Personal Details

Born: 11 August 1877 in Whitchurch, Shropshire. and baptised on 3 February 1878 in St. Alkmund’s Parish Church.

Family: He was the eldest of two children born to Henry George Matthews, a coal porter, and his wife Mary. The 1939 Register indicates that John was widowed, but we are unable to identify his wife and whether there were any children to the marriage.

Residence: His parents lived in Grindley Brook, Whitchurch when he was baptised; they continued to live there until at least 1881. In 1891 he lived at 25a Newtown Street, Whitchurch and in 1901 was boarding at 11 Newtown Street with his brother in law, moving to number 21 by 1911. In 1919 he lived at 13a Bark Hill, Whitchurch; in 1939 he lived at 1 Mossfield Cottages, Tilstock Road, Whitchurch where he was living when he died.

Employment: In 1901 he was an ostler; in 1911 he was a coachman and in 1939 an odd job labourer.

Died: In 1951 in Whitchurch, aged 74 and was buried in Whitchurch cemetery on 22 December the same year. (The death and burial records indicate he was born in 1874; the birth record and 1939 Register indicate he was born in 1877 – we can be sure these are records for the same man due to the address being the same)

Military Details

Military details not known