Harry Cecil Dutton was born on 14th April 1897 in Hatton and baptised on 10th June that year at the Wesleyan Chapel in Hatton. He was the son of William Dutton (born in Newton-by-Daresbury) and his wife Alice (nee Savage) who was herself born in Hatton.
In 1901 Harry was living with his parents and his siblings Harriet A. (10), Mary E. (8), Eleanor (6), and baby Fred M., in Hatton village. His father was an agricultural labourer.
Ten years later, Harry’s family also had a niece Bessie, who was 3 months old living with them in Hatton. Harry was at school and his father was now a waggoner on a farm.
In 1915 the electoral roll for Hatton showed the family living at Parr’s Cottages. His mother died in the February of that year, aged 56 years. Harry was now a teamsman.
In December 1915 he signed up at Stockton Heath and was mobilized in March 1916, but did not go overseas until the October. He sailed from Southampton to Rouen and was posted as a Private to the 9th Brigade of the Cheshire Regiment. In May 1917 he was admitted to hospital at St. Omer suffering from scabies. Two weeks later was discharged to his unit. In the September he suffered a severe gunshot wound to his left thigh and right buttock. He was admitted to hospital at Abbeville, but then transferred on the “Carisbrooke Castle” to England and to the Western General Hospital in Manchester for treatment, staying for 67 days. He then returned to France and in February 1918 he joined the 15th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, as a Private with the service number 49885. (He also had another service number: 4418).
In March 1918 he suffered a severe gunshot wound to his right thigh and was admitted to hospital in Rouen and then to Abbeville Hospital in April. After being discharged in May back to his Base Depot in Rouen and joining “C” Battalion, he went to The Front. He was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to the hand and also mild mustard gas poisoning. The latter caused a cough and shortness of breath. He was admitted to 10 General Hospital in Rouen and in late June he was sent back home aboard the “Matilda” and admitted to the 1st Scottish General Hospital in Aberdeen. Following treatment, he was allowed leave at home in Hatton for the first ten days of July, but then returned in October to France. Harry finally came home in February 1919 and was demobilized in March at Shrewsbury and transferred to the Class Z Army Reserve. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service.
He returned to Hatton and went to live with his sister Annie at Greenside Cottage. In early 1921 he married Ellen Warbrick at Warrington. In 1922 they were living at Dainteth Farm, Appleton-with-Hull, but then moved to Warrington. Their daughter Elsie was born in 1927.
The 1939 Register showed the family living at Bissell Street in Warrington, near the hospital. Harry was a general labourer.
Harry Cecil Dutton died in March 1962 at Warrington. He was 64 years of age.