John Edward Marchbanks, one of 7 known children, was the 3rd born of 4 brothers and had 1 elder and 2 younger sisters. His parents Joseph Marchbanks Snr and Margaret Mitchell, born 1857 and 1866 respectively, were natives of Sunderland, County Durham, where they were married during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1880, setting up home at 8, Lombard Street. Joseph Snr was employed 2 doors away at the Bamburgh Castle public house as a servant/barman. Ten years later he was working as a dock labourer to support his wife and 3 children, Hector born January 8th 1883, Mary 1886 and Thomas Henry, November 15th 1890. They lived in a tenement building at 19, Sans Street which they shared with 2 other families, in all 7 adults and 13 children. Their son John Edward was born April 2nd 1892, Joseph Jnr 1897 and Henrietta 1898. They had remained at number 19, Sans Street, where in 1901 their youngest child Margaret Ann was born and while Joseph Snr continued to work at the docks, Hector now 18 was employed as a heater at the shipyards and Mary (15) worked at a tobacco shop. Margaret Marchbanks nee Mitchell died aged 37 years during the 2nd quarter 1904, Margaret Ann in 1906, only 5 years old. The loss of his wife brought great changes for Joseph Snr, Hector enlisted in the Army serving with the Yorkshire Regiment in Egypt, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Sudan, Mary Ann married in 1906, Thomas Henry found employment as a brickyard labourer living as a boarder at 5, Morton Crescent, Fence Houses in the family home of coal miner Richard Armstrong, Joseph Jnr (16) was a boarder in the home of widow Elizabeth Ann Wright and her 5 children at 21, Morton Crescent, Fence Houses, employed below ground at the colliery as a pony driver, the whereabouts of John Edward, Henrietta and Joseph Snr is unknown.

September 20th 1914 John Edward enlisted at Sunderland and was assigned as Private 24141 General Service Battalion and later posted to the 11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry part of Kitchener’s Second New Army attached to the 60th Brigade, 20th (Light) Division. After initial training at home the battalion was moved to Woking then to Pirbright, training was slow because of the lack of uniforms and equipment. January 6th 1915 it converted to a Pioneer Battalion and moved to Whitley camp during February 1915.

February 2nd 1915 the decision was taken that Private 24141 John Edward Marchbanks be discharged, considered to be medically unfit. John Edward returned to his father’s home at 28, George Street, Sunderland and his employment as a labourer.

John Edward’s brothers also served during WW1, Hector with the Yorkshire Regiment, Thomas Henry and Joseph with the Durham Light Infantry. His youngest brother Private 12393 Joseph Marchbanks was killed in action, September 25th 1915, whilst serving in Belgium.

Joseph Marchbanks Snr died during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1919, aged 62 years, in the district of Sunderland. John Edward’s brother Hector had married during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1919 to Mary A. Squire, he married her elder sister Emma, born at Sunderland, August 11th 1892, with whom he had at least 2 known children, Lilian born 1926 and Violet in 1935. In 1939 he and his family were living at 11, Farne Square, Sunderland, supported by him employed as a shipyard labourer.

Emma Marchbanks nee Squire died aged 71 years in 1964, John Edward in 1973 aged 80 years, both registered in the district of Sunderland, County Durham.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.