John Beech is recorded as having been born at Penkhull, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire circa 1875, having been baptised there on the 7th November 1875 at St Thomas’ Church. His parents were Henry Beech born c.1848 in Hanley, Stoke on Trent and Catherine nee Jones born c.1848 at Conway, Carmarthenshire. They were married 12th September 1874 at what is now Stoke Minster St Peter ad Vincula. 

The 1871 census shows 24 year old Catherine Jones, single, working as a Nurse for the Hollins family at Whitmore Hall, Newcastle under Lyme. Whilst Henry (23) also single was working as a Potters Presser, living at Ives Lane, Penkhull with his parents Joseph and Mary Beech and siblings Charles (31), Joseph (21), Alfred (18) and Hannah (15). 

John was the eldest of seven children, Harry Llewellyn Beech born 1876, christened 22 December 1876 at Penkhull, Stoke on Trent, Mabel Beech born 1879, christened 9 march 1879, Penkhull, Stoke on Trent, Joseph Beech born 1880, christened 3 October 1880, Penkhull, Stoke On Trent, Kate Beech born 1882, Stoke on Trent, Alfred Beech born 1885 christened 8 March 1885 Penkhull, Stoke on Trent and Gladys Beech born 23 August 1892 christened 27 September 1892 at Stoke on Trent.  

In the census of 1881 we see John is a 5 year old and his father, Henry (33), is employed as a Foreman Tile Maker. They lived at Brisley Hill, Penkhull, Stoke on Trent. Also present are Catherine (33), Harry (4), Mabel (2), baby Joseph and a servant Jane Wright aged 13.

In the census of 1891 we find John, now 15, living at 13 Stone Street, Stoke on Trent. John is described as an apprentice to Potters Gilder. His father Henry (43) is still a Foreman Tile Maker. Also present are Catherine (43), Harry (14) an Apprentice Potters Painter, Mabel (13), Joseph (10), Kate (8), and Alfred (6). 

Sadly on the 27th December 1891 Joseph died aged 11 of “Exhaustion”, this was commonly used as a cause of death for a child of his age with perhaps the underlying problems being tuberculosis or complications from having survived a disease like scarlet fever of diphtheria, which he was rendered too weak from and died some time after. From his death certificate we can see the family were living at 13 Stone Street and his father was Henry Beech, Foreman Tile Maker and that Joseph died at home. 

The census of 1901 tells us that John is now living at 66 Copeland Street, Stoke On Trent and is now a 25 year old Earthenware China Gilder. His father Henry (53) is still a Foreman Tile Maker. Catherine (53) is now a self employed Grocer and Beer/Wine Dealer. Also present are Harry (24) a China Painter, Mabel (22) now a Dressmaker, Kate (18) now a Grocery Assistant, Alfred(16) working at the Post office and Gladys (8) at school. 

The 1911 census shows Catherine Beech (65) now widowed living at 6 Daintry Street, Stoke on Trent with grown children Harry (34) a Tram Conductor, Alfred (26) a Postal Clerk and Gladys (17) a School Teacher Student. The census shows that Catherine had seven children, of which one died. 

The census of 1911 now reveals that John was married to Agnes aged 33. They are living at 1 Blackwell Street, Cobridge. John is described as a 35 year old Potters Decorator. They have 4 children, Joseph Beech born 15th September 1902 at Wolstanton, Henry Thomas Beech born 10th March 1904 at Stone, Agnes Mary Beech born 8th February 1906 at Stone and Kate (Kathleen) Beech born 3rd December 1910 at Burslem.

John and Agnes were married on the 1st August 1901. Agnes had been born on the 3rd July 1878, her full name being Agnes Mary Lloyd, registered at Wolstanton.

They would go on to have one further child, Mabel Beech born on the 28th May 1915 at Burslem.

John had entered military service on an unknown date but we can say with certainty that he was serving as early as 1914 because he is named on the Royal Doulton Roll Of Men Serving In 1914.

There are numerous official military documents that provide us with much detail for John. We know he carried service number 19323 and achieved the rank of Acting Company Sergeant Major and that he was a member of the 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment. 

15th Battalion (1st Birkenhead) Cheshire Regiment. 

Volunteers converged on Birkenhead Town Hall on 30 November 1914 to enlist in the nation's first Bantam Battalions for men between 5ft and 5ft 3 inches tall. The Birkenhead Bantams, as they were known, were adopted by the War Office in 1915 and became the 15th and 16th (Service) Battalions of the Cheshire Regiment. This battalion remained in training within the UK until late January 1916 when they were deployed to the Western Front. 

