James Blanks was born on 12 March 1896 in Bethnal Green, one of the nine children of George Samuel Blanks (1861-1925) and Jane Blanks née Elliott (1857-1932). His father was a blacksmith.
On 5 April 1896 he was baptised at All Saints Church, West Ham, Essex.
The 1901 census shows him living at 41 Livingstone Road, West Ham, with his parents and seven of his siblings.
By the time of the 1911 census the family had moved to 68 Plaistow Road, West Ham where he is shown as a Wick Boy in a Candle Factory living with his parents and six siblings.
In early 1915 he enlisted in the 13th Battalion, Essex Regiment, service number 17529, rising to the rank of Lance Corporal. He entered France on 17 November 1915 where he died, aged 21 years, on 30 November 1917 and as he has no known grave he is commemorated on Panel 7 of the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral, France.
His mother was sent his army effects on 14 August 1919. These totalled £17-7s-10d, of which £16-10s-0d was his 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 a plaque listing 21 names of parishioners who died in World War One in the St John the Baptist Church, Pitfield Street, Hoxton.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
