BOOTH, James. CH. WW1.

Died 08/06/1916 Age 67. Serjeant, Grenadier Guards, Service Number 2872. Headstone is in the Soldiers Plot but is not on the CWGC website. Burial 13 June 1916.

James BOOTH was born in early 1847, the son of John Booth and his wife Caroline of Shirley Wick, Weston-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, and baptised at Weston-upon-Trent on 6 June 1847. He joined the army at Derby on 3 May 1867 giving his age as 18 (he was probably a year or two older than that) and occupation a labourer. The same age discrepancy continues throughout his life. Promoted to Corporal on 25 May 1876, to Serjeant on 20 Nov 1877 and to Colour Serjeant on 30 Oct 1879, he served in England and Ireland and in 1891 was a Recruiting Serjeant in Derby, leaving active service on 7 May 1893. He had a colourful service medical history, contracting numerous diseases and with several reductions in rank though drunkenness.

Whilst in service, aged 31, James Booth married Alice Powell, aged 27, on 1 January 1881 at St. Saviours Church, Battersea, Surrey. In 1881 he and Alice were living at 32 Cow Lane, Northampton, by 1891 they were living at 15 Lower Dale Road, Derby together with Frederick Powell, a police constable and probably Alice’s brother, as a lodger. In 1901 and 1911 James and Alice were at 35 Lower Dale Road, Derby.

James BOOTH died on 8 June 1916, and on 13 June 1916 following a service held at St. Augustine’s Church he was buried in Nottingham Road Cemetery. His funeral report gives his age as 67, however since he was baptised on 6 June 1847 he was probably 69.

Following James’ death in 1916 his widow Alice became a domestic servant and in 1921 was employed in Ockbrook, Derby. In 1939 Alice was living at 23 Macklin Street; she died in Derby in late 1945 at the grand age of 92.

Sources: Northampton Census of 1891, Derby Census of 1901, 1911 and 1921, 1939 Register for Derby. Register of Deaths in Derby for 1945. Marriage Certificate. Baptism Record. Military Service Record. Newspaper articles and announcements.

Funeral Report Derby Daily Telegraph 15 June 1916.