James's Story.
Weaverham St. Mary’s “Roll of Honour” records four Ellison lads,
F. (Fred) Ellison, & J. (James) Ellison, (Fred and James are brothers.)
Cheshirebmd records 12 Ellison lads born in Weaverham in the years 1880 – 1900 including one lad named James born in 1891 and a lad named Fred in 1893 in Weaverham.
H. (Hubert) Ellison. & R. (Rowland) Ellison. (Hubert and Rowland are cousins.)
Cheshirebmd records a Hubert in 1892 and a Rowland born in 1876 in Weaverham.
Fred and James
The 1901 census has an Ellison family living on Station Road. Walter head of the family, aged 36, Carter at the Chemical Works, born Weaverham; Alice, wife, aged 36 born Weaverham; James, aged 9 and Fred aged 7 then Annie aged 4 all born W/ham. In 1911 James is living with a Done family at Bridge Farm, Anderton.
V.A.D. - record a Mrs Alice Ellison of The West End, Weaverham Sewn and Knitted for the Wounded. This looks like Alice, mother of James and Fred.
(Father Walter, his employment is “Carter at Chemical Works.” Is this B. M. & Co.? B. M. & Co. will have been very understanding of lads returning, being discharged and wanting, needing employment. It was also very common in the company to employ families and with that they could well have taken on James and Fred, as suggested for each of the lads stories.)
James, (Pte.)
Guardian Article 7th Dec. 1917; WEAVERHAM M.M.
Private J. Ellison of the Kings Liverpool Regiment, whose mother lives at 5 Station Road Weaverham has been awarded the Military Medal.
&
Guardian Article 14th Dec. 1917; WEAVERHAM MILITARY MEDALLIST.
Weaverham can claim another Military Medallist in Private James Ellison, of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment). The gallant soldier who is 26 year of age, enlisted at the beginning of the war in the Cheshire Regiment and was wounded on April 3rd 1916 returned to the front in July of this year (1917). He is the son of Mr. and Mrs Walter Ellison of 5 Station Road, and in civil life was an employee of the Weaver Refining Co., at Acton Bridge. As a boy he was a chorister at Weaverham Parish Church. A brother has served in the Army but has obtained his discharge. (From the London Gazette, see below, James’s M.M. was “Gazetted” April 1918 and he was with the Labour Corps at that time so a little confused by this article.)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 2 APRIL, 1918. P 4017 Publication Date 29th March 1918.
His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal to the undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Men: —39159 Pte. J. Ellison, Labour Corps (Northwich).
LONDON GAZETTE, 19th Aug 1919, P10557
33103 Pte. (A./Cpl.) J. Ellison, MM., 13th Bn., E. Lanes. R. (Northwich).
N.A.M.C. - have a medal card for James Ellison, with the Cheshire Reg’t. No 11874, Private. There is also reference to the East Lancashire Regiment No 33103 Acting Corporal, and the Labour Corps 39159 Acting Corporal. (No reference to the Kings Liverpool Reg’t.) Awarded British, Victory and 15 Star medals, Theatre of War 1 (France), date of Entry 19/7/15.
Some service documents are available for James, he enlisted on 28/8/14 at Chester and his service “reckons” from that date. James stood at 5ft 6in, weight 126lbs, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was posted with the 8th Bn. Pte., 1/9/14, then with the 9th Bn. joining the Exp. Force to France 19/7/15. James appears to have been injured with admittance on 14/4/16, the injury was “Gun shot wounds to the right ankle,” with medical transfer whilst with the 9th Cheshire on recommendation for convalescent treatment. Further posting on the 8/9/16 Depot Chester/50th Training Bn, and a posting on 14/10/16, to the No1 Labour Coy, transferred to Liverpool Reg’t. 5/2/17. James was awarded British, Victory and 15 Star medals. There is also reference to a M.M. medal with a date 2/4/18.
A service form for James, references M.M. & Bar. The document also gives the address as 5 Station Road, Weaverham. A second form with the date of 26/11/18 awarded the “Bar” to Military Medal.
B. M. & Co. - record in their Post WW1 listings a James Ellison, Cpl., 13th East Lancs., and that he had been wounded. (If this is the same James Ellison there was very limited space on the R.o.H. booklet for Reg’t details and James above had time with the East Lancs Reg’t. but his M.M. award would normally have been mentioned if they where aware of it.)
The 1921 census has James living with his wife's family at Little Leigh. James and Martha Turner had married on the 21/1/1920 at St. Mary’s Weaverham. (No N/wich Guardian article found.) James is recorded as working at B.M. & Co. Winnington Wks.
Martha’s brother, John William Turner, is one of the “Fallen” as remembered on the Little Leigh Memorial
Research Bob H.