James Johnson
- Family History
- Military History
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James Johnson was born in 1898 in Nottingham and was the son of John a coal miner and Catherine Johnson née Price of 9 Glebe Street, Hucknall, Nottingham. His father John was born in 1858 at Dorchester barracks, Devon and his mother Catherine Price was born in 1862 in Whitwick, Leicestershire. They were married in 1880 in Nottingham (her name on the marriage index is given as Elizabeth Witton) and they went on to have 11 children, sadly one was to die in infancy their surviving children were all born in Nottingham (except John who as born in Barnsely.) those listed on the 1901/1911 census were Josiah b1883, Frank b1885, Mary b1888, Lucy b1890, John b1893, Thomas b1896, James b1898 and Kate b1901. In the 1911 census the family are living at 9 Glebe Terrace, Hucknall and are shown as John 51 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Catherine 49 yrs and their children, John 18 yrs a coal miner, Thomas 15 yrs a pony driver, James 13 yrs and Kate 10 yrs, also living with the family is Thomas Price 74 yrs a widow born Whitwick an unemployed miner, he is described as the wife father. At the time of their sons death the family were residing at 43 Victoria Street, Hucknall.
Private James Johnson, enlisted at the Hucknall recruiting office in August, 1915. He served with 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, he was killed in action on 23rd July 1916. Having no known grave his name is commemorated on the on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Article published 23rd November 1916 in the Hucknall Dispatch :- “A MISSING SOLDIER. “To be missing for 16 weeks is surely an anxious time for parents, and our readers will, therefore, sympathise with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, of 43, Victoria street, Hucknall, in the suspense they feel not... hearing definite news concerning their son James, who was only 18 years of age. “He is in the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was first scheduled as missing by the War Office in the middle of July;then amongst the killed; and next came the conflicting message from headquarters that he was again placed in the “missing” list. “Nothing further has been heard from him or from the War Office, and so the anxiety of the household is very great in these trying times. Prior to the was James Johnson worked at the Summit pit, and enlisted at the Hucknall recruiting office in August, 1915.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
