The life of John James Green is a challenge to piece together. Born in Chatham, Kent, in the spring of 1880, he was the older of two children to David and Frances Green. David was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, but when he died in 1883, his widow was left with two young children to raise.
Frances moved the family back to Eton, Berkshire, where she had been born. She married again, to groom Robert Edwards, and the couple went on to have a child of their own, John’s half-brother, Robert.
When John completed his schooling, he followed in his father’s footsteps. He joined the Royal Engineers, and went on to be a Driver for the regiment.
The 1901 census recorded him as being a patient in the Connaught Hospital, attached the North Camp in Aldershot, Hampshire. While not confirming John’s condition, it does note that he was married, although there does not appear to be any other record confirming this.
On 29th October 1903, however, John did get married. His new bride was Alice Morton, and the couple exchanged vows in St Mary Magdalene Church in Southwark, London.
Sadly, Alice seems to have died young, and in December 1905, John wed for a second time, to grocer’s daughter Ellen Mansey. Now based back in Aldershot, the two married in Holy Trinity Church, and went on to have five children: John, Ernest, May, Charles and Alice.
The 1911 census found the Green family in rooms at 25 Lyson’s Road. A small terraced cottage, they shared it with the Scotts – married couple John and Edith, and their baby, William.
At this point, John’s trail goes cold. War broke out, and it is certain that he served in some capacity, but how and where is unclear. Driver Green survived the conflict, but passed away in Aldershot on 22nd May 1919: he was 39 years of age.
The body of John James Green was taken back to Berkshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St John’s Church in Eton, where his mother was still living.
It appears that Ellen may also have passed away by this point, as John’s pension was split equally between their five children. Tragically, his pension card notes Ernest and Charles’ guardian as the Sister in charge of St Augustine’s Home for Boys in Clewes, Berkshire. May and Alice were being looked after by Miss J Angerous of Pembroke Gardens, Windsor; while oldest son John Jr was in the care of Mrs B Evans Baldwin’s End, Eton College.
Death and Service 