John Richard Ennion MM

Rank:SergeantNumber:200427*
Ship/Rgn/Sqn No:04th Bn [1]
Name of Rgt or Ship:Suffolk Rgt
Died:20/07/1916Age:31
How Died:Killed in Action
Country of burial:France
Cemetery or Memorial:Thiepval Memorial
Town Memorial:Altrincham
Extra Information:
Born during the March quarter 1886 in the Chester R.D. - ref: 8a/896, the
eldest son of William & Ann Ennion (nee Smith).
There are NO "Ennion's" listed on any Chapel Street census returns.

1891 Census - Tarporley Road, Tarvin, Cheshire.   Son - aged: 5 - born:
Tattenhall, Cheshire.  Head of household - William Ennion - Married - aged:
33 - occ: Agricultural Labourer - born: Handley, Cheshire.   Also Annie
Ennion - Wife - aged: 33 - born: Saughall Massey, Cheshire.  Plus 4
siblings, an uncle, his wife and 2 cousins.

1901 Census - 40 Mottram Old Road, Hyde.   Son - aged: 15 - occ: Clerk at
Cotton Mill - born: Tattenhall, Cheshire.   Head of household - William
Ennion - Married - aged: 43 - occ: Coachman (Domestic) - born: Handley,
Cheshire.   Also Annie Ennion - Wife - aged: 43 - born: Moreton, Cheshire. 
Plus 1 younger sister.

1911 Census - Vicarage Lane, Bowdon.   Son - aged: 25 - Agent for
Engiineering Machinery Merchant - born: Tattenhall, Cheshire.   Head of
household - William Ennion - Married - aged: 53 - occ: Coachman - born:
Golborne David, Cheshire.  Plus 1 younger sister.   His mother - Ann Ennion
was then a patient in the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road,
Manchester.- aged: 53 - born: Upton, Cheshire.

Educated at Tarvin & Bowness.   Member of St. Margaret's Hockey Club.  
Employed at the Linotype Works, Broadheath.    Involved with the Buffs, for
which he did much work.

Enlisted in August 1914 and was drafted to the front on the 8th November
1914.   He had served in the trenches throughout 1915 and was mentioned in
dispatches.   Formerly No. 2056.

The 23/06/1916 edition of the local newspaper reports that he had been
awarded the Military Medal.   It states that he was unmarried and that his
parents lived at Vicarage Lane Bowdon.

Death reported in the 29/08/1916 edition of the Altrincham Guardian. 
Listed as John R. Ennion on the Altrincham Roll of Honour and on St.
Mary's, Bowdon Memorial -  Not listed on the Linotype Memorial?

I BELIEVE THAT THIS JOHN IS INCORRECTLY COMMEMORATED ON THE CHAPEL STREET
MEMORIAL.  THE "JOHN ENNION" LISTED ON THAT MEMORIAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN "JOHN
INIONS" WHOSE WIFE AND CHILDREN RESIDED AT CHAPEL STREET AND WHOSE IN-LAWS
WERE PART OF THE CHAPEL STREET HENNERLEY FAMILY.   SOMEHOW, IN 1919,
SOMEONE HAS MISTAKENLY INSCRIBED "ENNION" FOR "INIONS".   HE IS LISTED
SIMPLY AS "JOHN ENNION" (NO 'R') ON THE CHAPEL STREET MEMORIAL, WHEREAS THE
NAME - "JOHN R. ENNION" IS INSCRIBED ON BOTH THE ALTRINCHAM ROLL OF HONOUR
AND ON ST. MARY'S WAR MEMORIAL.  I HAVE NOW SUBSTITUTED HIS REFERENCE TO
CHAPEL STREET FOR THAT OF "JOHN INIONS".

Gazetted - 03/06/1916 - date of Army Order - 01/06/1916.

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1917.

John's parents William & Ann Ennion received financial support from the
"John Sington Fund".
 
The John Sington Fund - John Sington was the son of Adolphus Sington, a
Jewish Prussian shipping merchant who came to Britain and in 1845 became a
naturalised citizen.   Adolphus had his own company, involved originally in
the production of linen and cotton, and later the import and export of
machinery for the cotton industry.  John and at least one of his brothers
worked in their father's business in Princess Street, Manchester.

In 1885 John married Mildred Campbell Maclure, daughter of Sir John William
Maclure, Bt., who became MP for Stretford the following year.  John and
Mildred had two sons, Alan John Campbell Sington and Edward Claude Sington.
 In 1914 both sons enlisted in the British Army, and their father is listed
in The Gazette in 1915 as Major John Sington, Royal Engineers Territorial
Force Reserve.   In 1909 the Sington family moved from Whalley Range to
Dunham House, on Charcoal Road, Dunham.

When Major John Sington's two sons returned safely from active service
during WW1 he established a fund 'as a Thanksgiving Offering for their safe
return for the benefit of the wives, children and dependants of any men
who, as a result of service with His Majesty's Forces or the Mercantile
Marine, have died or been killed or disabled, and for the benefit of any
members of His Majesty's Forces or the Mercantile Marine who have been
disabled as a result of such service.'   The fund's scope was limited to
those who had been resident in the Urban District of Bowdon or the village
of Dunham Town for at least six months.

Six trustees were appointed, namely, John Bleckly, Henry Edwin Gaddum,
William Alfred Hampson, Joseph Kenworthy, Joseph Watson Sidebotham and the
Major himself.  The Clerk to the Trustees was Willis Paterson the Bowdon
UDC Solicitor, 11 Stamford Street, Altrincham to whom applications for
grants had to be made.    Information about the Fund and its beneficiaries
was kindly supplied by Cynthia Hollingworth from the records kept in
Trafford Local Studies Library.




Memorials found on:
St. Mary's (Bowdon)
Altrincham & District Roll of Honour
Similar Names