John William Cash 1894 – 1974
John was a twin, born on 19th July 1894, to Edward Henry or Edwin Henry (found as both of these versions in records but definitely the same man) and his wife Ada Alice Annie (née Underdown). He was baptised at St Peter and St Paul in River.
In 1901 and also 1911, the family lived at 1 Minnis Lane, River. Edward was a bricklayer’s labourer and his mother-in-law lived with the family. At some point between 1911 and 1915, Edward moved the family to 2 Connaught Villas in Shepherdswell, with the local directories showing them in the village from at least 1915. John worked at Snowdown Colliery as a boiler fireman.
John enlisted on 13th October 1917, in Canterbury. He was considered fit for active service although he had extremely poor vision in his left eye. He had had problems with this eye since infancy and had had treatment at the London Eye Hospital when he was about three years old. He had also attended the Royal Victoria Hospital in Dover. He joined the Royal Field Artillery, being described as 5ft 10ins tall, with dark brown hair, brown eyes and ‘defective teeth’. His service number was 237202.
He attended the Chapperton Down Artillery School, which was the training centre for signalling, and was subsequently a signaller, however this must have been short-lived, as a letter from the East Kent Colliery Company at Tilmanstone Colliery, dated 30th September 1918, stated that Sergeant JW Cash had commenced work there on this date.
John married Elizabeth Kate Daley on 27th August 1922 at St James in Plumstead. At that time, he was working as a labourer and they both gave their address as 62 Anglesea Road. They had at least one son, born in 1925 in Woolwich. By 1939, John and Elizabeth were living at 36 Basedale Road in Barking, with John’s employment being described as a heavy service layer for the Gas Light & Coke Co., with a role in the Civil Defence in the same company.
John died in the 1st quarter of 1974 in Brentwood, Essex.