John Jackson

1848-1868

John and his twin brother Frederick were born on the 17^th October 1848 in Newbury, Berkshire, the sons of James Porteous and Maria Elizabeth Jackson (nee Wells) who were married on the 31^st October 1838 in Newbury.

James and Maria also had the following children:
James Porteous born 1839 (died aged 21)

Louisa born 1840 (died aged 2, buried 26^th December at St Nicolas Newbury)

Emma born c1842

Philip Henry born 1843 (died aged 3+, buried 9^th December 1846 at St Nicolas Newbury)

Philip Wells born 1845

Charles born 1846

The family lived in Market Place, Newbury, where his father James was had an Ironmongery business.  James was also an Alderman, and for many years, served as a church warden.

John and Frederick never knew their mother as she died aged 31, after giving birth to them. She was buried on the 23^rd October 1831 at St Nicolas Newbury.

Their father remarried on the 18^th July 1851, his 2^nd wife was Ellen Packer (baptised in 1822 at St Nicolas Newbury, the daughter of John and Susannah Packer).

John and Ellen had the following children:

Henry born 1852

Laura Susan born 1855

An unnamed male child born 1856 (died soon after birth, buried in the NRC as James Porteus Jackson on the 14^th October).

Arthur born c1858

Herbert Edward c1860

Walter James born 1863 (died aged 7)

In 1861 John and Frederick, aged 12, were recorded as pupils at Richmond House, 59 Castle Street, Reading, Berkshire.

John joined the Civil Service and lived in London. He was an expert gymnast and built a private gymnasium for his personal use. On the 10^th October 1868, whilst working out in his gym, he had a fall from a bar and injured his spine and internal organs, which led to his death five days later (2 days before his 20^th birthday).

His body was brought to Newbury and he was laid to rest in a Chest Tomb in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 20^th October.

(His twin brother Frederick joined the Merchant Service. Whilst at sea on the 17^th October 1870 (Frederick’s 22^nd birthday) Frederick accidentally fell overboard whilst working on the rigging. Attempts to save him failed and his body was never recovered.)

Also buried in the tomb were his father James Porteous Jackson (died 26^th September 1906), his stepmother Ellen Jackson (died 15^th July 1892), his brother James Porteous Jackson (died 23^rd April 1861), his sister Emma Jackson (died 2^nd August 1906), his half-brother Henry Jackson (died 17^th November 1865), his half-brother Walter James Jackson (died 25^th December 1871). His half-sister Laura Susan Jackson (buried 24^th November 1892 in Eastham Cheshire) and his brother Frederick are also recorded on the memorial.

Sources: