John Meakin (1880-1917)

John Meakin is my great grandfather. John was born in Sutton, Cheshire in about July 1880 to Thomas and Sarah (Griffiths) Meakin, he was the youngest child of 7.

He was 9 months old when the 1881 census was taken and the family lived in Langley, Cheshire and he remained in this area for the rest of his life. The family at this time consisted of his parents and his 4 siblings, Thomas, Sarah, James and Hannah. The census shows that all the family who were old enough were working, even Sarah, who was 11 years old who was a scholar and silk piecer.

His older 2 sisters Frances Eugenia and Elizabeth Ellen were married and had moved out of the family home, but were also living in Langley with their respective husbands John Downes and William Robinson.

John's father Thomas died aged 53 in 1888, John would have been 8 years old.

When the 1891 census was taken, it indicates that Sarah is a widow and there were now only the 3 youngest children at home with her, James, Hannah and John.

His brother Thomas was married and lived, yes you have guessed in Langley and his sister Sarah was also married, but she lived in Macclesfield, a town approximately 4 km away.

In 1901, they remained in the same house (5 Langley), his mother Sarah had not remarried and she was still listed as a widow. James and John were still at home and Hannah had now married and was living in Congleton with her husband and son. Congleton is approximately 16 km away from Langley. Also in the household was Edith Downes, she was the daughter of Frances Eugenia (Meakin) Downes, who was John's sister. Edith was possibly just visiting as her mother and father lived at 1 Langley, so only a few doors away.

On 18 March 1906, John married Clara Ann Hemmings in St James church, Sutton.

Their first son Rex was born in 1907. In 1909, John's mother Sarah died and their 2nd son Norman was born.

The 1911 census gives the address as 45 Langley and shows that John and Clara Ann were at home with their 2 sons. John's occupation is given as warehouseman of a silk printing works. He would have worked for Langley Print Works, which was started in the 1820's by William and John Smith and then taken over by William Whiston.

Brenda was born in 1912 and Grace in 1914.

John died aged 36 on 14 April 1917 of insular sclerosis of the spinal cord (historical name for multiple sclerosis) in Macclesfield, Cheshire. The informant of his death was his older brother James Meakin.

A family story relates that John died because of heading a heavy football. He played football with his brother Jim (James) every week. You can see how at the time, his multiple sclerosis may have been explained by saying that it was due to him heading heavy footballs week after week.