John Arthur William Claxton was born at the start of 1883 in Mile End, Middlesex. He was the only child to John and Louisa Claxton. John Sr was a brewer’s drayman, and, when Louisa died in the 1890s, He was left to raise his son.

When he completed his schooling, John Jr found work as a joiner’s apprentice. On 4th February 1907, he married Maud Wilson, a labourer’s daughter from Stepney. The couple went on to have two children: Louisa was born in 1907, and John the following year.

At this point, John’s trail goes cold. His marriage certificate confirms he was employed as a carpenter, and he definitely enlisted in the Royal Navy at some point, but whether this was as a direct result of the outbreak of war is unclear.

Stoker 1st Class Claxton’s service records have been lost to time. The only other document relating to him is his Pension Ledger Index Card. This confirms that he died from asthma and pneumonia on 30th December 1917: he was 34 years of age.

John Arthur William Claxton is likely to have died at either the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham – otherwise known as HMS Pembroke – or the Royal Naval Hospital in the town, as his body was buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the base.

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