James Parkinson was born in Toxteth, Liverpool on 22nd October 1895, the son of James Parkinson and his wife Mary Ellen (née Hardcastle). His parents, both born in Liverpool, married in 1892. James had an older brother Richard, born in 1893, and younger siblings Daisy May 1898, William Henry 1900, John 1902, Thomas 1903 (died at age 1), Ethel 1905, and Adelaide 1908.
He was baptised in St. Philemon's Church, Toxteth, on 27th November, his parents’ residence listed as 122 South Chester Street, and his father’s occupation as publican.
In 1901 the family is living at 32 Buller Street, with four children. His father is a licensed victualler, James is 5.
The family lived at 70 Vauxhall Road 1902-03.
His sister Ethel died at age 3 in December 1908.
By 1911 they are at 63 Woodruff Street, Toxteth Park, with six children. His father is 45, a brewer’s licensed victualler, his mother is 42, Richard, 17, and James, 15, are upholsterer’s assistants, Daisy, 13, William, 11, and John, 9, are at school, and Adelaide is 2. Another son, George, was born in 1912.
James enlisted in Liverpool in the 17th Bn, King’s Liverpool Regiment, as Private 35960.
At some point he was transferred to the 1/6th Bn K.L.R. Whether with the 17th or the 6th, James would have seen action during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). The 6th saw action at the Battle of the Lys, including the defence of Givenchy in April 1918.
James was killed in action on the 05th May 1918.
His body was not recovered from the battlefield, or was subsequently lost, as he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing.
The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.
The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Charles Wheeler. It was unveiled by Sir Nevil Macready on 4 August 1930.
His loved ones placed In Memoriam notices in the Liverpool Echo on 22nd October 1918:
“In loving birthday remembrance of Corpl. James Parkinson, K.L.R., killed in action May 5, 1918, aged 22 years, the second son of James and M. E. Parkinson, 57, Geraint Street. - Sadly missed by Mother and Father.”
“ In ever-loving birthday remembrance of Corpl. James Parkinson, K.L.R., killed in action May 5, 1918. - Fondly remembered by Aunt Annie and Cousin Elsie.”
His mother, at 57 Geraint Street, Prince’s Park, Liverpool, received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £12-10s and a pension of 12/- a week from December 1918.
James is commemorated on Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 52.
We currently have no further information on James Parkinson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
