John Spowage

John was the eldest son of James Richard F Spowage and his wife Alice Elizabeth nee Jefford. His father James was born on 24 July 1855 and his mother Alice was born on 18 January 1861 (J/F/M Radford). They were married in 1878 (J/A/S Radford) and had five children of whom four survived infancy: John b. 13 June 1880 (A/M/J Radford), Annie Jane b. 16 February 1882 (J/F/M Nottingham), George Henry b. abt 1884 and Alice b. 1885 (A/M/J Nottingham). In 1881 James (26), a lace maker, and Alice (20), a lace mender, were living at 70 Saville Row, Radford, with their first child, John (10 months) and Ada Jefford (5), described as their adopted daughter but as their sister-in-law on the subsequent census, and Arthur Jefford (3) described as a lodger. By 1891 James (35) and Alice (30) were living at 113 Birkin Avenue, Radford, with their four children, John (10), Annie (9), George (7) and Alice (5). Ada Jeffries (15) a cigar maker, was still living with the family and now described as James' sister-in-law. The family had moved again by 1901 when they were living at 4 Bateman Street, Hyson Green. James (45) was still working as a lace maker. In the household on the night of the census were his wife Alice (40) and their three youngest children, Annie (19) a machinist, George (17) an iron turner fitter, and Alice (15) a machinist. John has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census, but he joined the Royal Navy six years later on 14 January 1907. James and Alice were living at 57 Duke Street, New Basford, by 1911. James (54) was described as a beer retailer (at home), suggesting that they were living on licensed premises. None of their children were in the home on the night of the census but Alice's widowed father, George Jefford (74) a retired bobbin and carriage maker (lace trade) was living with them. Their eldest daughter, Annie Jane, had married Ernest Pepper in 1903 (J/F/M Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living at 10 Highfield Road, West Bridgford. Ernest (29) was a joiner and cabinet maker. He and Annie had had three children of whom only two had survived, Alice (7) and Alec James (4). George Henry had married in about 1907 and in 1911 was living at 7 Hovenden Street, Hyson Green, with his wife Mary (23). He was a fitter's labourer and Mary was an overlocker. They had not had any children but they may have had a son later as there is a record of a child, George H Spowage who was born in 1913 (J/A/S Nottingham, mother's maiden name Smith) and died the same year (O/N/D Nottingham, buried 6 November 1913). John married Ethel E Cocking c. 1907. Ethel (b. Portsmouth 25 January 1882) was living at 82 Clive Road, Kingston, Portsmouth, in 1911. She and John had two children, Dorothy Alice (3, b. 13 January 1908, J/F/M Portsmouth) and James John (1 month, b. Portsmouth 10 February 1911). John was serving in HMS Essex at the time of the 1911 Census. At the time of John's death his family was living at 11 Renny Road, Fratton, Hampshire. Ethel did not remarry. In 1939 at the time of the national register, she and her children, Dorothy a school teacher, and James, a pharmacist's assistant were living in Bournemouth. Ethel died in 1958 (Dec Poole Dorset) aged 76. Dorothy Alice Spowage died in 2006 (April Bournemouth) aged 98. Her brother was still alive in 1957 as he was recorded on an incoming passenger list from Mozambique/South Africa to London. John's youngest sister, Alice, has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census but there is a record of the marriage of an Alice Spowage in 1910 (J/A/S Nottingham). At the time of John's death his parents were living at 101 Whitemoor, Basford. When the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled James and Alice were living in West Bridgford. James was described as a retired lace maker. His father James died on 5 March 1945 (Mar Mansfield) aged 89, and his mother Alice in 1947 (Sep East Retford, Notts) aged 86. His brother George served with the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (37168 Private) and was killed in action on 12 October 1916 (Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs, Somme). His sister Annie Jane (Pepper) was living in West Bridgford in 1939 with her husband Ernest, a master joiner. She was described as a 'housewife and help in shop'. Annie died on 24 May 1964; she was by then widowed and living in Bournemouth.

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