John's Story.
Lance Corporal John Brennan of the Royal Army Medical Corps (regimental number 16898) died of enteric fever (typhoid) on 20th May 1902 at Harrismith Hospital, Orange River Colony. He had been sent to the war zone to help quell the tide of the disease but became a victim himself. He was 26. He is buried at Harrismith Town Cemetery, South Africa.
What do we know about John?
John J Brennan (surname registered at birth as Brannan) was born in the summer of 1875 in Cheshire. He was the eldest son of John J Brannon / Brennon and Harriet Rebecca nee Cooper (1848 - 1887). John senior was a coal agent, born in Ireland. He and Harriet had married in 1874 in Atcham, Shropshire. Like their other children, John would have been baptised in a Catholic church. On 5th April 1891, John was living at 82 Market Street, Crewe with his parents and younger sisters Florence, Clara and Gertude. He was working as a hairdresser’s apprentice. In 1897, when he was 22, his mother Harriet died at the age of 48.
On 31st March 1901, his widowed father and two of John’s sisters were still at the same address in Market Street. John Brennan died of enteric fever (typhoid) on 20th May 1902 at Harrismith Hospital, Orange River Colony. He was 26. Poignantly, just before John’s death was confirmed, his father had received a letter from him dated May 2nd, stating how well he was at that point.
Could you be related to John Brennan?
The eldest of John’s sisters, Florence Catherine (1878 – 1958) married Charles Alfred Burge and had two sons, Donald James (1905 - 1978) and Kenneth John (1909 - 1968) and a daughter Daphne (1918–1990). Donald married Beatrice Olive Wisby, and had one son and one daughter. Kenneth was the husband of Grace Rosina Glencross. Daphne married Henry Ernest Edwards and had three daughters, and then James Wallace Donaldson, with whom she had three sons.
John’s other two sisters died unmarried. Clara Anna Brennan (1880 -1934) worked in London as a barmaid in the Railway Refreshment Rooms, at the Grosvenor Hotel, Buckingham Palace Road, London. John’s youngest sister Gertrude worked at the same hotel in 1911. By 1921, Clara and Gertrude were sharing a home at 94 Savernake Road, St Pancras, London. Clara was a hotel bookkeeper, and Gertrude was a health visitor. After Clara’s death in 1934, Gertrude continued to be a health visitor, as shown in the 1939 Register. She died in December 1951, aged 65. They were buried in the same grave in Hendon Cemetery, next to their niece Daphne Donaldson.
Compiled by S. Lewington 2025
What do we know about John?
John J Brennan (surname registered at birth as Brannan) was born in the summer of 1875 in Cheshire. He was the eldest son of John J Brannon / Brennon and Harriet Rebecca nee Cooper (1848 - 1887). John senior was a coal agent, born in Ireland. He and Harriet had married in 1874 in Atcham, Shropshire. Like their other children, John would have been baptised in a Catholic church. On 5th April 1891, John was living at 82 Market Street, Crewe with his parents and younger sisters Florence, Clara and Gertude. He was working as a hairdresser’s apprentice. In 1897, when he was 22, his mother Harriet died at the age of 48.
On 31st March 1901, his widowed father and two of John’s sisters were still at the same address in Market Street. John Brennan died of enteric fever (typhoid) on 20th May 1902 at Harrismith Hospital, Orange River Colony. He was 26. Poignantly, just before John’s death was confirmed, his father had received a letter from him dated May 2nd, stating how well he was at that point.
Could you be related to John Brennan?
The eldest of John’s sisters, Florence Catherine (1878 – 1958) married Charles Alfred Burge and had two sons, Donald James (1905 - 1978) and Kenneth John (1909 - 1968) and a daughter Daphne (1918–1990). Donald married Beatrice Olive Wisby, and had one son and one daughter. Kenneth was the husband of Grace Rosina Glencross. Daphne married Henry Ernest Edwards and had three daughters, and then James Wallace Donaldson, with whom she had three sons.
John’s other two sisters died unmarried. Clara Anna Brennan (1880 -1934) worked in London as a barmaid in the Railway Refreshment Rooms, at the Grosvenor Hotel, Buckingham Palace Road, London. John’s youngest sister Gertrude worked at the same hotel in 1911. By 1921, Clara and Gertrude were sharing a home at 94 Savernake Road, St Pancras, London. Clara was a hotel bookkeeper, and Gertrude was a health visitor. After Clara’s death in 1934, Gertrude continued to be a health visitor, as shown in the 1939 Register. She died in December 1951, aged 65. They were buried in the same grave in Hendon Cemetery, next to their niece Daphne Donaldson.
Compiled by S. Lewington 2025