680964 GNR. J. ROSKELL. R.F.A.

 

James Roskell was born in the third quarter of 1889 in Preston.  His father was Thomas Roskell (b. 1864 in Preston), a carter.  His mother was Margaret Ann (Annie) Bowers (b. 1866 in Salford).  It’s not clear what brought Annie to Preston, but she had an illegitimate son, Joseph Aloysius (b. 1883 in Preston).  Two years later, she and Thomas Roskell were married and they went on to have five more children: Mary Elizabeth (b. 1887), then James, then Agnes (b. 1892), Janey (b. 1897) and Emily (b. 1899).  Annie died in 1906.  In 1911, Thomas was living with his two youngest daughters at 5 Cottage Street in Preston (the site now covered by the Bus Station).  James is not living with them and I have not traced him in the 1911 Census.  In 1914, he married Edith Annie Dewhurst (b1891 in Preston), a cotton weaver.  They had no children.

 

James’ absence from the 1911 Census may be due to him serving in the Army.  In any case, he was in the Territorials before the War and was initially assigned service number 2698.  He would have signed up at the outbreak of War and he went to France with 276 Brigade on 30 September 1915.  The circumstances that led to his death are not clear, but we know that he died at North Camp Hospital, Ripon, Yorkshire, on 7 February 1917.  Aged 27.  At the time, his wife Edith was living at Keeper’s Cottage, Liverpool Road, Penwortham.

 

Rank:  Gunner

Service No:  680964

Date of Death:  07/02/1917

Age:  27

Regiment/Service:  Royal Field Artillery, 276th Bde.

Grave Reference:  K. NC. 17.

Cemetery:  PRESTON (NEW HALL LANE) CEMETERY

Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Annie Roskell; husband of Edith Annie Roskell, of Keeper's Cottage, Liverpool Rd., Penwortham, Preston. Born at Preston.