Lives of the First World War

known 27th February 2018

EARLY LIFE James William Jackson Jones was born on 10 March and baptised on 15 August 1893 at St Barnabas Church, Grimsby, the son of Alice (nee Martin; born Barking, Essex) and William Jones, a labourer of 202 Burgess St, Grimsby. On 24 April 1899 James and his younger brother Charles were enrolled at Central Market School, Grimsby, having previously attended Garden Street School. Their home address at this time was 45 Burgess St, Grimsby. In 1901, eight-year-old James was living at 45 Upper Burgess St, Grimsby, with his mother and siblings Martin (14), Jessie (10), Charles (6), Frank (3) and George (1), his father being away at sea at the time. It is not known why James was sent to Macclesfield but he entered Macclesfield Industrial School on 1st June 1905 and left in November 1908. His younger brother Charles Lionel Jackson Jones also attended the Industrial School; he left the school in 1911, enlisted in the 3rd Cheshire Regiment in Macclesfield in November 1912 (service number 9444), and served in the Great War with the Royal Field Artillery (service no 76849), as shown on the school’s Roll of Honour. In his service records, Charles names his parents, William and Alice Jones (of 100 Burgess St, Grimsby) and older brothers Martin and William (both serving with the Royal Navy) as his next of kin. In the 1911 census, James was working as a farm labourer for William Trueman at Tetlow Fold Farm, Godley, Hyde. James was later known by his second name, William. WW1 SERVICE James joined the Royal Navy with service number K/13545 on 29 December 1911 as William Jones, giving his date and place of birth as 10 March 1893, Grimsby. He was described in his service records as 5 feet 4 inches tall, with a 35½ inch chest, light brown hair, blue eyes, and a fresh complexion. He had four dots tattooed on his left wrist and three on the right. After four months of training, William served for ten months as a Stoker, Class I on HMS King Alfred, as shown on the Macclesfield Industrial School war memorial. William then underwent a further two months of training and was transferred to HMS Indefatigable on 12 April 1913, where he served during the war. His character was described as “very good” throughout his service. The Macclesfield Courier of 5th August 1916 states that he was lost during the Battle of Jutland; did not participate in that battle, so he must have transferred to another ship. Another discrepancy is that the but the newspaper names him as J W J Jones. William’s death was reported in the Macclesfield Courier on 5 August 1916: INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL ROLL OF HONOUR A letter has been received at the Macclesfield Certified Industrial School stating that J W J Jones, who entered the school on June 1st 1905, and left in November, 1908, went down in the Jutland Battle. COMMEMORATION William Jones has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel Ref. 16 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Stoker William Jones, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website. Locally, William Jones is commemorated on the Macclesfield Industrial School war memorial, but was erroneously named as J W I Jones, serving on HMS King Alfred. Elsewhere, he is commemorated in the War Memorial Chapel at Grimsby Minster (St James Church). NOTES Brother of Charles Lionel Jackson Jones, who served as Private 76849 with the Royal Field Artillery; and Henry Edwin Martin Jones, who served as Able Seaman 227208 with the Royal Navy. Both survived the war. SOURCES GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births Lincolnshire Parish Baptism Registers: St Barnabas Church, Grimsby National School Admission Registers and Log-books: Central Market School, Grimsby Census (England & Wales): 1901, 1911 WWI British Army Service Records 1914-1920 British Royal Navy Seamen 1899-1924 (Find My Past) Commonwealth War Graves Commission website Lives of the First World War website Macclesfield Courier: 5 August 1916

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