John Frederick Potterton

John Frederick Potterton was the oldest son of John Henry and Mary Ellen Potterton (née Vickers). His father John Henry was born on 9 July 1872 at Marten, Lincolnshire, and his mother Mary Ellen Vickers was born on 4 March 1873 at Scotter, Lincolnshire. They were married in Gainsborough parish church on 21st August 1895 and had ten children, one of whom, Frank Leslie (a twin), died in infancy: John Frederick b. Burton near Lincoln 1895; Agnes Mary b. Skellingthorpe 31 October 1897; Sidney George b. Skellingthorpe birth registered 1900 (J/F/M) bap. North Hykeham 1 April 1900 and seven children born in Brant Broughton, near Newark: Elsie Annie b. 26 June 1901; Ernest William b. 15 April 1903; Frances Helen b. 5 September 1904; Margaret Lily b. 15 March 1906; Frank Leslie b. 1908 (O/N/D) d. 1909 (J/F/M) and Ida Florence b. 3 October 1908 and Gilbert Norman b. 2 July 1910. In 1901 John, a general farm labourer, and Mary were living at Broom Hills, Skellingthorpe, with their three children John (5), Agnes (3) and Sidney (1). By 1911 the family had moved to Brank Broughton and all nine surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: John Frederick a farm labourer, Agnes, Sidney, Elsie (9), Ernest (7), Frances (6), Margaret (5), Ida (2) and Gilbert (9 months). The CWGC record gives his parents' address as Main Street, Claypole, Lincolnshire. John and Mary were still living in Claypole on Fen Lane in 1939 when the England and Wales Register was compiled. Mary Ellen died in 1955 and John Henry in 1966 (both deaths registered Grantham, Lincolnshire). Of John Frederick's siblings: Agnes Mary married Edward E Pye (b. 6 December 1903) in 1928. In 1939 they were living in Newark with their daughter Mary (b. 1931). The record of one other member of the household remains closed but may be that of their son Charles E (b. 1930). Agnes died in 1961. Sidney George died in 1923 (J/F/M Newark). Elsie Annie, a cook domestic, was living with her married sister Margaret in Syston, Barrow upon Sour, in 1939. Elsie was also a volunteer at a canteen. Elsie died in 1991 (J/A/S Leicester Central). Ernest William married Clara Draycott (b. 13 February 1910) in 1932 and in 1939 they were living in Navenby, Lincolnshire. The records of three members of the household remain closed but one may have been that of their daughter Margaret (b. 1929). Clara died in 1964 and Ernest married secondly Kathleen E Pulfree in 1967. He died in 1972. Frances Helen married Arthur Scothern in 1929 and they had three children: John (b. 1929), Margaret (b. 1932) and Derek (b. 1935). In 1939 Frances and her children were living in Grantham. She died in 1996. Margaret Lily married Ivan Cyril Wain (b. 1903 d. 1946), a widower with six children, in 1937. They had at leasat one child, John F (b. 1938). In 1939 the family was living in Syston, Barrow upon Soar, also in the household was Margaret's unmarried sister, Elsie Annie. Margaret died in 1991 (J/A/S Loughborough). Ida Florence may have married Charles H Shaw in 1936 (reg. Grantham). Gilbert Norman marrried Florence M Patchett (b. 12 March 1918) in 1938. They probably had four children, Barbara (b. 1941), Brian (b. 1948), Rosemary (b. 1950) and Valerie (b. 1957). In 1939, the year after their marriage, Gilbert and Florence were living in Claypole, Lincolnshire, but later moved to Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Gilbert died in 1984 (reg. Melton Mowbray).