John Bond  was baptised on the 23rd February 1879 at St Peters Anglican church Hixon, Staffordshire.  The youngest of eight children to parents Joseph Bond (1838-1917) and Ann nee Bentley,(1843-1882). Joseph and Ann married at St. George's, Darlaston (Near Wednesbury), Stafford, England on the 22nd March 1863. 

The 1871 census shows Joseph and Ann had five children, Mary Ann (1864) Thomas (1866) Joseph (1868) Charles (1870) and George (1871.) living in Hixon, Staffordshire. 

The 1881 Census shows two year old John living with both his parents and four older brothers, Charles (1870), George (1871),  Francis (1874) and Henry (1876)  strangely no address is given, entry simply says not in Hixon as it does for all entries on this Census for this area of Hixon. 

The 1891 Census shows John aged 12 , a scholar, living with his widowed Father Joseph and his grandparents Thomas Bond and Jane Bond still in Hixon. 

John Bond married Edith Heele on the 11 th December 1898 at Sneyd Holy Trinity Church Staffordshire aged 20 years. 

Their daughter Violet Bond was born in Hixon Staffordshire but was  baptised in St Johns Anglican church Burslem on the 15th October 1899, records show Violet Bond died aged 5 in 1905. 

It is suggested through family tree connections that two further daughters were born to Edith and John , Edith born 1900 in Wolstanton and died 1900 and  Bertha born in  Wolstanton 1903 died 1904. 

There were no details for John Bond found in the 1901 Census but his wife  Edith Bond and their baby daughter Violet can be found living at 4 Bycass, Burslem with Widowed Annie Badderly aged 75, Anne was working as a charwoman born in Kidsgrove Staffordshire, there was also a lodger Charles Slack a widow, worker, aged 50.

Edith's birth name is a little confusing as there are no records of an Edith Heele being born in Burslem, the relationship to Annie Badderly is stated as adopted daughter in 1901, with an age difference of 53 years it is thought Annie may have been a grandmother, however working back through the census information for 1891 and 1881 it becomes clear that Edith has had one or two name changes from being born Ada Slater Heel 5.11.1879  , she is first seen as Ada Hale in 1881 living at 14 Whalley Street in Burslem with John aged 65 and Anne Baddaley aged 53,  Ada named as a nurse child, aged 1, a term used for a child living either as a foster child or paid arrangement for carers.  In 1891 Edith aged 11 is found still living with  John aged 76 and Anne aged  63 in 204 Bycass Burslem , this time her name is Baddly the same as John and Anne .  How Ada Slater Heel came to be adopted  by this couple is unclear but her original surname is the one she used for her marriage details and her preferred christian name was Edith not Ada, which can be seen on John Bonds service records , Ada is crossed out and Edith Heele in its place . 

John and Edith had only one  surviving child,  George born 12th March 1906 and is seen on the 1911 census aged 3 living with his parents  John aged 32 married to Edith and living at 24 Wain Street, Burslem, John is employed as an Oven Labourer at an Earthenware Work. Living with them is Joseph , John's widowed father, and three boarders William Simpson aged 22 and oven labourer at pottery earthen works, Albert Simpson aged 18 a general labourer at Lead House Earthen-works and Adeline Simpson aged 12 schoolchild , Adeline is classed as adopted in relationship to the head of the house. 

John Bond had served with the North Staffordshire Regiment before WW1 as Private 4852. He had enlisted on the 13th November 1895 when he declared his age as 18 with an occupation of Farm Labourer. We know he was born in 1879 so his actual age would have been 16. His next of kin is given as Joseph Bond of Hixon, Staffordshire.

He is described as being 5 '5', 116lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair with a cast measurement/expansion of 32.5” - 34”.

He was posted to the North Staffordshire Depot where he deserted on the 3rd January 1896 but rejoined on 14th January 1896. Whether willingly or having been detained by the authorities is not mentioned. 

He was sent for trial on the 23rd January 1896 where he was convicted of desertion and awarded 6 months detention. John then escaped confinement from the guardroom. He was soon returned and tried by District Court Martial on the 13th February 1896. He was held in confinement until 6th May 1896 when he returned to duty. He forfeited all his time in confinement from his total military service. 

He was posted to the 2nd battalion North Staffordshire Regiment on the 22nd August 1896 where he again found himself subject to military discipline. This time he stood trial by District Court Martial on the 4th November 1896 for stealing property belonging to another soldier. He was found guilty and sentenced to a further 6 months imprisonment.

0n the 27th November 1896 he was dishonourably discharged when his conduct is recorded as Very Bad.

John Bond enlisted again with the North Staffordshire Regiment on the 6th January 1915 at which time he was 35 Years of age, 5’7” tall, 138lbs, 38” chest with 2.5” expansion with blue grey eyes and dark brown hair. His given age at this time reflects his true date of birth.

His Army pension papers indicate that he was married to Edith Bond  and had one child George Bond living at 16 Elgrave Street, Burslem and employed as a Collier . 

John entered France on the 28th July 1915 and was reported missing presumed dead on the 25th February 1917 whilst engaged in the Loos area of France. 

An account of his death exists in the form of a board of inquiry into the explosion and collapse of WREXHAM tunnel which tells us that the 173rd Tunnelling Company had formed a communication tunnel to link British and French troops.

Charges had been placed within the tunnel (to be blown in the event of infiltration by enemy troops). The tunnel entrance on the British side was permanently guarded to prevent nobody entering without proper authority.

 On the 25th February 1917 16201 L/CPL White of the East Lancashire Regiment reported seeing a stretcher bearer, Pte Bond of the 9th North Staffordshire Regiment at the entrance of the tunnel prior to the explosion. He did not see him afterwards. The board of enquiry did not determine who was responsible but did state that wires had been clean cut and that an electric discharge had detonated the charges. It names 2 dead, 2 wounded (found 5 days later) and 1 soldier missing presumed dead, this being 16332 Pte Bond  N.Staffordshire Regiment. 

A widows pension was awarded to Edith Bond on the 26th October 1917 now living at 6 Caulston Street off Scotia Road, Burslem.

He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. 

John's body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the LOOS memorial panel 103-105 (CWGC). And he is remembered on the Royal Doulton Burslem Memorial. 

Source Citation 

Baptism record. : Staffordshire Anglican Parish Registers. Stafford, Staffordshire, England: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office.

Staffordshire County Council; Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England; Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths for the County of Staffordshire; Reference Number: Col/10/368 

1881 Census Class: RG11; Piece: 2691; Folio: 63; Page: 23; GSU roll: 1341645

1881 census Ada Hale Class: RG11; Piece: 2715; Folio: 141; Page: 14; GSU roll: 1341651. 

1891 census Edith Badderly The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2162; Folio: 83; Page: 34; GSU roll: 6097272. 

1891 census : The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2141; Folio: 48; Page: 16; GSU roll: 6097251

1901 Census Edith Bond : Class: RG13; Piece: 2594; Folio: 5; Page: 1

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

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

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

Pre war service, Fold3, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Service Records, 1760-1925 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/972/uk-royal-hospital-chelsea-pensioner-service-records-1760-1925 : accessed 15 Oct 2025), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/972/uk-royal-hospital-chelsea-pensioner-service-records-1760-1925

Pension card ,Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 025/0092/Bon-Bon.

WW1 Service records, The National Archives; London, England, UK; War Office: Soldiers' Documents, First World War Wo363

National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 614501-616000; Reference: 361.