John Cook, Who died, but not from enemy fire
John Cook is named on the Kelsall War Memorial but unlike the others’ named John was not a casualty of war but died of a condition now seemed of minor significance.
John was not from a
Kelsall family but was born in Bradley, Staffordshire in 1868. He was the second child and eldest son of
William Cook and Emma Hodson who had married at St. Giles Church, Haughton on 10th
September 1864. Emma died in 1878, possibly following the birth of her third
daughter Jemima. With a young family to
raise William remarried on 13th December 1879 to Frances Howard at Castle
Church, Staffordshire. Although William
was 37 at the time Frances, known as Fanny, was only 19 years old. Fanny bore William a further 12 children
though 3 did not survive to maturity.
After leaving school John did not follow his father but took to a life looking after horses. In 1891 he was working as the ostler at the Malt Shovel Hotel in Litchfield. Later in the decade he moved to Kelsall, presumably for employment where he met Alice Bosley, who lived in Church Street. Alice was born in 1877 and baptised at St Philips Church on 9th September of that year. Alice was the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Wright who married at the Holy Trinity Church, Blacon on 23rd January 1865.
On 11th October 1899 broke out between Great Britain and the Boer Republics. The army quickly realised that they needed more men than could be drawn from their existing regiments considering the requirements from the rest of the Empire. It was decided to create a volunteer mounted force, called the Imperial Yeomanry. Formed on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but subsequent contingents were more significantly working class in their composition. The existing yeomanry regiments contributed only a small proportion of the total Imperial Yeomanry establishment.
John was amongst the first to join this new force, enlisting into the Cheshire Yeomanry on 12th January 1900. With little military training he sailed for South Africa on 30th January as part of the 21st Company. As the Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer force members could resign after 1 years’ service. John wished to do this, and his papers show that he was "discharged at his own request from further service in connection with the war in S. Africa". He sailed from South Africa on 9th July 1901 and was discharged at Shorncliffe on 8th August. For his service John qualified for the Queen’s South Africa medal with clasp for Cape Colony.
John returned to Kelsall and was employed as a groom, believed to be at the Castle Hill Stud, Kelsall, owned by John Whittaker Kenworthy of Hurst Hall, Ashton under Lyne. Although renowned for the breeding of Shire horses, the stud also bred sheep and cattle. On 22nd January 1902 John married Alice Beatrice Bosley at Holy Trinity Church, Chester. John and Alice set up home at Hawthorne Cottage. Here they raised their family, Charles Edward born on 13th March 1905 and Frederick Sydney, born 25th October 1907.
In
1907 changes to the military brought the Territorial Force into being.
This force was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime
and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on
the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered
for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and
September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home
service for those unable, due to age, or unwilling to serve overseas) units. This distinction lasted until conscription started
in 1916.
It is not known if John re-enlisted into the Cheshire Yeomanry during the inter war years or when war was declared in August 1914. The requirements for enlistment in 1914 was for men aged 19 to 38 and a minimum height of 5ft 6ins. As John was aged 46 and only 5ft 3 ins tall, he was posted to the 2/1st Buckinghamshire Hussars. This was a 2nd Line regiment formed at Buckingham on 9 September 1914. By March 1915 it was with 2/2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade in 2/2nd Mounted Division, based at King's Lynn in Norfolk.
The cap badges of the Buckinghamshire Hussars and the Cheshire Yeomanry |
While stationed at Kings Lynn John was taken ill with acute bronchitis. He no doubt suffered from complications that nowadays with modern medicines is not considered serious. He was admitted to Cambridge General Hospital, where he died on 17th September 1915. His body was returned to Kelsall for burial at St. Philips Church. As John did not serve overseas, he did not qualify for any of the campaign medals.
John Cooks CWG Headstone |
After John’s death, Alice remained at Hawthorne
Cottage with her two sons. She was
granted a pension of 21 shillings per week, but this was reduced when her sons reached
the age of 18. Alice never remarried and
died on 29th November 1948, aged 69, at Longley Farm. Her son Charles and his wife Elsie Dodd
remained at Hawthorne cottage, while Frederick, a farm bailiff, and his wife Olive
Grice lived in Hall Lane, formerly Lower Longley Lane.
This is the story of John Cook (1868-1915). He is listed on the Kelsall War Memorial and this is the second of our series to remember the men named there; "The Kelsall Men" of our previous research.
Dunvegan39 002
Photo of John Cook, permission of an ancestor.
Photo of gravestone at St Phillips Church, permission of L.Clarke
Photograph of medals, from the Internet.
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