John Nelson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John, known as Jack, was the son of Thomas George and Fanny Nelson (formerly Fanny Nelson Burrows).His father Thomas George Nelson was born in Sparham, Norfolk, in 1846 the son of Thomas Nelson, a farmer, and his wife Augusta Elizabeth Mary (neé Davis. His mother Fanny Nelson Burrows was born in London in 1856, the daughter of John and Fanny Burrows; her father's occupation was given on the baptismal record as 'Gentleman'Thomas and Fanny were married at the parish church of Wanstead, Essex, on 11 September 1878. Although Thomas did not complete the 1911 Census with details of the number of children, and surviving children, of the marriage, it is likely that he and Fanny had eleven children all of whom were born and baptised in Sparham: Lucy May b. 21 September 1879 bap. 9 October 1879 d. 1879; Millicent Augusta birth registered 1881 bap. 20 March 1881 d. 1900 age 19; Thomas Burrows; Donald Horatio; Marjorie; Dorothy Mary; Emily Olive; Harry; Charles Davis; John b. 1893 bap. 21 September 1893 and Fanny.In 1881 Thomas, a farmer employing 12 men and 3 boys, was living iwth his wife Fanny (25) at the Farm House, Sparham, Mitford, Norfolk, with their infant daughter Millicent. Their first child, Lucy May, had died two years previously. Also in the household on the night of the census was a visitor and three servants, a housemaid, cook and nursemaid.Thomas and Fanny were still living at the farm in 1891. Six of their seven surviving children were in the home on the night of the census: Thomas (9), Donald (7), Marjorie (5), Dorothy (3), Emily (1) and Harry (under one year). Thomas employed six domestic servants: a nursery governess and a nursery help, a professional nurse and an assistant nurse, a cook and a housmaid. Their eldest child, Millicent (10), was a boarder at a private school in Foulsham, Norfolk. Millicent died nine years later aged 19.By 1901 Thomas and Fanny had moved to Bradfield Road, Swafield, Norfolk, where he was an estate agent's clerk. Marjorie (15), Harry (10), Charles (8), John (7) and Fanny (6) were in the house with their father on the night of the census together with Thomas' sister, Unity Nelson (58) and two servants, a governess and a general domestic help. Fanny Nelson was visiting her widowed brother, Rev. John Nelson Burrows who lived at St Augustine's Vicarage, 16 York Street, Shoreditch, London, with their widowed mother Fanny and unmarried brother Rev. Edward Burrows Fanny Nelson died the same year on 22 May.Thomas had moved to Tunstead, South Ruston, near Norwich, by 1911. He was now a traveller in the wine trade. Five of his nine surviving children were still living at home: Marjorie, Harry a clerk to an estate agent, Charles a joiner, John a clerk to a firm of contractors and Fanny. Thomas employed one general domestic servant. His daughters Dorothy and Emily were both private governesses, Dorothy in Coney Weston, Bury St Edmunds, Emily in Thorpe St Andrew, Norfolk. Thomas Burrows was serving in the Mercantile Marine and Donald in the Royal Navy.Their father Thomas George died in 1913 aged about 67.John's home address at the time of his death in 1916 was 56 Fellows Road, Hampstead, Middlesex.Two of his brothers also died in war. Harry served in the 20th Bn London Regiment and was killed on 14 September 1916; the probate record gave his address as 56 Fellows Road, Hampstead. Charles served with the Canadian Infantry and was killed on 17 September 1918. (See 'Extra information').Thomas served in the Mercantile Marine in both world wars and Donald served in the Royal Navy from 1901 until after the war.Thomas served in the Mercantile Marine in both world wars. He was in the mercantile marine and already serving when he married Elsie Hazel Millican, the daughter of a master mariner, in 1910. There is a record (full document not sighted) of his appointment as a temporary lieutenant Royal Navy. Donald Horatio had joined the Royal Navy on 15 January 1901 and was a Paymaster Captain in HMS Queen Mary at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Donald, a widower and retired Paymaster Captain RN, was secretary to the National Nautical School at Portishead, Somerset, where he 'lived in'.
John was killed on 1 Juily 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.He was buried in Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood, Somme, France (grave ref. V.G.28).CWGC - History of Blighty Valley Cemetery (extract): 'Blighty Valley was the name given by the Army to the lower part of the deep valley running down South-Westward through Authuile Wood to join the river between Authuile and Aveluy; a railway was carried along it soon after July, 1916, and it was for some time an important (though inevitably a dangerous) route ... Blighty Valley Cemetery was begun early in July 1916, at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme, and used until the following November. At the Armistice it contained 212 graves, but was then greatly enlarged when 784 graves were brought in from the battlefields and small cemeteries to the east. Most of these concentrated graves were of men who died on 1 July 1916.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC: Nelson 2nd Lt Harry 20th Bn London Regt. 15th September 1916 age 25. Thiepval Memorial. Son of the late Thomas George and Fanny Nelson, of Sparham Norfolk. CWGC: Nelson 622831 Corporal Charles Davis 52nd Bn Canadian Infantry b. 1893 age 25, 17 September 1918. Buried Terlincthun British Cemetery Wimille. Son of Thomas George and Fanny Nelson of Sparham Norfolk.Probate: Nelson John of 56 Fellows-road Hampstead Middlesex second-lieutenant HM Army died 1 July 1916 to Astley John Skilbeck Morris solicitor attorney of Thomas Burrows Nelson. Effects £115 3s. 3d.
