Photo: Dorothy Hall
Medal Index Card
200927 Corporal
J.W. Smiles
Royal Garrison Artillery
5th February 1921 Age 36
Brief life
Is here our portion
Husband of Lydia A. Smiles, of 13 Coronation St., Murton Colliery, Co. Durham.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Smiles was born 1886 at Newburn, Northumberland, one of 5 children, 2 sons and 3 daughters, one of whom Isabella the eldest died in 1903 aged just 20 years, born to Robert Smiles 1858 and his wife Rebecca Humphrey 1860 both natives of Newburn. They were married at the Methodist Chapel, Maple Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, September 24th 1881. Whilst the family were living at 25, Dean Terrace, Walbottle, his father worked as a smith at the steel works however by 1911 he was employed as a coal miner hewer. John William at the age of 15 was working as a salesman in a music shop. He married in March 1906 to Lydia Ann Morgan born 1889 at Heddon on the Wall, Northumberland. By 1911 they were living at 48, Durham Street, Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, by now John William had a shop of his own dealing in music and musical instruments and was a father of 3, all daughters, Isabella born 1906, Anna Lumsden in 1909 and Lydia Morgan Smiles in 1911.
John William Smiles enlisted, date and place unknown, and was firstly assigned as Private 149188 to the Royal Field Artillery, later rising through the ranks and transferred whilst serving in France to the Royal Garrison Artillery as Corporal 200927. His military record no longer exists, one of the 70 per cent destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is has therefore proven impossible to know more about him. Either wounded, suffering from disease or health problems, his death, February 5th 1921, aged 36, was deemed to have been caused or exasperated by his service to his country and fell within the cut off date of August 31st 1921, he is therefore considered a casualty of war. The grave of Corporal 200927 John William Smiles can be found in the south east sector of Murton Holy Trinity Churchyard, County Durham, P4. 33.
His widow Lydia paid for an addition inscription which reads, “Brief Life Is Here Our Portion”, and received his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to their home address of 13 Coronation Street, Murton Colliery, County Durham.
Of their three daughters, regards Isabella, no further details, Anna Lumsden Smiles married Ernest Rennison in 1931 in the district of Easington, Lydia Morgan Smiles born October 18th 1911 married Robert Colledge in 1934 and died, aged 79, in 1990.
John William’s father, despite his advanced age, at 57 also enlisted, March 26th 1915 and was assigned as a Private to the Royal Army Medical Corp Home Hospital Reserve until October 13th 1917 when he was transferred under Class W to the Army Reserve, “service deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil rather than military employment.” He was discharged December 5th 1917 returning to his work as a miner. Robert Smiles died July 22nd 1925 in Northumberland leaving probate to Benjamin Smiles in the sum of 162 pounds 7 shillings and 9 pence as his wife had already passed away in 1923 and both his sons during the Great War.
See Taylor Humphrey Smiles Every Name a Story.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Smiles is remembered at Dalton le Dale on D39.01
