Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1891 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/877,
the fourth son of Edward and Louisa Jessie Marriott (nee Haddy).

In April 1891 Edward & Louisa Jessie Marriott, along with their six
children an one servant were residing at 19 Plymouth Avenue, Chorlton Upon
Medlock, Manchester - probably where John was born later that year.

1901 Census - 65 Moss Road, Urmston.   Son - aged: 9 - born: Manchester.  
Head of household - Edward Marriott - Married - aged: 42 - occ: Buyer of
Cotton Goods - born: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire.  Also - Louisa J.
Marriott - Wife - aged: 42 - born: Devenport, Devonshire.    Plus 6
siblings.

His mother - Louisa Jessie Marriott died during the December quarter 1904
in the Ormskirk R.D. - ref: 8b/560 (26th October 1904) and his father
married Annie Mills in 1910.

1911 Census - 220 Stockport Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport.     Now listed
as ALFRED - Son - aged: 19 - occ: General Insurance Agency Inspector -
born: Longsight, Manchester.    Head of household - Edward Marriott -
Married - aged: 51 - occ: Cotton Goods Buyer Salesman - born: Wilford,
Nottinghamshire.    Also - Annie Marriott - Wife - aged: 52 - born:
Ardwick, Manchester.   Plus 2 siblings and 1 domestic servant.

I am most grateful to Neil Drum & Pete Thomas for allowing me to use
verbatim, the following extract from their superb 623 page book "A District
at War - Irlam & Cadishead's Part in the Great War", an incredibly detailed
and comprehensive book that is not only a credit to them, but a magnificent
memorial to the WW1 men of that district.

John Alfred was born in Longsight on 26th October 1891 (his service record
incorrectly states 1892), the fourth son of Edward and Louisa Jessie
Marriott. He lived with his parents and their other eight children in
Spring Bank, Irlam from about 1897 to 1901 and then moved to Urmston,
Manchester.

Around 1904 they again moved, this time to Ainsdale-on-Sea, near Southport.
His mother died on 26th October 1904 (there is a memorial plaque in Irlam
Parish Church, Irlam for Louisa Jessie Marriott, formerly of the parish). 
His sister married Robert Hall Martin, the son of the long-serving parish
vicar, Dr Robert Martin, DD and this probably maintained the family's
connection with the area. John was a scholar at Christ Church Higher Grade
School (somewhere in or near Southport) between 1905 and 1908, and after
leaving, he entered commercial life. In December 1912 he emigrated to
Canada where he resided with his wife, Emily, at 90 Neville Park Boulevard,
Toronto, Canada. He was the only one of his family to leave for Canada. 
Prior to enlisting into the Army John was employed as a ledger-keeper with
Canadian General Electric and had also spent six months with the Queen's
Own Rifles, as part of the active militia.

On 22nd September 1914 he enlisted into the Queen's Own Rifles at
Valcartier, in the Province of Quebec. On enlistment, he was 22 years 11
months of age, and was described as 5 foot 7 inches tall, with a fair
complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was
Church of England. On 4th October he sailed on board the SS Tunisia from
Quebec to Plymouth, England, and was posted to Salisbury Plain where he and
the battalion spent over three months in tents through a cold, muddy
winter. The battalion sailed for France, disembarking at St Nazaire on 11th
February 1915. Two days later they were billeted at Merris, 15 miles from
Armentieres, where they took part in trench routines with the Imperials. On
4th March the battalion went into the line at Fleurbaix.

Around noon on 14th March, John was at his post with several comrades in a
captured German trench at Bois Grenier, in the vicinity of Neuve Chapelle,
when a shell burst close over them. He was struck by shrapnel in the lower
part of his body, wounding him severely. He could not be removed from the
trench until after dusk the same evening, when he was admitted to No.1
Canadian Field Ambulance at Sailly, suffering from a wound in the abdomen.
Everything possible was done for him but he passed peacefully away at about
2pm on the next day, 15th March 1915, while under the influence of an
opiate. He was 24 years old. He is interred in the Canadian Cemetery (1st
Infantry Brigade Section) at Sailly Sur-La-Lys, between Armentieres and
Neuve Chapelle. A large wooden cross was erected bearing the word Canada,
his regimental number, battalion, and his name. This was later replaced by
a CWGC gravestone which has the following inscription: "He readily answered
the call & nobly gave his good life to save us".
The battalion war diary for this day records: Support Farm, Sub Sec 5. -
Fine day. enemy quiet in our front, 3 other ranks wounded. Very heavy
cannonade commenced in direction of Messine.  Enemy apparently nervous
threw up abnormal quantities of star shells & employed search light
vigorously all night..

John Alfred Marriott was known as 'Alfie' to his friends and this explains
why he is listed on the Irlam and Cadishead War Memorial as Marriot,
Alfred. Medal Entitlement: 15 Star Trio. After the war, his father lived at
Bramble Beach, 68 Warren Drive, New Brighton. When news of Alfred.s death
was received, Alfred's wife was pregnant with their only child, John Alfred
Marriott II.  His wife later remarried after John's death, becoming Emily
Taylor and moved to Ashland Court, Ashland Avenue, Fort Rouge, Winnipeg,
Canada. In 2008, John was 93 years old and living in Vancouver. He has two
children, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, all living in
Western Canada.

M.I. "He readily answered the call & nobly gave good life to save us".

Listed as Alfred Marriott on St. Clements Church School Memorial.