Burslem or Stoke on Trent libraries - is anyone able to go?

[GallowayLass]

Reinstated by Moderator

Hello,

I need some help please with a brick wall I have hit with my grandmother's only brother.

John (Jack) William Harrison was born 2 September 1896 at 26 North Street, Stoke on Trent, the son of William Harrison and Mary Eliza Ackerley. An elemetary school teacher, he fought in WW1. He was heavily gassed but later returned to teaching and died at his parent's house 64 Ricardo Street, Burslem, Stoke on Trent on 18 November 1922.

I have his funeral announcement from a local newspaper (The Evening Sentinel) but I am hoping to find an obituary or any mention of him in war news reported locally eg. news of his being gassed. I would like to know more about his war service but nobody has a record of his service number or even which regiment he served with and without the service number I am completely stuck.

Many thanks,
Christine

[bishenbertie]

I have looked at all the military records online that I could find and the problem is the name John Harrison is abundant and it will not be easy to identify the correct man.

[GallowayLass]

Reinstated by Moderator

Gosh! Thanks for looking into this for me. I had forgotten this post. In the couple of years since, I have got a service number. He was in the Royal Engineers as (T)794 and 488169. No records other than his medal card though are on ancestry website.

I'd still like to find anything printed about him in the local papers, as he was a well-respected man according to my Gran when she was alive. We've no idea which school he taught at though and any information about his life in the community would be invaluable.

[bishenbertie]

For reference 1901 census has John with his grandparents the Ackerleys living at 78 Cliff Bank, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire:-

ACKERLEY, William Head Married M 62 1839 Potters Dust Grinder Middlewich   
ACKERLEY, Frances Wife Married F 57 1844 Gt Hayward Staffordshire   
ACKERLEY, Annie Daughter Single F 22 1879 Potters Attendant  Stoke     
ACKERLEY, William Hy Son Single M 17 1884 Potters Warehouseman
 Gt Hayward Staffordshire   
BAKER, Henry Brother-In-Law Single M 50 1851 Bricklayer's Labourer
 Walsall Staffordshire   
BAKER, Frederick Boarder Single M 27 1874 Handbill Distributor  Stoke
HARRISON, Doris Grand Daughter Single F 7 1894  Stoke
HARRISON, John Grand Son Single M 4 1897 Stoke
 
Piece:2609 Folio:88 Page:13      Registration District:Stoke upon Trent

 
 

[bishenbertie]

I couldn't find him on any military records on FindMyPast as a Royal Engineer. 

I will continue the search for any other info I can find.

[GallowayLass]

Reinstated by Moderator

Quote from: bishenbertie on Friday 13 January 12 20:46 GMT (UK)

For reference 1901 census has John with his grandparents the Ackerleys living at 78 Cliff Bank, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire:-

ACKERLEY, William Head Married M 62 1839 Potters Dust Grinder Middlewich   
ACKERLEY, Frances Wife Married F 57 1844 Gt Hayward Staffordshire   

HARRISON, Doris Grand Daughter Single F 7 1894  Stoke
HARRISON, John Grand Son Single M 4 1897 Stoke

That's them, although Gran's name is given wrongly in the returns, she is Dory. In 1911 they were at 64 Ricardo Street, Burslem where John died in 1922 followed by his father a year later.

[GallowayLass]

Reinstated by Moderator

Quote from: bishenbertie on Friday 13 January 12 20:58 GMT (UK)

I couldn't find him on any military records on FindMyPast as a Royal Engineer. 

I will continue the search for any other info I can find.

You're a star, thankyou