John George Townroe
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John George was the son of John Clay Townroe and his wife Ann (née Levy). His father was born in Mansfield and his mother in Macclesfield, Lancashire. John and Ann were married at the Mansfield United Free Methodist Chapel in 1883. By 1911 they had had eight children one of whom had died in infancy. Seven children, all born in Mansfield, were named on the census returns between 1891 and 1911: Ada Clay b. 1884, John George b. 1885, Bertie Levy b. 1888 bap. Mansfield SS Peter & Paul July 1889, Nellie birth registered 1890 (J/F/M), Maggie b. 1892 bap. SS Peter & Paul November 1892, Harold b. 1896 bap. SS Peter & Paul September 1896 and Doris AL b. 1900. John and Annie were living at Lime Tree Place, Bridge Street, Mansfield, when their son Bertie was baptised in 1889 and were still at the same address in 1891. John, a foreman gas stoker, and Annie had four children, Ada (7), John (5), Bertie (2) and Nellie (1). By 1901 the family was living at 37 Bowling Street, Mansfield. In the home on the night of the census were John, who was still working as a gas stoker, his wife Annie and children Ada a boot machinist, John a gas fitter at a gas works, Bertie, Nellie, Harold (4) and Doris (2). The family was still living at 37 Bowling Street in 1911. Only Nellie a tin cutter, Maggie a boot machinist, Harold a pony driver/coal miner and Doris were in the home with their parents on the night of the census. John George had enlisted in the Queen's Own Hussars on 25 February 1895 and in 1911 was a corporal in the 8th Hussars, serving in India. His brother Bertie was a private soldier and recorded in barracks at Butt Road, Colchester, on the night of the census. His eldest sister, Ada, had probably married Philip Hacking in 1903 and has not yet been traced after this date. John's three youngest sisters all married: Nellie to John Caudwell in 1913, Maggie to James Revill in 1913 and Doris to Conyers Kirkby in 1918; all the marriages were registered in Mansfield. John was in England in 1914 and on Easter Monday of that year (13 April) married Eva Mary Holland (reg. Hemsworth Yorkshire). Eva was the daughter of John and Alice Mary Holland and on the 1901 and 1911 census was recorded living with her parents and then her widowed mother at South Lodge, Kirk Smeaton nr. Pontefract. There were no children of the marriage. Eva married secondly Ferrand Harrison in 1918 (reg. Hemsworth, Yorkshire) and lived in Kirk Smeaton. Eva and Ferrand had at least three children: John b. 1922, Joan b. 1925 and Betty b. 1927 and possibly Jessie b. abt. 1931 and Sylvia b. 1933. Eva died on 15 December 1938; she was still living in Kirk Smeaton. Her husband survived her. John's brothers Bertie and Harold also served in the war. No details have yet been found for Bertie's earlier military career but in the war he served with the Hussars, 2nd Cavalry Depot, (H/546 L/Cpl) and was discharged (disability) on 29 May 1918, Silver Badge No. 410232. Bertie later joined the civil service; in 1933 the London Gazette listed his appointment to the Ministry of Health as a clerk (special class). In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled he was recorded living in Paignton: Bertram (sic) L Townroe (b. 1888) a clerk in the Civil Service. He was registered as married but there is also a record of a marriage in 1951 (reg. Dover Kent) to Hilda E Lawrence. Bertie died in 1952. Harold served with the Leicestershire Regiment (11301) and was in France from 29 July 1915. He was discharged (Class 2 Reserve) on 26 March 1919. However, Harold then enlisted in the Royal Tank Corps on 15 January 1925 (Territorial) and was discharged in the rank of lance-serjeant on 13 January 1934. Harold had married Nellie Coupe in 1919 (reg. Mansfield) and they had at least three children: Kenneth b. 1920, John Henry Clay b. 1922 and Audrey Betty b. 1923. Harold probably died in 1958 (reg. Nottingham).
John George enlisted in the Queen's Own Hussars in Cork, Ireland, on 25 February 1905 and at the time of the 1911 census was serving in India ias a corporal with the King's Royal Imperial Hussars. He joined the army on a Short Service Engagement and transferred to the Army Reserve on completion of his time with the Colours. John was mobilised on 4 August on the outbreak of war. On 15 August 1914 went to France with the 3rd Cavalry Brigade which the following month came under command of General Gough as the 2nd Cavalry Division. John was killed in action on 5 November 1914 at Wulverghem. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Mansfield Reporter, 4 December 1914: ‘Private JG Townroe of Mansfield, Killed. Private John George Townroe, reservist, eldest son of ex-Private JC Townroe, Bowling-street (late of 9th Lancers), was killed in action on November 5th, at Wulverghem. He was in the 4th Hussars, was married on Easter Monday last [13 April], and has two brothers [Bertie & Harold] in the Army. As nothing had been heard of Townroe for some time, his parents communicated with the War Office, who at once telegraphed that he had been killed.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 11 December 1914. Photograph with caption: ‘Private John George Townroe, reservist, 4th Hussars, eldest son of Mr and Mrs JC Townroe, Bowling Street, Mansfield, killed in action on November 5th, at Wulverghen. He was married on Easter Monday last.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 26 November 1915 (extract): ‘Free Churches And The Valiant Dead. Memorial Service at Bridge Street. Laurel Wreaths for Heroic Men. The memorial service for the sixteen gallant men who have given their lives for the nation, and who were connected with the Free Churches of Mansfield, was a most impressive and touching occasion. It was held in the Bridge-street Wesleyan Methodist Church on Sunday evening at 7.45, an hour fixed so as to allow worshippers in other churches to attend in order to do honour to the memory of the heroes. The congregation was a notable one, for it filled every part of the building, and scores of people had to stand. A civic touch was given to the service by the presence of the Mayor (Councillor T Smith) wearing his chain and he was accompanied by [names of aldermen, councillors and council officials]. Three ministers, the Revs. CF Gill (Primitive Methodist), CM Wright (Old Meeting House), and WJ Mackness (Skerry Hill Reform) occupied seats in front of the rostrum [Note: Rev FJ McAdam, Congregational, opened the service] and the relatives of the brave men who fought for their country, were in the pews facing them … It was a happy idea which led the promoters of the service to introduce a laurel wreath for each of the men for whom the service was being held, and these sixteen symbols of victory were hung from the pillars of the building and the choir stalls. Attached to each wreath was a white card, bearing the borough arms, and the name of the soldier. The tributes were afterwards handed to the mourners … The Roll Call … Brown, Ernest, 1st Cheshire Regiment. Butler, Harry, RM Light Infantry. Fletcher, John Wim, 2nd York & Lancs. Foster, Harold, 8th Sherwood Foresters. Hall, Samuel, 2nd Sherwood Foresters. Hayes, Geo. Edwin, Royal Engineers. Hinton, Geo., 8th Sherwood Foresters. Houfton, Chas M., 8th Sherwood Foresters. May, Percy, 8th Sherwood Foresters. Mayman, Thos. H., 8th Sherwood Foresters. Millband, Ernest, 8th Sherwood Foresters. Penson, Reginald, 2nd London Rgt RF. Radford, William, 8th Sherwood Foresters. Short, Gladstone, 1st East Surrey Regt. Sipson, Charles, 1st Sherwood Foresters. Townroe, John Geo. 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars (sic).’ The report included details of the address given by the Rev. J Leonard Webber. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Will in favour of his widow Eva Mary who was his sole legatee.
