John Thomas Gregory
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- Military History
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John Thomas (known as Thomas) was born in 1888 at Sutton in Ashfield the son of Thomas a professional cricketer and Eliza Gregory née Kendall of 22 Iverson Road, Hampstead, London. His father Thomas was born in 1856 in Sutton in Ashfield and his mother Eliza Kendall was born in 1860 also in Sutton in Ashfield, they were married in 1876 their marriage was recorded in the Mansfield Registration District, they had 7 children, sadly three were to die in infancy or early childhood, their children were all born in Sutton in Ashfield and were George b1877, Mary b1881, Isaac b1882, Caroline b1884 and John Thomas b1888. In the 1911 census the family are living at 22 Iverson Road, Hampstead, London and were shown as Thomas 55 yrs a professional cricketer, he is living with his wife Eliza 51 yrs and their daughter Caroline 27 yrs a dress maker.
Rifleman John Thomas Gregory, enlisted on 2nd February 1910 at Sutton In Ashfield giving his occupation as that of a coal miner. He served with the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps and landed in France on 13th August 1914. John Thomas was killed in action on 27th October 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. A memorial service was held at St Modwen's Church, Sutton in Ashfield, in November 1914.
Report published 25th November 1914 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- 'CRICKETER KILLED IN ACTION. FORMER MEMBER OF TRENT BRIDGE GROUND STAFF. 'Private Thos. Gregory, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, who was killed in action on October 27th, was a native of Sutton-in-Ashfield, and a former member of the Notts. C. C. ground staff at Trent Bridge. 'Gregory spent three years at Trent Bridge, from 1905 to 1907 inclusive, and was a slow left arm bowler of considerable device, but his earlier promise was hardly borne out, at all events to the extent of equipping him for first-class cricket. 'After leaving Trent Bridge he had a season with the New Hucknall Colliery club, and then enlisted in the King’s Royal Rifles. With the corps cricket team he accomplished several smart performances, including the capture of ten wickets, all clean bowled, against the Bedfordshire Regiment, and in 1913 he played for Hampshire against Oxford University, but without success. 'Gregory was also a clever football player, and on one occasion represented the Army against the Amateur internationals.' Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Tow Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Mansfield Reporter, 27 November 1914: ‘St Modwen’s Church. A memorial service for the late Private Thomas Gregory was held in St Modwen’s Church on Sunday evening. There were special psalms, lessons, and hymns, and a portion of the burial service was read. The Rev. TG Shelmerdine officiated, and the special preacher was the Rev. IA Pollock, who was curate-in-charge of St Modwen’s eleven years ago when Mr Gregory was a member of the choir and a communicant of that church. There was a large congregation of mourners, amongst whom were noticed many well-known local cricketers, who came to pay their last tribute of respect to their fellow sportsman. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
