Albert Claypham aka Clayton

Albert Claypham was born on 14th October 1890 at Blyth, he was the son of James Claypham a farm labourer and Sarah Claypham née Swallow of Blyth, Notts.

His father James was born in 1858 at Blyth, his mother Sarah Swallow was born in 1862 at Ranby, she died in 1911 aged 51 yrs, they were married in 1882 their marriage was recorded in the East Retford registration district. they went on to have 8 children, sadly 5 died in infancy or early childhood.

By 1911 he had, for reasons unknown, changed his name to Clayton, and joined the Royal Engineers and was billeted in Gibraltar Barracks, Stanhope Lines, Aldershot as a Sapper from Doncaster, Yorks.

In the 1911 census his family are living at Blyth village, his father James Claypham 54 yrs is a widow and a farm labourer, he states he had been married for 28 yrs and had 8 children
5 of whom had died. He is living with his married daughter Lucy Nicholson 25 yrs also listed are Annie Claypham 23 yrs single a servant and Albert Claypham 21 single a soldier, however these latter two have been struck through presumably as they had left the family home.

In the early part of 1912 he married Florence Edith Johnson (born 7th January 1887) at Farnham, Surrey and she brought a child to their marriage Claude Johnson born 2nd June 1907. they had 2 children Albert Edward Clayton born 29th September 1912 and r Evelyn Alberta born 17th November 1914,

commencing 10th April 1915 his widow was awarded a pension of 18 shillings and 6 pence a week.