James Ernest Shackleton
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James Ernest was the second son and fourth child of Charles James Shackleton and his wife Florence nee Whitaker.His father Charles James was born in Derby in 1853 (J/F/M Derby) and his mother in about 1851 also in Derby. They were married at Victoria Street Congregational Church, Derby, in 1880 (O/N/D Derby). They had four children who were all born in Derby: Florence Mary b. 30 January 1882 (J/F/M Derby) bap. 23 July 1882 Charles Francis (Frank) b. 18 November 1884 bap. 28 June 1885. Horace Samuel b. 12 December 1887 bap. 11 March 1888 and James Ernest b. 1894 bap. 24 February 1895. All the children were baptised at the independent denomination church (probably the Congregational Church), Brookside, Victoria Street, Derby.In 1891 Charles (38) a household and furnishing draper, and Florence (36) with their three children Florence (9), Charles (6) and Horace (3) were living at Mill Hill Road, Derby.The family had moved to 6 Leopold Street, Derby, by 1901. Charles (48), a carpet and linoleum factor, and Florence now had four children, Florence (19) of no occupation, and Charles (16), Horace (13) and James (6) who were all at school. Charles employed a housemaid.Charles and Florence had returned to 7 Mill Hill Road, Derby, by 1911 but only two of their four children - Horace (23) a colliery surveyor and James (16) an agricultural student - were in the home on the night of the census. Charles was now a Serjeant at Mace (Court of Record) employed by the Derby Corporation. One domestic servant was employed.The later CWGC record gives James' parents' address as 45 Leopold Street, Derby.Charles died on 8 January 1927 (buried 11 January, Uttoxeter Road Cemetery, Derby); he was still living at 45 Leopold Street, Derby. His wife died on 19 April 1928 (buried 23 April 1928, Uttoxeter Road Cemetery); she was living at 97 Uttoxeter New Road, Derby.Of James' siblings:Florence Mary married Arnold Salmon Dewey (b. Notting Hill London 25 November 1880) in 1908 at St Wilfred's church, Barrow-on-Trent, Derbyshire. In 1911 they were living at 210 Kedleston Road, Derby; Arnold was a bank clerk. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled they were living at 28 Highfield Road, Derby; Arnold had retired as a bank clerk. Also in the household was John D Dewey b. 6 January 1915, married, who was also a bank clerk. Arnold died in 1947 and Florence married secondly Percy Copestake in 1950 (O/N/D Derby). She died on 20 March 1976 (J/F/M Witney Oxon); the probate record gave her address as Freeland House Nursing Home, Freeland, Oxford.Charles Francis was living at 172 Oakwood Court, Kensington, London, with his wife Rose (b. 7 July 1888) in 1939. Charles was a chartered accountant. He died on 7 October 1942 (O/N/D Kensington London); he was still living at 172 Oakwood Court, but according to the probate record died in Holland Road, Uxbridge Road, London. His wife survived him.Horace Samuel married Elizabeth Edith Walker (b. 30 November 1885) at St Peter, Chellaston, Derbyshire, in 1916. In 1939 he and Elizabeth were living at 1 Manor Road, Shardlow; Horace was a mine surveyor. Horace died on 1 June 1967 (A/M/J Shardlow); he was still living at 1 Manor Road. His wife survived him.
Formerly 4315 Private, 17th Lancers. Military records give his rank as Temporary Second Lieutenant.He enlisted in 1914 and served in France from 17 October 1915. He was gazetted second lieutenant in 1917. James was killed near Epehy; he had been slightly wounded by shell fire on the morning of 21 March 1918 but remained on duty. He was killed by machine gun fire at 10am the same day.He is buried in Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guisland (grave ref. III.A.17).He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. There is a note on the medal index card that his father applied for the 1914 Star in respect of his son (address: Hill Crest, Mill Hill Road, Derby, later 45 Leopold Street).
