Rifleman John Murphy.
Little is known of his early life apart from the fact he attended St Luke's Parochial School, The first record found was when on 1 March 1914 he married Emily Brown at St Paul's Church, Clerkenwell. The marriage register confirms that he was aged 22 years, a bachelor and a printer's labourer living at 31 Macclesfield Street (now Macclesfield Road), Clerkenwell and that his father Frank Murphy was a tailor. It also describes his wife a spinster, aged 19 years, living at the same address and that her father, Henry Brown, was a hawker.
Their elder son, John William Murphy, was born on 1 April 1914 and when baptised on 26 April 1914 at St Paul's Church, Clerkenwell, the baptismal register shows that the family were living at 31 Rahere Street, Islington, and that his occupation was recorded as a porter.
He enlisted in the The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), service number 6/661, and entered France on 17 December 1914. He was serving in their 2nd Battalion when he was killed in action, aged 24 years, on 29 January 1916 and was buried in Plot 1, Row D, Grave 32 in the Rue-Du-Bois Military Cemetery, Rue Louis Bouquet, 62840 Fleurbaix, France.
Their younger son, Henry Ernest Murphy, was born on 10 October 1916 and when baptised on 29 October 1914 at Holy Trinity Church, Hoxton, his mother was shown on the baptismal register as living at 96 Murray Street, Hoxton, and that his father was a soldier who had been killed in action.
By 4 July 1918 his widow had been sent his army effects totalling £3-8s-4d. She remarried and as Emily Smith living at 33 Allerton Street, New North Road, Hoxton, she was sent his £6-0s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He is also commemorated on St Luke's Parochial School War Memorial, now located at St Luke's Community Centre, 90 Central Street, London, EC1V 8AJ and in the London Borough of Islington's Book of Remembrance.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
