Great-Uncle Jim

Great Uncle Jim in Uniform
I never knew Great Uncle Jim, more properly known as James William Marsden. He died in 1936, eight years before I was born. As I got older and developed an interest in Family History, I was fascinated by stories I had heard about this man and his family.
James entered this world on Monday, 2nd of March 1896, the son of James William (senior) and Sarah Rosa Marsden, formerly Butcher. He was baptised at Withington Parish Church on 3rd of May 1897, the family living at 5, Hill Street. James (senior) was recorded as a “Plate layer" at the time.

Baptism Record of Great Uncle Jim
By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to Blackburn and were living at 136, Bottomgate. James was by now aged 5 years and also had a sister, Sarah Lilian aged 9 months, who was later to become my Grandmother. James William (senior) was recorded as “App Labourer Electricals” and his place of birth “London, Clerkenwell”.
By 1904, James was enrolled at Accrington Road Mixed School, having previously attended Furthergate School. The family was now living at 135, Burnley Road, Blackburn. I can’t help wondering whether the house move from Bottomgate to Burnley Road was the reason for the change of school.
By the time of the 1911 census, James, who was now aged 15 years, and still living at 135, Burnley Road, is described as a “reacher” in a cotton spinning factory, his sister, Sarah Lilian, was now aged ten years.
Off to War
Jim’s life was now about to have a different look about it as just over three years after his 15th birthday, war had been declared and on the 14th August 1914, he was at the Accrington recruiting office where he signed up “for the duration”. He was assigned to the 6th East Lancashire Regiment as a “Sapper”, regimental number 278688. He wasn’t a big man, being recorded as 5 ft 4 inches tall and weighing eight and a half stones in weight. At that time he was described as working as a Foundry Labourer. You can only imagine the excitement of James and his pals with the thought of this great adventure as they set about their training.
On 19th February 1915, British and French ships began a naval assault on the Dardanelles. The allies suffered large losses from Turkish mines and withdrew on 18th March. Military landings on the Gallipoli peninsula followed in April and in August. Each fresh attempt was defeated and by mid-January 1916, all Allied troops had been evacuated and the attack on the Dardanelles abandoned with heavy casualties on both sides.
Jim was involved in the attacks on the Dardanelles from 15th June 1915 until 8th August 1915 when he suffered from gunshot wounds to his right shoulder and through his arm.
From the scant remains of military records, we know that, having been wounded during those battles, on the 9th August 1915 he was taken on board HS Alaunia which was serving as a hospital ship. James’ wounds are described as “Gunshot in right shoulder and knee”.
On 8th September he was taken to Alexandria. From there, on the 20th September 1915, he was invalided to England on board the hospital ship “Glengorm Castle”. By 1917, he had been transferred to the Royal Engineers at Chatham. We know that he underwent four operations, mainly for draining and redressing the wounds and spent a full year in hospital. He was discharged from hospital on 22nd March 1917.
Hospital Ship Glengorm Castle on which Great Uncle Jim was evacuated back to England (see not below)
The army eventually decided that he would not be fit for active service and he was discharged in February 1919 and transferred to the Army Reserve on 8th March 1919.
Back to Civilian Life
Jim seems to have settled into life as a civilian, again living at 135, Burnley Road, Blackburn from where, on 28th February, 1920, he married Ada Waring, also of 135, Burnley Road, Blackburn, at the Parish Church of St. Jude, Blackburn. James is described as a bachelor and a labourer whilst Ada is described as a spinster and a weaver.
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Ada Waring, James Marsdens Wife.
Mariage Record of James William Marsden and Ada Waring in 1920
By the time of the 1921 census, James and Ada were living at 10, St. Thomas Street, Blackburn, both were described as being “out of work”. In November 1923, the couple were blessed with a son, James Edward Marsden. Sadly, the baby died, aged six days, and was buried in Blackburn Cemetery on 27th November (Grave Number A 3089).
The trail goes cold from this point, until 1936, when we find details of Jim and his wife, Ada, living in a caravan at Higher Bojorrow, Mawgan in Menea and working in Cornwall. He was described as a steam roller driver.

Ada Marsden on the Motor Bike Jim was on when he was Killed.
In July 1936, Jim was involved in a motor accident. He was riding his motor bike with a man named William Smith of Carn View, Parkbottom. Approaching Base Corner, Mawgan in Menea, they were in collision with an Austin Seven driven by Edith May Meredith who was accompanied by two other women. She was on the wrong side of the road when she hit the motor bike. Jim was taken to the Helston and District Cottage Hospital where he died of “shock and haemorrhage following fracture of base of skull” on the 13th July, 1936.
There are some newspaper reports, none of which are dated, and they are not easy to read but the last one tells us that the defendant, Edith May Meredith, was fined £2.10s with £12.10s costs. The defendant’s licence was not even endorsed!
Death Certificate of James Marsden
Jim was buried in the graveyard of the Parish Church of Mawgan-in-Meneage on 16th July, 1936.
Having researched Great Uncle Jim’s story, it does bring to mind the irony of his time with all the horrors of the Dardanelles – back to civilian life with his marriage and the loss of his new born son – only to be killed on a country road on Cornwall. There must have been many thousands of soldiers such as Jim who returned with the mental scars from their time abroad.

Four Wounded Soldiers. James Marsden is on the left behind the Wheeled Stretcher

James Marsden on his Steam Roller
Brian Houghton
Published May 2024