Private John Brooks Gisborne (or Gisbourne as the name often appears) lived in Wickhamford for a year and in Badsey for about three years in childhood. He was a pupil at Badsey School, but he is not listed on the war memorial either in Badsey Church or Badsey School. His name is recorded, though on the memorial in Bengeworth Church.
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John Brooks Gisborne (1892-1918) was born at Childswickham on 10th December 1892, the seventh of 13 children of George Gisborne and his wife, Esther (née Brooks). His father was a labourer and the family moved around quite a bit. His mother was Badsey born and bred.
From Childswickham the family moved to Cleeve Prior and then to Wickhamford. They were living at Wickhamford when John enrolled at Badsey School on 13th October 1898, and at 1 Sands Lane, Badsey, by the time Sidney Frank was born in 1899. They were still in Badsey at the time of the 1901 census, but they left the village in 1902 to move to Bengeworth.
In 1914, John married Frances Eleanor Ward Troughton in the Evesham area. In 1915, he started work for Mr J A Canning of Aldington, acting as foreman on 17 acres of market garden ground, responsible for the ploughing and implement work. He also looked after 5 acres of land at Lenchwick for Messrs White Brothers. When conscription came in 1916, John applied for exemption and appeared before a military tribunal on 11th April. He was given temporary exemption until 1st September. He then applied again, but his appeal was dismissed.
John enlisted with the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Private Gisborne (38127) was killed in action in France on 14th September 1918. John has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial. His name also appears on the memorial in Bengeworth Church.
He left behind a widow who, in 1920, married George H Ward, and parents and many siblings.