Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthApril 13, 1884
Place of BirthElland, Yorkshire
CountryEngland
Marital StatusMarried
Next of KinEdith Barraclough, wife, 7 Grime Street, Chorley, Lancashire, England
Trade / CallingFarmer
ReligionMethodist
Service Details
Regimental Number472604
Service RecordLink to Service Record
Battalion72nd Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Place of EnlistmentSaskatoon, Saskatchewan
Address at EnlistmentNaseby, Saskatchewan
Date of EnlistmentDecember 11, 1915
Age at Enlistment31
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Death Details
Date of DeathNovember 4, 1962
Age at Death78
Buried AtMalvern Cemetery, Lennoxville, Quebec

Barraclough, John Alfred

John Alfred Barraclough was born on 13 April 1884 in Elland, Halifax, Yorkshire in England. His parents David Barraclough, an insurance agent, and Martha Thompson were both from Yorkshire, their marriage registered during the 3rd quarter of 1878 in Halifax, Yorkshire. Children born to the couple were Annie (1879), James Herbert (1882), John Alfred, Samuel Vernon (1886), Arnold Ewart (1891), Mary (1892), and Norman (1898). After first living in Yorkshire, the family then lived in the registration district of Blackrod and latterly in Chorley, both in Lancashire. Following Martha’s death in 1906, David later married Emily Sutcliffe in 1909.

During the 3rd quarter of 1903, in the registration district of Chorley, John married Edith Whaley. Born on 4 February 1882 in Darwen, Lancashire, Edith was the daughter of Henry Whalley, a collier/coal miner, and Margaret Armstrong. Her parents had married on 15 November 1866 in Eccleston by Chorley, Lancashire. Children born to John and Edith were Clarice (1904), Norman (1905), and Edith (1906). At the time of the 1911 England census the family was living on Pilling Lane in Chorley where John was working as an insurance agent. Also living with the family were Edith’s mother and brother Albert. John likely immigrated to Canada in 1912, an age appropriate John Barraclough found on the passenger list of the Virginian that arrived in Halifax on 9 March. However the record indicated that he had previously lived in Canada.

By the time he enlisted on 12 November 1915 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, John was farming in the Naseby area about 115 kilometres west of Saskatoon. Upon enlistment he gave his wife Edith back in Chorley as next of kin. As a Private with the 65th Battalion, John arrived in England aboard the Empress of Britain on 19 June 1916. In July he was appointed Lance Corporal and proceeded to France for service with the 72nd Battalion in August. By September he was promoted to Corporal. From late December 1916 until mid April of 1917 John was hospitalized with severe bronchitis, spending time at the 1st Canadian Field Ambulance, No 3 Red Cross Hospital in Le Touquet, then Convalescent Depots in both Etaples and Cayeux. Rejoining the battalion on 16 April, John was promoted to Lance Sergeant in June. A short time later he sustained shrapnel wounds to the right knee and was admitted to the No 11 and then No 13 Canadian Field Ambulances. In late September he was granted a ten day leave. In late October John was seriously wounded with shrapnel wounds to both legs and breast. First treated at the No 11 Canadian Field Ambulance he was transferred to the No 24 General Hospital in Etaples on 1 November and then evacuated to England to the Berrington War Hospital at Shrewsbury. In mid February John was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital Woodcote Park where it was decided that he be returned to Canada for further treatment. Embarking from Avonmouth aboard the Neuralia, upon arrival in Canada John was admitted to the Military Hospital in Moose Jaw. In March of 1919 he was transferred to the Saskatchewan Military Hospital. That July he was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major whilst employed with the 60th Rifles, posted to Casualty Company. On 3 December 1919, at Regina, John was discharged from service as medically unfit, intended residence given as Moose Jaw.

Following John’s return to Canada, Edith and the children arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 4 July 1918 aboard the Olympic. The passenger list indicated that they were on their way to Naseby, Saskatchewan but they ended up in Moose Jaw. At some point after John’s discharge from service the family moved to the town of Keewatin in northwestern Ontario, a few kilometres west of Kenora. The 1921 census for Keewatin gave John’s occupation as manager. A short time later they relocated to La Tuque in Quebec where the family lived for a number of years. Voters lists for La Tuque gave John’s occupation as gérant (manager) (1935), rentier (annuitant) (1940), and social services man (1949). A 1940 Voters list for Saint-Antoine/Westmount also listed a J and Edith Barraclough, occupation given as insurance. Coming from La Tuque, Edith had travelled back to England for a visit in 1923, arriving back in Canada aboard the Regina on 17 November. By 1953 John had retired, the couple having moved to Lennoxville in Quebec.

Predeceased by Edith on 24 April 1959, John died on 4 November 1962 at Wales Home in Richmond, Quebec. He was also predeceased by his brother Norman (1903), mother, father (1912), stepmother (1937), and brother James (1946), all back in England. At the time of his death he was survived by his children Clarice (George) Day of Berlin, New Hampshire, Norman of Port Arthur, Ontario, and Edith (D’Arcy) Bennett of Lennoxville. John and Edith are interred in the Malvern Cemetery in Lennoxville.

By Judy Stockham

Grave marker photograph by mbarlow092, findagrave.com.
Obituaries provided by Dianne Seale Nolin, Obituary Lookups Canada.