Private John Henry Fairman
| Date of Birth | c. 1875 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 39 |
| Date of Death | 2 February 1915 |
| Service Number | 5780 |
| Military Service | "D" Company, 10th Battalion East Surrey Regiment |
| Merton Address | |
| Local Memorial | St. Mary's Church, Merton Park |
Additional Information
John was born in Crayford, Kent in 1875, the second son of John and Ellen Fairman. One of nine children, he had four older siblings – William, Ellen, Rosa and Alice, plus four younger brothers and sisters – Joseph, Emma, Leonard and Henry.
In 1881 the family were living at 40 Bexley Lane, Crayford. Like Merton, this area was a centre for textile printing. Both John’s father and his eldest brother were employed as block printers, hand-printing intricate designs on lengths of fabric using specially carved wooden blocks. By the time John was 15 years old in 1891; he was also doing this type of work and is likely to have been employed at the same firm.
The 1901 census shows the Fairman family living at 5 Union Terrace, London Road, Crayford. By now John’s younger siblings were also working. Joseph and Emma were working in a factory and 16 year old Leonard was apprenticed to make sextants, popular navigational tools used on ships.
In 1904 John married Alice Mabel Chambers. The couple moved into 80 London Road, Crayford (just down the road from John’s parents) and by 1911 the couple had two young daughters, Jane and Emily. A third child died in infancy.
John had served in the military as a volunteer earlier in his adult life and following the outbreak of war in 1914, he answered General Kitchener’s call for a new army, enlisting as a private in the East Surrey Regiment, 10th battalion (D. Company.) This was a Service Battalion formed in Dover in October 1915 and was generally used for auxiliary purposes and recruitment. It was eventually part of the 95th brigade.
The circumstances of John’s death, aged 37, on 2 February 1915, remain unclear. However he was afforded a full military funeral at St. James’ Cemetery, Dover, attended by his widow, brother, sister and three brother- in- laws. By this stage his brother Henry was living at 50 Nelson Grove, Merton and working as a local block printer. This may explain why John is also commemorated at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Merton Park.
John’s widow Alice had been living at 44 St.Paul’s Road, Thornton Heath. In 1919 she married Arthur Aldridge in Croydon and lived there until 1945.