Phillips, John

John’s parents were John and Louisa nee Powell. They married at St Paul’s Church on 18th April 1892 and were both originally from Foleshill, which is now part of Coventry. Interestingly John senior used the family name ‘Phillips Lively’ when the marriage was registered and this name was also used when baptising some of the children of the marriage. For the purposes of clarity, we have used the name Phillips only as this is how it appears on the War Memorial.

John (junior) was born in Warwick in 1897 and was baptised at St Paul’s Church on 2nd January 1898. He was the middle child of five children. His older brother and sister were Allan and Bertha Elizabeth and his younger brother and sister were Ernest and Alice Mary.

In 1901 the family were living at 56 Woodhouse Street but by the census of 1911 the family had moved to the Packmores area of Warwick and were living at 26 Brooklynne Place. John’s father was a general labourer and his mother Louisa had been a dressmaker. John, aged 13, was working as a draper’s errand boy. Allan, his older brother by five years, was a cabinet maker’s apprentice.

By 1919, John’s family were living on Vine Lane, also in the Packmores area. His sister, Bertha, submitted a shrine slip for Arthur Wyatt, who had been living in nearby Union Road, to be included on the Warwick memorial.

Warwick Advertiser – 1919:  Sergeant  JOHN PHILLIPS MM died 11^th March 1919 aged 21 years at University War Hospital, Southampton from pneumonia  following wounds . Dearly loved Son of Mr J Phillips, 3 Rose Cottages, Vine Lane, Warwick.

John is buried in Warwick Cemetery:

John’s younger brother, Ernest, died in 1924 aged 24 at the King Edward VII Memorial Sanatorium, Hatton probably from Tuberculosis.  Older brother, Allan survived the war and became a master builder and carpenter in Coventry. He died in 1972 aged 79.

Bertha married Christopher Jones a fishmonger and fruiterer and in 1939 they were living and working at 24 Market Place, Warwick. She died in 1982 aged 86.

John’s mother, Louisa, died in 1932 and is buried in Warwick Cemetery. She was a widow at that time.