Henry Clunn was born on the 2nd June 1874  in Longton, Staffordshire, to Joshua Albert Clunn,  born in 1852 in Worcester, and Sarah Ann nee Wright, born in 1854 in Longton. They married on the 11th February 1872 at St John's Longton. Known as Harry, he was the second eldest child of eight children born to Joshua and Sarah Ann. His birth certificate cited his father as  Potter. 

In the Census of 1881, Harry is recorded living as a 6-year-old at 6 Peace Street, Hanley, with his parents, Joshua and Sarah Ann, and his brothers Samuel, 8, born 1872; Frank, 3, born 9.05.1877; and Joshua,  born 1879. His father is employed as a Potter's Presser Earthenware. 

In the Census of 1891, Harry is shown living at 10 Peace Street, Hanley, as a 16-year-old with his parents Joshua and Sarah Ann, as well as his siblings Samuel, Frank, Joshua, John born 1882, Sarah born 1885, and Ellen born 14.02.1889. Harry is now employed as a Potter's Presser.  

In the 1901 census, Harry's parents are still living at 10 Peace Street with Harry's siblings Samuel, John, Sarah Ann, Ellen, and youngest brother Edward, born 17.07.1893.  

In the Census of 1901, Harry is shown to be a boarder, employed as a Potters Hollow Ware Presser. Harry is living with Thomas Burton and his wife Florence and their small son Harry. Thomas and Florence both work in the potteries: Thomas as Potters Hollow ware presser and Florence as Jiggerer. They all live at 15 Waterloo Street, Hanley. 

On 25th August 1905, Harry's father, Joshua,  died of chronic bronchitis aged just 52; four months later, his wife, Sarah Ann, died of chronic hepatitis on 26th December 1905, aged 51. 

In the Census of 1911, Harry is shown as aged 37 and single, still a Potter Hollow Ware Presser. Again, he is living as a boarder, this time with the Toft family.  Head of the household was Bernard Toft, aged 45, working in the potteries, his brother, aged 50, a retired soldier ( occupation pedlar), and their mother, 75-year-old widow Emma Toft, all living at 4 Arthur Street off Clough Street, Hanley. 

Harry joined the army in 1914; we know this from his name being listed on the Royal Doulton Roll of Honour, names of men from the offices and works who are serving in 1914. We know he saw service as Private 14396 Clunn of the 7th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment. He entered the Balkans theatre of war on the 1st January 1916.

The 7th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment was formed in 1914 and first entered Gallipoli at Cape Helles on the 6th July 1915. They took part in battles at Sari Bair, Russell's Top, and Hill 60. They were evacuated from Suvla Bay over the 19th and 20th December 1915 to Helles, where they took part in the final battles of Gallipoli during January of 1916 before again being evacuated, this time to Port Said and the Suez Canal defences. 

On the 12th February 1916, they moved to Mesopotamia to take part in the battle to relieve a besieged garrison at Kut-al-Amara. It is here that Harry was killed in action on the 9th April 1916. 

His death is reported in the Stafford Sentinel dated 30th May 1916. It reads: Official notice has been received by Mrs F Clunn of 100 Victoria Street, Hanley, that her brother-in-law, Pte Harry Clunn, North Staffs Regiment, was killed in action on April 9th. He was 42 years old and was employed by Messrs Doulton, Burslem, before he enlisted. 

Harry is remembered on the Basra Memorial panel 34. 

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

Harry's brother Frank Clunn married Amelia Ann Harding in 1900; they had seven children: John, born 1900; Violet, 1905; Annie, 1908; Ivy, 1910; Sarah Ellen, 1912;  Lavinia (Winnie), 1915; and Harry, 1920.

 The 1911 census sees them living at 55 Birch Street, Hanley; however, Frank’s service records dated from 1915 see the family living at 100 Victoria Street, Hanley. 

Frank first enlisted as Private 25671 into the Cheshire Regiment and then transferred to the Labour Corps as Private 489384. He enlisted on 18th March 1915 and entered France on 30th June 1915. He was issued the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal. 

The 1921 census sees the family still living at 100 Victoria Street, Hanley. 

Harry’s brother Joshua Clunn married Florence Leadbetter in 1900; they had the following children: Arthur 1902, Florence 1905, John 1913, Nellie 1916 and Stanley 1920. 

The 1911 census sees Joshua working as a Potter's Presser living at 6 Albany Road, Hanley. Joshua enlisted as Private 358624 Royal Garrison Artillery on the 11th December 1915. He went to  France on the 26th  September 1917 and was discharged into the reserves on 14th July 1918.  He was issued the  British War Medal and Victory Medal. 

The 1921 census sees Joshua and his family still living at 6 Albany Road, his younger brother Edward, aged 27, also living with them, working as a general labourer. 

The 1911 census sees the youngest brother Edward Clunn, living with his brother Joshua and family at 6 Albany Road, Hanley. Edward first enlisted as Private 42272 KOYLI and then 142235  Machine Gun Corps. He was discharged on the 28th of February 1919 and was issued the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

The 1921 census shows Edward still lived with his older brother Joshua, but in 1927 he married Mary Hackney, and they had three children, Alan E. in 1928, and Doreen. M. in 1933 and Irene in 1936; sadly, Irene died as an infant. 

Sources 

Parents' marriage: Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England

FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

1881 census Class: RG11; Piece: 2720; Folio: 135; Page: 34; GSU roll: 1341652

1891 census The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2169; Folio: 17; Page: 31; GSU roll: 6097279

1901 census Harry Clunn: Class: RG13; Piece: 2600; Folio: 10; Page: 11

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

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

Original data: British and Irish Military Databases. The Naval and Military Press Ltd.

The Staffordshire Sentinel, Daily and Weekly; Publication Date: 30 May 1916; Publication Place: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/972814353/?article=b415302e-8701-4be9-8585-40f938d8f224&xid=5907&terms=Pte_Harry_Clunn

National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 316001-317500; Reference: 163

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1656293/harry-clunn/

Fold3, UK, WWI, British Army Medal Roll Index Cards, 1914-1920 (https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920: accessed 18 Jan 2026), database and images, https://www.fold3.com/publication/932/uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920

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

Frank Clunn 1921 census: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12657, ED 15, Sch 315; Book: 12657

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

Joshua Clunn: 1921 census The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12653, ED 11, Sch 249; Book: 12653.