John Thomas Lane

John Thomas Lane was born in 1896 in Redhill, Arnold. He was the son of Harry and Emma Oscroft Lane née Bingham. His father Harry was born in Arnold in 1863 (O/N/D Basford) and his mother Emma Oscroft Bingham was also born in Arnold. They were married in 1883, the marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District (J/A/S). They went on to have seven children, all of whom were born in Arnold, they were: Gertrude b1885, Harry b1886, Florence b1889, Lottie b1890, Ellen b1893, John Thomas b1896 and Arthur b1900. In 1901 Harry (37), who was working in a laundry, and Emma (38) were living at Redhill, Arnold, with their seven children, Gertrude (16), Harry (15) and Florence (13) who were all in work, and Lottie (11), Nellie (8), John Thomas (5) and Arthur (1). In the 1911 Census the family is shown still living at Ansell Terrace, Redhill, Arnold, and are shown as Harry 47 yrs a worker in wash house laundry, who is living with his wife Emma 48 yrs and their children, Florence 23 yrs an ironer, Ellen 18 yrs a hosiery hand, John Thomas 15 yrs a farm labourer and Arthur 11 yrs a scholar. John Thomas' father died in 1937 (Mar Basford) aged 73. The family lost other relatives in the war: Wallace Lane, John Thomas's cousin, joined the Royal Navy before the war and was serving in HMS Black Prince as a leading seaman (233342/Po) when he was killed at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. (See T2T record) Another cousin, William Lane, the son of his father's brother John Thomas, served in the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (799255 Private) and was killed in action on 30 July 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. (See T2T record) His uncle, Alonzo Lane, his father's youngest brother, served in the Royal Engineers in the latter part of the war. He committed suicide in May 1919 shortly before he was due to be discharged from the army. (See T2T record)