John's Story.
John Hancock died of typhoid on 6th January 1902 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. He was 23 years old. He left a widow, Annie, and a one-year-old daughter Elsie.
(Manchester Courier 13th Jan 1902)
(Manchester Courier 13th Jan 1902)
What do we know about John?
John Hancock was born on 3rd October 1878, the only son of Joseph and Elizabeth Ann nee Hickson. He was baptised at Wharton Road Methodist Church. He grew up in Wharton, near Winsford, with his sisters Lydia, Ellen, Harriett and Ethel. In 1881, their address was 1 Chapel Road, Wharton, and by 1891 the family home was 12 East Dudley Street.
On 15th December 1896, John married Annie Dean in Northwich. They were both 18 years old. They went on to have one daughter, Elsie, born on 20th April 1900, and they lived at 176 Weaver Road, Winsford.
Two months earlier, on 20th February 1900, John had enlisted with the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment at Chester. From his attestation records, we know that he was 5' 5" tall, with grey eyes and dark brown hair. Seven men from Winsford went out to the Boer War together in the same contingent as John, making the total number of local volunteers from the town about 80 men.
2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, Cheshire Regiment ["E" Company, 3rd V.B.C.R.] –
7509 Private Samuel BAKER
7503 Private Joseph BOOTH (died 15th January 1902)
7501 Private Thomas CARDEN
7505 Private Joseph GREEN
7508 Private John HANCOCK (died 6th January 1902)
7507 Private Charles HODGKINSON
7502 Private Reuben SUCH
They sailed from England to South Africa in late February 1901.
DEPARTURES FROM WINSFORD.
Much patriotism was displayed last evening at Winsford on the occasion of the departure of Privates BOOTH, HODGKINSON, GREEN, SUCH, HANCOCK, BAKER, and CARDEN, of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers, for Chester, whence they leave on Sunday evening for Southampton en route to the front. The procession started from Over Board Schools, and was headed by the Volunteer band and accompanied by the chairman of the Council, Mr Prince Lewis, and a large crowd of people. As the train steamed out of the station the band struck “Auld Lang Syne”.
(Manchester Courier, 23rd February 1901)
At the end of the year, John wrote to Annie, and his letter, which arrived just before Christmas 1901, appeared to confirm that he was in good health at that time. Sadly, like so many other casualties, John succombed to enteric fever (typhoid). He died on 6th January 1902. He was the fourth soldier from Winsford to die in South Africa. A local fund, run by the Winsford War Committee, had been set up to provide insurance in the event of death, and his widow Annie received benefits of £100.
John's name appears on the Boer War Memorial in Winsford, erected in 1905.
Could you be related to John Hancock?
In 1909, Annie married Samuel Baker, a widower with one daughter, Doris. Annie died in 1938. In 1921, John's daughter Elsie (1900 - 1963) married Josiah Bowers (1895–1972) and had four children, Joyce (1921 - 2000), Alec (1923 - 1924), Elsie (1925 - 1929) and Roy (1931 - 2010). Annie's stepdaughter Doris Baker married John Graham.
Researched by S. Lewington 2025
On 15th December 1896, John married Annie Dean in Northwich. They were both 18 years old. They went on to have one daughter, Elsie, born on 20th April 1900, and they lived at 176 Weaver Road, Winsford.
Two months earlier, on 20th February 1900, John had enlisted with the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment at Chester. From his attestation records, we know that he was 5' 5" tall, with grey eyes and dark brown hair. Seven men from Winsford went out to the Boer War together in the same contingent as John, making the total number of local volunteers from the town about 80 men.
2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, Cheshire Regiment ["E" Company, 3rd V.B.C.R.] –
7509 Private Samuel BAKER
7503 Private Joseph BOOTH (died 15th January 1902)
7501 Private Thomas CARDEN
7505 Private Joseph GREEN
7508 Private John HANCOCK (died 6th January 1902)
7507 Private Charles HODGKINSON
7502 Private Reuben SUCH
They sailed from England to South Africa in late February 1901.
DEPARTURES FROM WINSFORD.
Much patriotism was displayed last evening at Winsford on the occasion of the departure of Privates BOOTH, HODGKINSON, GREEN, SUCH, HANCOCK, BAKER, and CARDEN, of the 3rd Cheshire Volunteers, for Chester, whence they leave on Sunday evening for Southampton en route to the front. The procession started from Over Board Schools, and was headed by the Volunteer band and accompanied by the chairman of the Council, Mr Prince Lewis, and a large crowd of people. As the train steamed out of the station the band struck “Auld Lang Syne”.
(Manchester Courier, 23rd February 1901)
At the end of the year, John wrote to Annie, and his letter, which arrived just before Christmas 1901, appeared to confirm that he was in good health at that time. Sadly, like so many other casualties, John succombed to enteric fever (typhoid). He died on 6th January 1902. He was the fourth soldier from Winsford to die in South Africa. A local fund, run by the Winsford War Committee, had been set up to provide insurance in the event of death, and his widow Annie received benefits of £100.
John's name appears on the Boer War Memorial in Winsford, erected in 1905.
Could you be related to John Hancock?
In 1909, Annie married Samuel Baker, a widower with one daughter, Doris. Annie died in 1938. In 1921, John's daughter Elsie (1900 - 1963) married Josiah Bowers (1895–1972) and had four children, Joyce (1921 - 2000), Alec (1923 - 1924), Elsie (1925 - 1929) and Roy (1931 - 2010). Annie's stepdaughter Doris Baker married John Graham.
Researched by S. Lewington 2025