John Stone Hepworth
The soldier:
John Stone Hepworth enlisted into the army on the 8th September, 1914 in Settle, Yorkshire. At the time of enlisting John gave his home address as that of his parents; Beach House, Snettisham, Norfolk.
He was assigned to the 1st/6th Battalion of the Duke of Wellingtons’ (West Riding Regiment) and given regimental number 2631.
John was clearly identified as a leader by the army. He was appointed Lance Corporal ‘in the field’ on the 14th October 1914, one month after enlisting and was subsequently promoted to Corporal on the 15th December 1915. Very shortly after this he was appointed Lance Sergeant ‘in the field’ on the 5th December 1915 and then promoted to Sergeant on the 4th March 1916.
He was ‘killed in action’ on the 22nd September 1916, aged just 25.
Prior to his death, John Stone Hepworth was awarded the Military Medal for ‘Gallant and distinguished conduct in the field’. He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s formal dispatch on the 30th April 1916 and his medal confirmed in the London Gazette’s 2nd supplement of the 13th June 1916.
He is buried in Blighty Valley Cemetary, Authuile Wood, Somme, France – Grave I.G.11
His name appears on both of Snettisham Village’s memorials and its ‘Roll of Honour’.
The man:
John Stone Hepworth was born in early 1891 in Norton/Faversham, Kent to William (31) and Isabella/’Bella’ Hepworth (27). William had been born in Hampole, Yorkshire and Isabella in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In the 1891 census, William’s occupation is listed as a ‘groom and kennelman’. John is recorded as 4 months old.
By the 1901 census the family had moved to Yorkshire and were residing at No.2 ‘The kennels’, Acomb. William was now 40 and still a ‘kennelman’ by trade. John is now 10 and he has a younger sister, Phyllis born on the 5th August 1900.
By the 1911 census, John, now 20 has moved out of the family home. He is residing as a ‘boarder’ at 252, Crookesmoor Road, Sheffield. His occupation is listed as an ‘Educational student – training in schoolmastership’ – ie. learning to be a Teacher.
The rest of the family have moved to Beach House, Snettisham, Norfolk. William is 50 and a ‘kennelman foxhounds’, Bella is 47 and Phyllis is 10. Phyllis had been going to Snettisham School (still the existing village primary school) from the 20th September 1909. However, in August 1913 she moved to Snettisham Grammar School having been awarded a scholarship.
Following his death all John Stone Hepworth’s personal effects and his medals were dispatched by the army to his father in Snettisham. He also left £285 7s and 10 d to his father in his estate.
