David Samuel Jackson’s family story is complex. To explain it we begin before he was born. The 1891 census records Margaret Fairhurst, 37, a widow living in Pentre, Cheshire (Later in Flintshire). Her listed children were James Fairhurst 14, John N. Fairhurst 12, Florence Fairhurst 7, and Bertha Fairhurst 3. There was a boarder, Margaret’s brother Hugh Jones a 39 year old General Labourer. Everyone in the household had been born in Hawarden, Flintshire. (The brother’s name, Hugh Jones, informs us that Margaret’s maiden name was Jones).
Margaret Fairhurst (nee Jones) remarried in 1892. Her new husband was Robert Jackson and they married at the Holy Trinity Church, Chester. (CE12/4/174).
The1901 census records the family living in Saltney Road, Sandycroft Hawarden,Cheshire. Head of the household Robert Jackson, 50 was a Ship Carpenter who had been born in Northop Flintshire. His wife Margaret was 49. Their listed children were Bertha Fairhurst 12, David Samuel Jackson 8, Hugh Jackson 5, Margaret Ann Jackson 4 and Samuel Charles Jackson 1.
The 1911 census records a large family (12 people) living in 4 rooms in Excelsior Cottage, Queensferry. Margaret Jackson was once again a widow. She was 60 and a charwoman. The family consisted of a mix of Fairhursts, Jacksons and Colleys. All the men were working. David S Jackson was 18 and a scrap cutter in the Ironworks.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms his regimental details as above and tells us that his birthplace was Pentre, Flintshire and he enlisted in Wrexham. His medal card, also on ‘ancestry’, lists his medal entitlement and tells us that his first Theatre of War was the Balkans and he entered this on 28th June 1915. Almost exactly 1 year later he was killed in Action on the 30th June 1016.
There is an index card for David Jackson in the Flintshire Roll of Honour in the County Record Office in Hawarden. 1 It gave his address as 77, Excelsior Terrace, Queensferry.
David’s name is on the Queensferry “Roll of Honour” as having survived and the Queensferry School Plaque as having died. They are both in the Queensferry War Memorial Institute. There is a David Jackson on the Memorial Plaque in St. Andrew’s Church, Garden City and I am assuming he is the same soldier, if you have any information to the contrary, please get in touch.
There is a V. Jackson on the St. Ethelwold’s Church Memorial Screen that is to the left of the Altar, but I cannot find anything about him, so I am wondering if there was a mistake on the name, “V” being carved instead of “D”. If anyone knows of any information of a V. Jackson I would be very glad to hear from them to help solve his mystery.