John Truman

John Alfred Trueman was born in 1896 (J/F/M Barnsley) at Platts Common, Hoyland, Barnsley, and was the son of Alfred and Sarah Trueman née Green. of Wombwell Road, Platts Common, Barnsley. His father Alfred was born in 1853 at Bulwell, Nottingham; he died in 1915 at Barnsley aged 62 yrs. His mother Sarah Green was born in 1856 at Radcliffe, Nottinghamshire; she died in 1910 at Barnsley aged 54 yrs. They were married in 1875; the marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration district. They went on to have seven children, sadly five were to die in infancy or early childhood. Their second surviving child was Lily b. Bulwell 1886 (Truman (sic), J/F/M Nottingham). Alfred, a coal miner, Sarah and their daughter Lily (5) were living at Newington, Duckworth, Barnsley, in 1891, lodgers in the home of Hannah Gelder, a widow. By 1901 Alfred (49) and Sarah (45) were at 11 Silver Street, Nether Hoyland, Barnsley, with their son John (5). Also in the household were five boarders who all worked in the coal mining industry. In the 1911 census the family was living at Wombwell Road, Platts Common, Barnsley, and are shown as Alfred Trueman 58 yrs a widower and a collier ('unable to work') who is living with his son John Alfred Trueman 15 yrs a colliery trammer. John Alfred Trueman married his wife Celia TRUMAN (born 1890 Basford) in 1916 (J/F/M Nottingham). Celia was the daughter of Joseph Truman, a wicker furniture maker, and his wife Celia. In 1911 the family was living at 2 Bagnall Lane, Basford; Celia (21) was a blouse maker machinist. An 'In memoriam' notice in the local paper in 1918 gives John's address at the time of his death as 3 Nuttall (sic) Road, Nottingham. Another record gives his widow Celia's address as 'Pretoria Villas', Nuthall Road, Cinderhill, Nottingham.

In 1911 he was a coal trammer

John Alfred Trueman enlisted at Birdwell Yorkshire, and served with the 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. John landed in France on 27th August 1915. He was killed in action on 7th January 1917 when the working party he was a member of was hit by enemy shellfire. One officer and seven other ranks were killed in the incident; they are all buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) - John's grave ref. VII. D. 6.

NOTE: spelling of surname changes from 'Trueman' to 'Truman'. 'In memoriam' notice published 7th January 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “TRUMAN. – In loving memory of Pte. John Alfred Truman, 3, Nuttall-road, 9th York and Lancasters, killed in action January 7th, 1917. Sleep on, dear one, in a far off land, in a grave I may never see; but as long as life and memory lasts, I will remember thee, who gave his life for one and all. – From his sorrowing wife Celia.” Above notice courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.