John Gill was born on 22nd August 1896, in Newton-by-Daresbury, and baptised at St. Matthew’s church in Manchester the following November. His father, William was the village blacksmith in Daresbury, and his mother was called Georgina.
After William died in 1908, Georgina’s parents John and Martha Johnson came to Daresbury to live with her and her surviving children, John, Gladys and Harry. In the census return of 1911, Georgina is taking in washing to support her family, and 14 years old John is working on a farm. He later went on to work for Greenall Whitley at the Wilderspool Brewery before enlisting in the South Lancashire Regiment at the outbreak of war in August 1914. He had served at the Front for 3 years and 4 months when his mother received the news that he was in hospital, in a dangerous condition, suffering from shell shock and pneumonia. He died four days later, on 14th June 1918, at the age of 21.
John William Gill was buried in the British cemetery at Terlincthun, Belgium. His mother chose these words for his headstone;
HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY, HIS SOUL TO HIS GOD, HIS HEART FOR HIS HOME.
He is also remembered on the headstone marking the Gill family grave in Daresbury churchyard