Private James Henry Sparham
Regiment Unknown
Photo: James Sparham with his fiancée Alice Maud Briggs (Courtesy T Williams, granddaughter)
James Henry Sparham was born at Golden Valley in 1900, son of James Sparham (b.1877 Ilkeston) and Emily Sprigg (b.1881 Ilkeston). In 1901 the family were living at 39, Golden Valley and James father was employed as a railway worker/guard. The family tells us he was also worked at the Butterley Company. In 1908, tragedy struck when James’ mother Emily died, aged only 29. She left her widowed husband and two children, James aged only 9 and his sister Mary aged only 8. James’ father married Eliza Maxwell in 1912.
James Henry joined up just before his sixteenth birthday in 1916. Like so many war veterans he did not talk about his war experiences. In 1923 James Henry and Alice Maud Briggs married and lived for a while with Alice’s parents, Charles Briggs and his wife. Shortly afterwards Alice and James moved to Brinsley, Notts. Alice’s older brother Bertie Briggs is also listed on the Jacksdale War Memorial as having served.
James Henry died in 1957, aged only 57 years.
James’ uncle William Sparham is also listed on the Jacksdale War Memorial and was killed in action on 1st July 1916 on the first day of the Somme offensive.