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Kendrick, John

Biographical Details Known

John Kendrick was born in  Denbighshire in 1892 and first appeared on a census in 1901. He was recorded then, living with his family in Hope Village. The head of the houshold was Jesse Kendrick 43, a ‘Circular Sawyer’ who had been born in Shropshire. His wife Elizabeth 35, was a native of Hope. Their listed children were Annie 16, Harry 11, John 9, Herbert 8 and Florence 8 months.

The 1911 census records the family still in Hope Village. Jesse Kendrick was 53 and was listed as a ‘Wood Sawyer’. His wife of 27 years, Elizabeth was 45. She had given birth to 15 children of whom only 9 were still living. Eight of them were at home. Annie 26, Harry 21, John 19 and Herbert 18 (these three eldest sons were all colliery labourers), Florence was 10, Frank 9, Kelly 8 and Percy 6.  This census tells us that John Kendrick was born in Rhosddu Wrexham. There was also a 76 year old visitor at the house, one William Dutton.

John Kendrick married Lizzie Gould in 1916. The marriage was registered in the District of Hawarden (Volume 11a page 325)

Most of what we know about John Kendrick’s brief military career comes from his  Discharge papers in his Army Pension Records which are accessible  onwww.ancestry.co.uk  They tell us that he enlisted on the 13th August 1917.  Five months after enlisting, on the 7th January 1918 he was  the subject of a medical board  which reported that he had suffered from attacks of bronchitis for the last few years before joining the army. There had also been asthma. The board concuded that his condition was not the result of but was aggravated by military service and that it was permanent.

His discharge was formalised on the 28th January 1918. He was described as 26 years old, with a fair complexion and brown eyes with ‘medium’ hair. His trade was ‘collier’ and his home address was Caer Estyn, Hope Village, Wrexham. His military character was ‘good’. His disability was aggravated by his military duties and he had served a total of 169 days.

John died within the year. His death certificate records that he died on the 2nd November 1918 at his home in Hope.  The cause of his death was ‘chronic fibrosis of lung and influenza’. The death was reported to the Registrar by Harry Kendrick, John’s brother who had been present when he died.

The final poignant end to this story is that on on the 6th November 1918, four days after his death, John’s daughter, Elizabeth Kendrick was born in Abermorddu.

 

He also appears on the Hope Memorial


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