CWGC headstone, personal inscription: 'Thy will be done'Derby Daily Telegraph, 8 April 1918: ‘The Roll of Honour. Second Lieut. Ernest Shackleton killed. Mr and Mrs CJ Shackleton of Bailey-street, Derby, have received the mournful intelligence that their youngest son, Second-lieut. James Ernest Shackleton, Leicestershire Regiment, has been killed in action. He enlisted in the 17th Lancers as long ago as 1914 and was given a commission last year. Educated at Whitworth School, Derby, under Mr Orlando Pearce, he was at Kingston College when war broke out having chosen agriculture as his career. Lieut.-colonel GH Sawyer, his commanding officer, in a letter of sympathy to the family, gives the time of the tragic occurrence as ten o’clock in the morning of March 21st. He writes: ‘Your son was slightly wounded by shell fire in the early morning, but bravely remained at his post, thereby setting a splendid example to his men. He was killed instantaneously by a machine-gun bullet, in the head. … I shall miss him very much and he is a great loss to the battalion.’ Lieut. Shackleton’s father is Sergeant-at-Mace for the borough, well known for his voluntary war work in many directions and his maternal grandfather was the late Ald. Samuel Whitaker JP a former Mayor of Derby. The deep sympathy of a wide circle of friends will go out to the family in their bereavement.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)WMA 64291: 2nd Lt JE Shackleton. Uttoxeter New Road Cemetery (Old Cemetery), Uttoxeter New Road, Rowditch, DE22 3JB. Addition to a family gravestone (Celtic Wheel Cross). Text: ‘Who stands if freedom fall, who dies if England live. In ever loving memory of James Ernest Shackleton, 2nd Lieut. 7th Leicestershire Regt, killed in action near Epehy, France, 21st March 1918, aged 23 years. Late 17th Lancers.’ Others commemorated on kerb stones: Henry Shackleton (1935), Florence Shackleton (1951), James B Shackleton (1889), Sophia Shackleton (1897) and Gladys Ada Shackleton (1977). See also www.findagrave.com (photograph)Probate: Shackleton Charles James of 45 Leopold-street Derby died 8 January 1927 Probate Derby 4 March to Florence Mary Dewey (wife of Arnold Salmon Dewey) Horace Samuel Shacklton mining engineer and Charles Kirk solicitor’s clerk. Effects £2340 17s. 10d.Derby Daily Telegraph, 8 January 1927, report with photograph: ‘Mr CJ Shackleton. Sudden death of well-known town official. We regret to announce the death of Mr Chas. James Shackleton, sergeant-at-mace to the Corporation of Derby, which occurred suddenly at his residence, Leopold-street, Derby, in the early hours of this (Saturday) morning … The deceased gentleman, who was 74 years of age, was the eldest son of the late mr. James Shackleton, who traded for many years in St Peter’s-street as a general draper and house furnisher. On his father’s death he carried on the business in partnership with his brother, Mr Harry Shackleton, who subsequently started on his own account on Normanton-road … In 1910, on the death of Mr George Gilbert, Mr Shackleton was appointed to succeed him as sergeant-at-mace and Mayor’s officer, a position which included the execution of warrants issued by the Court of Record … the deceased gentleman married a daughter of the late Alderman Whitaker, JP, a former Mayor, by which means he was connected with some of the best known families in Derby. Mrs Shackleton survives him, but her own health is unfortunately far from good. Of their four children, one son was killed in the war. Two others are Mr Frank [Charles Francis] Shackleton, who holds an appointment in the Far East, and is at this moment at home on leave, and Mr Horace Shackleton who is a mining engineer. The only daughter is the wife of Mr FM Dewey.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Note: this is one of several reports in the local paper of CJ Shackleton's death and of the funeral.Probate: Shackleton Florence of 97 Uttoxter-New-Road Derby widow died 19 April 1928 Probate Derby 1 June to Florence Mary Dewey (wife of Arnold Salmon Dewey) Horace Samuel Shackleton mining engineer and Charles Kirk solicitor’s clerk. Effects £1172 18s. 8d.
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