John is recorded as being killed in action on the 4th October 1916.

An entry in the War Diaries of the 7th May 1916 tells us that John, 19323 Sergeant Beech is named as one of a number of soldiers posted to a course of instruction at the Divisional School of Instruction. Unfortunately we do not see in the diaries evidence of him returning to duty before the date of his death but it does tell us the date that the course of instruction ended was the 13th May 1916. The battalion war diary for the date of John's death reports that the day was uneventful. The author writes that it was a very wet day, men were provided with hot drinks, trenches were repaired under cover of friendly fire in the form of Vickers machine gun, rifle, grenades and trench mortar. No casualties are reported. However the diary tells us that the previous day their positions were the victim of enemy action where one Officer was killed, two other ranks were killed and four were wounded.   

The register of soldiers' effects tell us his sole legit was his wife Agnes. Pension records also tell us Agnes received a dependent pension of 36 shilling and 3 pennies from the 30th April 1917. Her address is first recorded as 1 Blackwell Street, Cobridge and then 16 Douglas Street, Burslem.

John's death is reported in the Staffordshire Sentinel dated the 11th November 1916 where it says that the wife of John Beech Company Sergeant Major is informed of his death and that prior to service he had worked at Royal Doulton Ltd.

The Sentinel newspaper dated May 31st 1918 reports, Mrs. E. Beech, 6, Neville Street, Oakhill, Stoke, has received a postcard from her husband, Pte. H. L. Beech, stating that he is a prisoner of war in Germany. He had been missing since the 16th of April. Pte. Beech has had a brother killed in action. A brother is on active service. 

John's brother Henry Llewellyn Beech was Private 49535 Lincolnshire Regiment, he was taken prisoner at Messines Belgium 16 April 1918 he was entitled to the Victory Medal and British War Medal. 

As yet we have been unable to find Alfred Beech service records or any further information about his service.  

John Beech is buried in the Faubourg D’Amiens Military Cemetery in France plot number 1.G.29.

John is remembered on the Burslem Royal Doulton Memorial and the War Memorial Christ Church Hanley.

For his service he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Agnes remarried in 1919 to Benjamin Toft, Benjamin was initially in the Royal Irish Fusiliers private 20132 then transferred to the Labour Corp as Private 109621, he was discharged 10.11.1918 with Bronchitis and Appendix scar, from hospital records he was treated in October 1916 with appendicitis returning to duty in November 1916. He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal. 

The 1921 census sees Benjamin (33) working as a General Labourer living at 14 Blackwell Street, Burslem with Agnes (43) Joseph Beech (18) Coal Miner, Henry Thomas Beech (17), Coal Miner, Agnes Beech (15 ) Dressmaker, Kathleen Beech (11), Mabel Beech (6) and William Toft aged 1 year.

The 1939 register sees Benjamin Toft date of birth 7 December 1889, General Labourer living at 1 Blackwell Street with his wife Agnes Toft, date of birth 3 July 1878, Stepdaughter Agnes Beech date of birth 18 February 1906, single, Dressmaker and son William date of birth 12 February 1920, single, Crate Maker Machinist.

The 1939 register sees Joseph Beech date of birth 15 September 1902 working as a General Labourer Building living at 12 Tranter Road, with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Margaret E Beech, two further records have been officially closed. 

Sources: 

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 2830; Folio: 9; Page: 11; GSU roll: 836372 (Catherine Jones ) 

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 2870; Folio: 110; Page: 36; GSU roll: 836385 ( Henry Beech) 

Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England. 

Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.

ANCESTRY CENSUS 1881 Class: RG11; Piece: 2728; Folio: 97; Page: 24; GSU roll: 1341654. 

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2177; Folio: 42; Page: 10; GSU roll: 6097287

ANCESTRY CENSUS 1901 Class: RG13; Piece: 2604; Folio: 39; Page: 15

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911

The war time memories project  https://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/battalion.php?pid=495 

Army Medal Office (In the Care of the Western Front Association Website); London, England; Wwi Medal Index Cards 

Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 018/0065/Bec-Bee

National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 677501-679000; Reference: 403

Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Author: Peter Singlehurst; Series Title: British Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1918; Archive Name: London, United Kingdom

Ancestry.com. Global, Find a Grave® Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Staffordshire Sentinel - Friday 31 May 1918. 

NATIONAL ARCHIVES WAR DIARIES WO95

Catherine Beech death General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 391

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12639, ED 25, Sch 274; Book: 12639

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5294H .

The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5284J.