Pte John Charles Wootton

John was born in South Weald in 1877 - his parents were an example of people who had moved to the expanding town of Brentwood in the late 19th century, his father was from Devon and his mother was from Scotland. His father worked as a laundryman at the Essex County Lunatic Asylum, which is where John himself would later work as an attendant after leaving school.

John had been working there for about 20 years when he was called up to fight in the first world war aged 39 in September 1916. He originally was stationed in Warley until January 1917 when he was transferred the Royal Sussex Regiment. He was still in the UK at the end of 1917 when he was admitted to hospital in Cambridge with laryngitis.

John was transfereed to the London Regiment in June 1918, by which time he had trained as a Lewis Gunner, and sailed from Folkstone to Boulogne on 3rd July 1918. This Battalion fought at Ypres and during the advance in Flanders up until the end of the war.

Unfortunately, there was a tragedy at home in November 1918 while John was still in France. At the start of November, his wife and five of his six children were suddenly taken ill with 'pneumonia', although it may have been Spanish Flu. Within a week three of his children had died. His military records show that John was granted leave at the end of November to return to England, this leave was twice extended and on 20th December they decided he should stay in England. He was discharged on 25th January 1919.

John remained living in Brook Street with his family until he died in 1932 aged 55.