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 10 th September 1864. Emma died in 1878, possibly following the birth of her third daughter Jemima. With a young family to raise William remarried on 13 th 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 deca...
