John James Fisher (1871 - 1917)

Born 1871 in Carlisle, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Alice (Atfield) Fisher — married 1904 in Cork, County Cork, Ireland

Died 30 Dec 1917 at about age 46 in Mesopotamia, Greece

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Biography

John was born in Carlisle, Cumberland in 1871. He is the son of Joseph Sisson Fisher and Amelia Diggle (maiden name unsourced).

At the time of the 1891 Census, John was working as a Railway Engine Cleaner. Sometime later, it would appear that John joined the British Army.

In 1904, John married Alice Atfield in Cork, Ireland, and they would have one son, Arthur, who was born a year later. At some point, Alice and Arthur would emigrate to Canada (they were residing there in 1917) but it is unclear if John went there also.

In the meantime, John was serving in World War I, where he was a Private with the Army Ordnance Corps. John would die from pneumonia on 30 December 1917 in Mesopotamia, Greece. He is interred in the Salonika Military Cemetery in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The following commentary consists of recollections from a nephew of John's wife Alice: John James Fisher’ s service record was apparently lost in the London bombing fire during WW2 as nothing has been found. Thus his enlistment date, and period/locations is unknown nor his periods and locations of service are unknown, prior to death in Greece in 1917. John was a railway engine cleaner, likely as a result of his father Joseph’s occupation as a railway engine driver. In UK 1901 census he is shown as a Photographer’s assistant in Lancashire which may have contributed to his relocation to Cork Ireland where, at the time of marriage to Alice Attfield he was identified as a Fine Arts Dealer.  His military service was with the Royal Ordnance Corps (which at the time of WW1 included responsibility for not only munitions but also photography). There is no record of John James ever visiting Canada despite his wife and son emigrating in 1914.

Sources

• "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2X44-GK9 : 1 October 2014), John James Fisher, 1871; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Carlisle, Cumberland, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.

• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WM-FJ5V : 11 December 2017), John James Fisher in household of Joseph Fisher, Caldewgate, Cumberland, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 63, Piece/Folio 5160/109, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,426.

• "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4N18-HN2 : 8 May 2019), John J Fisher in household of Joseph Fisher, Carlisle Holy Trinity, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Cumberland county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• "Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FY8M-S2P : 10 March 2018), MARRIAGES entry for John James Fisher; citing Cork, Jul - Sep 1904, vol. 5, p. 53, General Registry, Custom House, Dublin; FHL microfilm 101,260.

• Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 - this record states: John James Fisher ; Birth Place: Carlisle, Cumberland ;Death Date: 30 Dec 1917; Death Place: Mesopotamia ; Enlistment Place: Cupar, Fife ; Rank: Private ; Regiment: Army Ordnance Corps ; Regimental Number: 09907 ; Type of Casualty: Died ; Theatre of War: Asiatic Theatres

• Ancestry.com. UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947 - this record states: John James Fisher; son of J S Fisher and Amelia Fisher and husband of Alice Fisher of Ottawa Canada; age 40, birth date abt 1877, Death Date: 30 Dec 1917 (record states - died of pneumonia) ; Cemetery: Salonika Anglo-French Military Cemetery; Burial Country: Greece; Regiment: Army Ordnance Corps ; Regimental Number: 09907.

• Ancestry.com. Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current - this record states: Pvt John James Fisher, birth yr 1871, husband of Alice Fisher, Birth Place: Carlisle, City of Carlisle, Cumbria, England ; Death Date: 30 Dec 1917 ; Death Place: Thessaloniki, Regional unit of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece ; Cemetery: Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery [ Burial or Cremation Place: Thessaloniki, Regional unit of Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece.