James Morley
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James was born in 1872 the son of James a blacksmith and Amy Morley (née Turner). His father was born in 1846 at Wymeswold, Leicestershire, Amy Turner in 1840 at Leadenham Lincolnshire. They were married in 1866 in the Bingham Registration district. James had a brother William born 1871 at Cropwell Butler and sisters Eliza Jane, born 1876 and Sarah Alice born 1878. In 1881 they lived at West Row, Cropwell Bishop. From 1891 he lived at Old Hall Farm Cottages, Village Street, Owthorpe, Nottinghamshire. His cousin Henry Brown from Eastwood, lived with the family. In 1902 he married Mary Jane Leake in the Preston Registration district and they had six children: James born 10th October 1903, Florence born 1st November 1904, Walter born 26th May 1907, William born 16th October 1908, Eric born 6th October 1910 and Albert born 27th May 1914. They lived at 129 Fishwick Parade, Preston Lancashire. In 1911, he was a staff sergeant farrier with the Royal Field Artillery in Mauritius and South Africa. Following his death his widow Mary Jane was awarded a pension of 38 shillings and 9 pence a week which commenced on 15th April 1918.
On 26 January 1891 James enlisted at Woolwich, joining the Royal Artillery, aged 18 years 1 month. He was 5′ 5″ tall, weighing 9 stone with blue eyes and fair hair. On 28 February 1891 he obtained a discharge paying £10 to leave the army after only one month’s service. James re enlisted in 1901 this time in Derby. He served in the Boer War with 127 Battery, Royal Field Artillery. He first entered a theatre of war (in the Great War) on 7th November 1914 in Mesopotamia. He died as a prisoner of war in Adana, Mesopotamia whilst serving with the 6th Divisional Ammunition column, Royal Field Artillery. Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery Grave Reference: XXI W He had been awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
The inscription on the memorial in St Margaret's church reads; 'Remembering with honour Quartermaster Serjeant James Morley LSGC of Owthorpe who died on active service with 6th Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery Mesopotamia 11th November 1916 aged 42 years.' He had been taken prisoner at Kut on 29th April 1916. Ironically that day a letter from him, reporting himself to be well, was published on 29th April 1916 in the Nottingham Daily Express “QUITE WELL.” “Nottm. Man's Cheery Message from Kut to his Wife. “There was joy in the house of Farrier Quarter-Master-Sergeant Morley at 126, Fishwick-parade, Preston, on Thursday, [27th April 1916] when Mrs. Morley received the following cablegram: –– “Kut, though Basra. Quite well. –– Morley.” “Her husband went out to Mesopotamia with General Townshend's forces, and Mrs. Morley had not heard anything from him since November, so that she had feared the worse, though she continued to write him regularly. “How the message got through is, of course, not known, and Mrs. Morley declares she does not care so long as she has got it. “Q.M.-S. Morley is a Nottingham man, and has seen nearly 20 years' service with the Colours.” above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 James was the great-uncle of a woman whose husband, John Stewart, was the village's only casualty in the Second World War and she was present when the First and Second World War memorials were unveiled in St Margaret's church in 2001.
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