Description:[Submitted by Ray Middleton]
John Charles Pockett was my wife’s grandfather. He was born on the 7th June 1884 at 23 Manchester Street, Cheltenham, the second child of Elizabeth Sophia Pockett. He was one of three children in the Pockett family, including elder brother Frederick James and younger sister Alice Louisa Maud. At the time of the 1891 census, the family were still living at the same address where John was born.
The name of his father was not shown on John Charles' birth certificate. The same applies to his elder brother Frederick James who was born on 14th August 1879 at 5 Alfred Place, Wotton, Kingsholm, Gloucestershire, and younger sister Alice Louisa Maud, born 23rd September 1890 at 43 Union Street, Fairview, Cheltenham, Gloucester (this may be the local hospital).
On their marriage certificates, all three siblings show Charles Pockett, Charles Edward Pockett or John Charles Pockett as their father (ie., the only consistency being that in all cases their father was deceased!). The mother’s occupation was shown as a dressmaker.
The 1901 census shows that John Charles Pockett had moved to Birmingham. He was now living at 52 Avenue Road, Aston Manor, along with a brother, sister and a mother who has married John Joseph Sidney Spink on 22nd August 1899.
Prior to enlisting in the Army, John Charles Pockett was in the cycle trade.