John James Mortlock was born on 7 November 1883 the son of George Frederick Mortlock (1851-1918) and Esther Tarlington Mortlock née Farr (1853-1907). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1884 in the Westminster Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London).
On 4 December 1883 he was baptised at St Thomas's Church, Regent Street, Westminster, where his date of birth is confirmed in the baptismal register that also shows his family were living at 44 Beak Street, Westminster and that his father was a warehouseman.
In the 1891 census he is shown as John Mortlock, aged 7 years, living at 216 Droop Street, Kensal Green, London, with his parents and seven of his siblings: Emma Tarlington Mortlock (b.1873); Frederick Richard Mortlock (b.1874); William John Mortlock (1877-1956); Harry George Mortlock (b.1879); Charles Edward Mortlock (1882-1971); Sidney Percy Mortlock (1887-1947) and Mary Ann Esther Mortlock (b.1891).
Having attended the Infants Department, on 20 July 1891 he was admitted into the Beethoven Street School (now renamed as Wilberforce Primary School) in Beethoven Street, London, W10). The school admission records show that he was living at 216 Beethoven Street.
When the 1901 census was undertaken he was shown as John Mortlock, aged 18 years and a draper's porter living with 26 other drapery employees at 36 Hatherley Grove, Paddington, London.
On 23 April 1905 he married Edith Sophia Reynolds (1881-1967) at St John the Evangelist Church, Smith Square, Westminster, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 22 years, a bachelor and carman, living at 7 Probyn Buildings, Regency Street, Westminster, the son of Frederick George Mortlock, a grocer, whilst his wife was described as aged 23 years, a spinster, residing at 5 Marsham Street, Westminster, the daughter of the late Samuel Henry Reynolds, a wine cooper.
Their daughter, Evelyn Tarlington Mortlock (1907-2000) was born on 7 August 1907 and when she was baptised on 26 October 1907 at St John the Evangelist Church, Smith Square, Westminster, the baptismal register shows him as a kitchen porter and that the family were living at 54 Winchester Street, Westminster.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he showed himself as aged 27 years and an assurance agent living in a 13 roomed property at 33 Marsham Street, Westminster, with his wife and their daughter, Evelyn Tarlington Mortlock
He had enlisted in 1909 as a Private in the 18th (County of London) Battalion, (London Irish Rifles), service number 419, a Territorial Force and on the outbreak of World War One he saw service in India from 25 November 1915. He returned to England and was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps, service number 7456 and was serving in their 103rd Company when he died, aged 35 years, on 22 February 1919 at the War Hospital, Sutton, Surrey (now Greater London). His body was buried in Plot 6, Row F, Grave 8, in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Dawney Hill, Pirbright, Brookwood, Woking GU24 0JB. His death was registered in the 1st quarter of 1919 in the Epsom Registration District, Surrey.
By 4 October 1919 his army effects of £26-1s-9d , which included his £25-0s-0d war gratuity, were sent to his widow at 49, Maclise Buildings, Millbank Estate, London. She was also sent his posthumously awarded British War Medal 1914-1918. As he had not entered a theatre of war, he was not awarded the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'MORTLOCK.J.J.' on the war memorial outside St John's Church, Smith Square, London, SW1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, that incorrectly gives his age as 36 years, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website and on the Royal British Legion's Everyone Remembered website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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