John Acton was the son of Claude William (also William Claude) and Harriet Sykes (née Acton).
His father Claude William was born in Nottingham in 1870 (O/N/D), the only son of William and Mary Ann Sykes (née Coates) who were married in Nottingham in 1870 (J/F/M). In 1871, William (b. Yorkshire), a foreman tailor, Mary and their son were living on Clinton Terrace, Sherwood Street, Nottingam but had moved to Bradford by 1881 where William was working as a tailors' cutter. His widow Mary (46) and son Claude (20) a tailor, were living in Shipley, Yorkshire, in 1891.
His mother Harriet was born in Arnold, Nottingham, in 1868, the daughter of James and Alice Acton, and baptised at Arnold St Mary on 18 May 1868. In 1881 Harriet was living with her parents and siblings on High Street, Arnold; James was a coal merchant.
Claude and Harriet were married at Arnold St Mary on 24 April 1894 and had two children, Marjorie Acton b. Bradford on 8 August 1896 (reg. 1897 J/F/M) and baptised at Heaton St Barnabus on 20 September 1896 and John Acton b. 1899 bap. Bradford on 29 January 1899.
In 1901 Harriet and her children were recorded in her parent's home at 'Goodwood House', Cross Street, Arnold, while Claude, a commercial traveller, was recorded as a visitor at 3 Mapperley Road, Nottingham, in the home of Herbert Coates, a rope manufacturer, and his family. Herbert was probably a relative of his mother's and also his employer (see Probate details, 'Extra information').
Harriet died on 1 July 1907; the probate record gave her address as Lenton Sands, Nottingham.
Neither her husband nor her children have yet been traced on the 1911 Census. Claude died on 2 July 1915; the probate record gave his address as Ivy Nook, Lenton. Probate was awarded to his widowed mother, Mary Ann Sykes.
John named Mary Ann Sykes of 232 Derby Road, Nottingham, as his next of kin when he attested in September 1916. Mary Ann Sykes probably died in 1925 (O/N/D Nottingham).
His sister Marjorie, a municipal clerk, was living at 232 Derby Road in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Marjorie died on 5 August 1981.