Pte 66708 Albert Jackson

• Age: 23
• From: Bollington, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• Died Wednesday 14th March 1917
• Commemorated at: Bollington, Ches (st J The B)
  Panel Ref: 1178

Albert was born in Bollington, near Macclesfield, in the first quarter of 1894 the son of James Jackson and his wife Elizabeth Ann (née Atkinson) who were married on the 31st July 1893 at St John the Baptist Church, Bollington. James, was a 28 year old bleach worker of Bollington, his father, James, was a labourer, whilst Elizabeth was aged 28, a cotton doubler, also of Bollington, her father, John, was deceased. Albert was baptised on the 04th April 1894 also at St John's Church. His mother had a daughter, Annie Gertrude Atkinson, born in 1890; she was raised as Jackson. Albert had a younger brother Harold, born in 1897. 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at Ingersley Road, Bollington. Albert is 7 years of age and lives with his parents and two siblings. His father, James, is a 36 year old general labourer, born in Rainow, Cheshire, whilst his mother is 36 years of age and was born in Bollington. His siblings, both born in Bollington, are shown as; Annie G. aged 11 and Harold aged 3. 

The family are living at 33 Ingersley Road, Bollington at the time of the 1911 Census. Albert is by then aged 17 and working as a carrier at a brickworks. His parents are both present, his father is 45, is employed in a bleach works, and his mother, 48, is recorded as being deaf. They advise that they have been married for 17 years and have had three children all of whom have survived. His sister Annie is 21 years old and is a layer on at a cotton mill, whilst his brother Harold is 13 years of age and is at school. 

Albert enlisted in Macclesfield and was serving with the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 66708 when he died of pneumonia whilst training at Oswestry on 14th March 1917, aged 23. He died at Oswestry Military Hospital.

His death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 23rd March 1917, under the heading:

Recruit's death at Oswestry

"We regret to state that Private Albert Jackson, Ches. Regt., [sic] son of Mr. James Jackson, 33, Ingersley Road, Bollington, died in hospital at Oswestry on Friday.
Private Jackson was 23 year of age, and received his education at the Church Schools, being also a regular attendant at the Sunday School.  He was formerly employed at Messrs. Hammond's brickworks, and had only been in the Army a month.  He went into training at Oswestry, and there contracted pneumonia.  His brother, Private Harold, is serving with the Royal Field Artillery.  The body was conveyed home by rail, and the interment took place quietly at the Parish Church on Monday afternoon, the Rev. A. J. Morris officiating."

Park Hall Camp, Oswestry. Shropshire.

At the outbreak the First World War, Major Wynne Corrie moved into Shrewsbury, and handed over the Hall to the military as their local headquarters. Although it had been a wet and miserable winter, by Spring of 1915, over 900 labourers were busy constructing the camp in the grounds of the old Hall. The camp was in constant use throughout the war, training and dispatching troops to the Front. There was a military hospital in the camp."

Albert now rests at St John the Baptist Churchyard in Bollington.

There are 15 burials from the First World War in the Churchyard. 

He is remembered on the Bollington War Memorial and St Oswald's Church War Memorial.

He is listed among the “fallen at the post of duty” on the 1917 Roll of Honour. He was named as one of those "who have paid the Supreme Sacrifice during the War" at a Solemn Requiem Service held at St John's at 10.30 am on 03 November 1918.

Soldiers Effects (which shows 17th Labour Co.,  K.L.R.) went to his father, James, who received Albert's outstanding Army pay of £2 11s 6d but a War Gratuity was not paid as Albert had served for less than 6 months. Pension to his mother, Elizabeth. 

The pension card (which gives his unit as the Labour Corps) in the name of his mother shows that she was awarded a dependent's pension of 5 shillings a week for life from January 1918. After her death (apparently in 1922 at the age of 56), the pension was paid to his father (the pension ledger shows Labour Company).  

Albert was ineligible for war medals, not having served overseas.

On the 1921 Census at Ingersley Road, his father, James, is aged 56, a labourer in bleach works, his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 55, Lucy is aged 37. 

His mother died, aged 56, in 1922. 

His brother, Harold's service record with the R.F.A. has not been identified. He later married and had a son he called Albert.

He lived through the Second World War and died in 1948, at the age of 82.

We currently have no further information on Albert Jackson. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.