John was born at Hardington in 1844, the youngest son of Matthew and Mary Ann. His father was a farm labourer and, later, the landlord of the New Inn.

John has not been found on the census of 1861.

By April 1871, he was in the Royal Marine Artillery. On the night of 2 April 1871, he was a gunner on board a vessel named “King Alfred” in Grassey Bay, Bermuda. On the night of 3 April 1881, he was a bombardier on board “Minotaur” anchored off Gibraltar.

In August 1881, at Hardington, he married Charlotte Partridge, the daughter of Abraham Partridge, a Lyatts smallholder. Their son, Christopher John, was born at Hardington on 10 July 1882, but Charlotte died soon after childbirth, aged 33.

On 29 May 1883, John attended North Perrott Club Day, at which Rear-Admiral Hoskins spoke of the role played by John’s corps, the Royal Marine Artillery, in defeating 10,000 Egyptian troops near Kassassin.[1]

On 22 June 1883, J Bartlett of the New Inn, Hardington, advertised a house with an orchard and garden at Lyatts for sale.[2] John was probably selling the property as part of his plan to move to Southampton, where his sister, Elizabeth, lived.

On 3 July 1884, John married Ann Pearson Belton, a cook at North Perrott rectory. The North Perrott marriage register records John’s occupation as “Pensioner Boatman”.

On 29 April 1885, the couple had a son, Harold Francis, born in Southampton.

By 1887, John was a Customs Officer at Southampton. He died on 21 March 1887, aged 41. An inquest into the cause of death returned a verdict of syncope, resulting from injuries received from falling into the water while leaving a ship.

The Western Gazette reported that the deceased was well known at Hardington and much respected.[3]

His widow returned to live at North Perrott, even though she originally came from Rutland. Her stepson, Christopher John, joined the village school on 2 May 1887.[4]

She died intestate on 6 September 1903 at the age of 55, leaving effects valued at £86-19s-8d.[5]

References

[1] Western Gazette 1 June 1883 p. 7.

[2] Western Gazette, 22 June 1883 p.6.

[3] Western Gazette, 25 March 1887, p.6.

[4] North Perrott School Admissions Register.

[5] Probate Calendars.