680995 SIG.BDR J. SHEEHAN. R.F.A.

 

John (Jack) Sheehan was born on 30 March 1887.  His father was Thomas Sheehan (b. 1865 in Ormskirk), a cast driver in a cotton mill.  His mother was Bridget Roach (b. 1864 in Preston).  Tom and Bridget were married at Brownedge St Mary’s in 1886 and they had 7 children.  Jack was the oldest, followed by Catherine (b. 1889), Mary Jane (b. 1891), Margaret (b. 1893), Annie (b. 1896), Alice May (b. 1899) and finally Wilfred Edward (b. 1901).  In 1911, the family was living at Brandiforth Street, off School Lane.  Jack worked in the cotton mill as a spinner.  Just after the Census, in the summer of 1911, Jack married Elizabeth Alice Gardner (b. 1886 in Higher Walton).

 

Like many other Briggers, Jack enlisted in May 1915 in the Royal Field Artillery.  He was given service number 680995.  He would have served in 286 Brigade and almost certainly in “C” Battery.  At some stage he was promoted to Signaller/Bombardier.

 

According to Jack’s grand-daughter, Sheila Allsop, before the War Jack had been a member of the choir at St Mary’s.  He continued to sing in the choir after the War despite having suffered in a gas attack. 

 

Jack returned to Brandiforth Street after the War and in 1919 he and Elizabeth Alice had a son, Bernard.  Jack died in 1956.