John James's Story.
EARLY LIFE
John James Cummins was born on 26 February and baptised at St Alban's Church on 15 April 1894, the son of Ann (nee McKernan) and Richard Cummins, a shoemaker and boot repairer of Macclesfield. Richard was born in Ireland and Ann was born in Macclesfield of Irish parents.
In 1901, seven-year-old John was living at 2 Wellington Street, Macclesfield with his parents and sister Mabel, aged nine. By 1911, the family had moved to 4 Crown Street West and John was employed as a card cutter.
John's father died at the age of 70 on 2 March 1914 and was buried in Macclesfield Cemetery four days later.
MILITARY SERVICE
John's death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 20 September 1918:
Pte J J Cummins, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, only son of Mrs Cummins, 61 Coare St, Macclesfield, who was reported missing on the 23rd of March, is now believed to have been killed on that date. He was educated at St Alban's School and was a member of the Catholic Young Men's Society.
COMMEMORATION
Private John Cummins is commemorated on Panel Ref. Bay 6 of the Arras Memorial. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private John Cummins, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Private John Cummins is commemorated on the Park Green and St Alban's Church war memorials.
SOURCES
Family History Society of Cheshire (FHSC): Macclesfield Catholics CD – Baptism and Burial transcriptions
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 20 September 1918
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.