Elijah Cresswell

Elijah Cresswell was born in 1890 at Selston and was the son of Elijah a colliery under manager and Ruth Cresswell née Street, of Pye Hill Villas, Jacksdale. His father Elijah was born in 1856 at Kirkby in Ashfield, his mother Ruth Street was born in 1858 also at Kirkby in Ashfield, they were married in 1879 their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District, they went on to have 15 children, sadly two were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were all born in Selston and were, Sarah b1880, Ada b1882, Abner b1883, Charlotte b1894, Lizzie b1889, Elijah b1890, Ruth b1893, Edith Hannah b1895, Francis Cyril b1896, Kate Annie b1898, Arthur William b1900, George b1901 and Leslie b1902. In the 1911 census the family are living at Pye Hill Villas, Jacksdale and are shown as Elijah 54 yrs a colliery under manager, he is living with his wife Ruth 52 yrs and their children Lizzie 22 yrs no occupation listed, Elijah 20 yrs coal miner, Edith Hannah 16 yrs no occupation listed, Frank C 14 yrs a coal miner, Kate Annie 12 yrs a scholar,. Arthur William 11 yrs a scholar and George 9 yrs a scholar. His father Elijah died on 12th January 1912 at Pyehill, he was 55 yrs of age, his mother Ruth died on 21st June 1916 at Pyehill she was 58 yrs of age.

In the 1911 census he is a coal miner.

Private Elijah Cresswell enlisted at Nottingham on 23rd March 1914 he was a coal miner. He served with the 2nd battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, he landed in France in September 1914 and was killed in action on 1st November 1914. He is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (grave ref 3.A.28)

He is listed in a newspaper article, 'Selston Roll of Honour (Jacksdale Ward)'; he was a regular soldier and went overseas with the Expeditionary Force in September 1914. He was killed the same month. Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (grave ref 3.A.28) His younger brother Francis Cyril Creswell also served during the ' Great War' he was a Corporal service number 18795 he initially served with the 2nd battalion East Lancashire Regiment and landed in France on 3rd August 1915, he later transferred to the Machine Guns Corps, he survived the war being discharged on 4th February 1919 his discharge address being 23 New Village, Ingleton.