John Henry Wakelin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Henry was the eldest child of John and Rose Hannah (also Roseanna) Wakelin (née Smith). John snr. was born at Cinderhill in about 1862 and Rose in Derby in about 1861. They were married at Basford St Leodegarius in November 1883 and had nine children, one of whom died in infancy. John Henry was born in Cinderhill and baptised at St Leodegarius on 7 April 1884, but his siblings were born in Bulwell and all but the two youngest, William and Claude, baptised at Bulwell St Mary: John Henry b. 1884, Gertrude b. 1885, Clara Elizabeth b. 1887, Emiy b. 1889, Samuel Alexander b. 1895, Frank William birth registered 1897 (J/F/M), Adine birth registered 1889 (J/F/M), William b. 1902 d. 1902 and Claude Grenville birth registered 1902 (J/F/M). William's death in 1902 was reported in the local paper (see 'Extra information). John snr., a coal miner, and his wife were living on Quarry Road, Bulwell, in 1891 and at No. 279 at the time of the 1901 Census where they continued to live until at least 1938 when the widowed Rose died. Part of Quarry Road, including No. 279, was renamed Commercial Road, pre-1914. At the time of the 1911 Census, six of John and Rose's eight surviving children were still living at home: Clara and Emily who were lace dressers, Samuel an apprentice printer, Frank an apprentice butcher (later a master butcher) and Adine and Claude who were school age. Their two oldest children were married, Gertrude to Jonah Crich in 1904 and John Henry to Laura Baxter (b. 1884) in 1905. John and Laura had five children, one of whom died in infancy: Jack b. 1905, Frank b. 1907, Ena b. 1909, John S. b. 1912 d. 1913 and Susan Mary b. 1914. All the children were born in Bulwell. In 1911 John Henry, now working as a collier (surface), and Laura were living at 277 Quarry Road, Bulwell, with their three children Jack, Frank and Ena. A third son was born the following year but died in 1913, probably before his first birthday, and a second daughter, Susan, was born in 1914. Laura Wakelin died in 1929 (reg. A/M/J) and was buried in Northern Cemetery, Bulwell. Her eldest son, Jack, was killed in France in 1939 serving with the RAMC (see 'Extra information'). John Henry's father died in March 1929 and his mother died at the family home, 279 Commercial Road, Bulwell, in October 1938. Both were buried in Northern Cemetery, Bulwell, with their unmarried daughter Clara who had died in 1921 aged 33, and also Adine, also unmarried, who died in 1986. Two of John Henry's three brothers probably served in the First World War. Samuel Alexander served in the Royal Fusiliers (58570 Private) and then the Labour Corps (654169 Private); he qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Frank William probably served in the Royal Field Artillery (1300387 Gunner) and then the Royal Garrison Artillery (223195 Gunner); he qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. The youngest brother, Claude, was under-age.
1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. The 1st and 2nd Battalions deployed to the Western Front in 1914. The 1st Battalion was serving in South Africa at the outbreak of war but returned to England in the September when the Battalion came under orders of 22nd Brigade, 7th Division. The 1st Battalion landed at Zeebrugge on 6 October 1914 and in December the following year transferred to 91st Brigade, 7th Division. The Division moved to Italy in November 1917, the month after John’s death. John Henry was killed in action on 26 October 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium (Panel 90 to 92).
Nottingham Evening Post, 7 January 1902: report of the death of William Wakelin age 5 hours whose parents resided at 279 Quarry Road, Bulwell, and died Friday morning last. Post-mortem found death due to 'asphyxia lungs not being wholly inflated through weakness caused by premature birth.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) WW1 Pension Ledgers. John Henry Wakelin: widow and four children, Jack, Frank, Ena and Susan Mary. John's widow, Laura, received a pension of 33 shillings and 9 pence a week, for herself and her four children, payable from 24 June 1918. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow Laura was his legatee. However, later payments made in July 1929 were paid to Laura's four children as she had died earlier that year. John and Laura's eldest son, Jack, was killed in the Second World War (CWGC 2276515) and is commemorated on the Bulwell St Mary the Virgin & All Souls WW2 Memorial. Jack joined the Postal Service in 1929 as a postman (Bulwell sub-district office). He married Ivy Dickinson in 1933 and they lived at 277 Commercial Road, Bulwell. They had one child, Patricia Ann L (k/a Ann), in 1937 who died in March 1940. John served with the RAMC (7258183 Private) and was killed in action in France on 17 December 1939 aged 34 (Douia Communal Cemetery). His widow did not remarry and died in 1980. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths.’ 6 March 1940: ‘Wakelin. Ann, 2½ year-old darling only child of Ivy and the late Jack Wakelin, suddenly, March 2nd. Funeral Thursday, 11.15am, Northern Cemetery. Broken-hearted Mammy, Mamma, Grandad.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 17 December 1940: Wakelin. Affectionate remembrance of my husband, Jack, died in France, December 17th, 1939. Wife, Ivy.’ (www/britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) (notices also placed in 1941 and 1942)
