods of South Normanton, and then later went to the 'Duke of Sussex' inn at Fulwood. Some while later John Taylor, a coal miner, came into the inn and an altercation arose between the two men. The publican ejected them both but the dispute continued outside the inn. Witnesses, including a ten-year old child, were unreliable and could not give clear evidence about the nature of the assault on Bird who was lifted up from the ground by one of the witnesses but then fell again 'and expired very quickly'. The doctor who made the post-mortem examination said that 'the man died from haemorrhage on the brain, which might have been caused either by a blow or a fall.’ A verdict of manslaughter was brought and Taylor was sent to trial. The Hucknall Morning Star & Advertiser of 19 July had a full report of the trial including the Judge's summing up: 'The question for the jury to decide was: ‘Did that fall which caused Bird’s death arise from any illegal act on the part of the prisoner? It was in these cases a rather difficult question.'' The jury found the prisoner not guilty and he was discharged. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Hucknall Morning Star & Advertiser, ‘Deaths’, Friday 14 June 1895: ‘Bird. On the 1st inst., Joseph Bird, Fulwood, 38 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
The following report published in the Notts Free Press on 18 August 1916 refers to 31389 Private Robert Slack who, like John, served initially with the South Staffordshire Regiment and then transferred to the 7th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment. The report mentions a 'Private Bird of Huthwaite', who may have been John William Bird: 'Private R. Slack of the 3rd. Battalion, South Staffs., has been on a few days’ leave, and bore on his arm the crossed guns, which show the possessor of them to be a first class marksman. Private Slack states that he scored 134 out of a possible 170, which left him nine to spare over and above the qualifying total. His success is all the more meritorious because he has only been in the Army a short time. A Sutton man named Coupe got a higher place than him in the same test, and Private Bird, of Huthwaite, was only one short of the qualifying score. Private Slack is at Earsdon Camp, Northumberland, and out of 29 Notts and Derby natives who went in for the test only two failed.' Private Slack was killed in action on 18 November 1916. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Probate. Bird John William of Fulwood-lane Sutton-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire private in HM Army died 13 June 1918 in France Administration Nottingham 16 August to Sarah Eliza Woods (wife of Alfred Woods). Effects £106 15s. 11d.
Registers of Soldiers Effects: his mother Sarah Eliza Woods was his legatee.
John William's brother, Joseph Wilfrid, attested on 2 December 1915. He was 20 years old and working as a coal miner. He transferred to the Army Reserve on 3 December 1915 and was not mobilised until April 1918 when he joined the Guards Machine Gun Regiment (6599 Private). He served with the BEF France, embarking on 18 October 1918 and disembarking at Boulogne the same day. He returned to England for demobilization on 14 December 1918 and transferred to Class 'Z' Army Reserve on 15 January 1919. He was demobilized to 50 Alfred Street, Sutton in Ashfield.
Mansfield Reporter, 23 January 1920: ‘Sutton Miner’s Death’, a short report and date of the Inquest to be held at the New Hucknall Colliery Institute into the death of coal miner Joseph Wilfrid Bird.
Nottingham Journal, 24 January 1920: report of inquest with the verdict, ‘Accidental death’.
Nottingham Journal 26 January 1920: ‘Perils of the Mine … Mr Bird [Joseph William] met his death at the New Hucknall Colliery on Tuesday last. Evidence given at the inquest showed that he was working in No. 16 stall of the Waterloo seam when there was a great fall of roof. By the time that his mates had succeeded in extricating himi from the fall he was found to be dead … Joseph Wilfred Bird was 25 years of age. He had worked in the Watrloo seam of the New Hucknall Pit since leaving school, with the exception of his period of Army service. A man of fine physique, he served with the Coldstream Guards, and had been in France. Being a miner he was given preference when demobilisation commenced, and returned to his home and to his work very soon after the Armistice. He was a member of the Notts. Miners’ Association, and fellow miners described him as being ‘Well liked and popular with everyone.’ Nor was he less well known on the football field. He played inside-left, and on occasions left full-back for Summit Albion, and had only recently been signed on by the New Hucknall Colliery club in the Central Alliance. He was accorded a military funeral last Saturday, the band and firing party being supplied by the battalion of the Gordon Highlanders now at Clipstone.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Journal, 26 January 1920: ‘Footballer’s Funeral. The funeral took place in Sutton churchyard on Saturday with full military honours of Mr JW Bird, of 4, George-street, Huthwaite. Deceased, a miner, lost his life through an accident at the New Hucknall Colliery. Bird served four years with the Coldsteam Guards. A well-known local footballer, he had been with Sutton Albion, and was recently signed by the New Hucknall Colliery Club, but had not played in those colours. The Gordon Highalnders Regiment supplied a drum and fife band and also the firing party.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Thanks to Andy McKinnon for the identification of this casualty and initial research. Additional reseach and information Peter Gillings. Additional research/record updated RF (June 2026).
Photo of John William Bird
Ypres Menin Gate memorial, Belgium (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of John William Bird
Nottingham Journal, January 1920. Brother Joseph Wilfrid Bird, formerly Coldstream Guards, killed in colliery accident, January 1920.