John George Clench was born on 23 March 1976 in Clerkenwell. He was fifth of the ten children of Thomas James Clench (1847-1895) and Eliza Clench née Hollis (1847-1928). His father was a machine printer and his mother a tie maker.
The 1881 census shows him living at 53 Devonshire Street, Mile End Old Town, together with his parents and four of his siblings.
On 25 December 1896 he married Roseina Sarah Eley (1875-1928) at The Church of St Philip, Clerkenwell. The marriage register shows him to be a glass beveller residing at 10 New Buildings, Margaret Street, Clerkenwell whilst his wife's address was 9 New Buildings, Margaret Street. They went on to have at least nine children.
By the time of the 1901 census he is recorded as living at 23 Margaret Street, Clerkenwell with his wife and three sons.
The 1911 census informs that he was living at 2 Shaftesbury Street, Shoreditch, with his wife, five sons, two daughters and his wife's niece, Charlotte Alma Bye, whom they had adopted.
On 28 April 1915 he enlisted in the Army Service Corps, service number 10080, and entered France on 12 May 1915. His home address was given as 3 Shaftesbury Street, Hoxton. On 1 August 1917 he was transferred to the Labour Corps, service number 298021, where he remained until he was demobilised, still as a Private, on 14 February 1919. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
One of their sons, also called John George Clench (1897-1915) joined the 9th Battalion of The Rifle Brigade, service number C/S/8600, and as a Rifleman was killed in action on 25 September 1915.
Electoral registers from 1918 onwards show him listed at 3a Shaftesbury Street, Shoreditch and he was still there at the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register which confirmed he remained as a glass beveller.
On 10 September 1940 he took cover in the Wenlock Brewrey air raid shelter, Wenlock Road, Shoreditch, when at 4.00am on 11 September 1940 it was bombed by German aircraft. He was rescued and was taken to St Leonard's Hospital, Nuttall Street, London, N1 5LZ, where he died from his injuries, aged 64 years, later that day.
He is also commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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