John Henry Lakin

John Henry was born in 1893 in Nottingham and was the son of William Henry a fish hawker and Mary Lakin née Balchin. His father William Henry was born in 1871 in Nottingham and his mother Mary Elizabeth Balchin was born in 1873 in Nottingham , they were married in 1893 in Nottingham and went on to have 7 children, however 2 died in infancy or childhood prior to the 1911. Their surviving children were:- John Henry b1893, William b1901, Lottie b1907, Anne b1909 and Mary E b1911. In the 1901 census the family were living at Martin Street, St Anns, Nottingham and by the 1911 census they are living at 7 Sheridan Street, Nottingham, they were shown as:- William Henry 40 yrs head of the family and a fish hawker, he is living with his wife Mary 38 yrs a lace dresser, they are living with their children John 18 yrs a lace dresser, William 10 yrs scholar, Lottie 4 yrs Anne 2 yrs and Mary e 4 months. John married Florence Rose Cooper in 1915 in Nottingham. Following John's death his widow re married and became of Florence Rose Harvey and went to live at 2 Radford Bridge Road Old Radford Nottingham.

He was a carter for Thomas Foreman newspaper proprietors

John enlisted in Nottingham and served with the 15th bantam battalion Sherwood Foresters. He was wounded whilst serving with the battalion in France and was returned to England for treatment to his wounds. On 28th July 1916 at the Military Hospital in Manchester he died from his wounds. His body was returned to his family in Nottingham where he was buried with full military honours on 3rd August 1916 at the General Cemetery, Nottingham

Twenty-three year old Pte. John Lakin, 15th (Bantam ) Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, died of wounds on 28th July 1916. He was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery on 3rd August 1916, where he is commemorated on the Screen Wall. Obituary published 31st July 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “LAKIN. – On July 30th, died of wounds, Private John Lakin, Sherwood Foresters, beloved husband of Rose Lakin, 1, Bridge-row, Mount-street. Duty nobly done.” Article from the 'Nottingham Evening Post', dated 3rd August 1916 : - “PLUCKY LITTLE SOLDIER. “NOTTINGHAM'S FIRST "BANTAM" FUNERAL. “The first of the Nottingham "Bantams" to be buried in his native city, after falling in the great advance, is Private John Lakin, of Mount-street, aged 22, whose funeral took place in the General Cemetery to-day [3rd August 1916], in the presence of a large and sympathetic gathering. The coffin, covered by the Union Jack, was carried to its last resting place on the shoulders of soldiers. Lakin was brought from France to a hospital in Manchester, where, despite the care which he received, he speedily sank. He was formerly employed as a carter by the proprietors of this journal. There were many beautiful wreaths.” Above obituary and article are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918