266786 (John) Colin Preston

266786 (John) Colin Preston born in 1889 in Wrenbury, Cheshire. There is no record of Colin’s parent’s names, but his brother’s name was Arthur Preston who lived at 43 Park View, Barony, Nantwich. On the 1911 census Colin was living in Cannock.

Colin was 5 foot 6 inches, weight 13lbs, occupation a farm labourer, he married Jessie Bailey on the 22^nd January 1916, they lived at 3 Granary Steps, Bridgnorth, they had no children.

Colin enlisted on 31/05/1916 in Bridgnorth. Part of his Military Service Records is as follows: Home 07/06/1916 – 17/10/1916 (Home means in Britain) between the 12^th August 1916 and 2^nd September 1916 he was admitted into hospital suffering from German Measles. He embarked for France on 18/10/1916 and was killed on the 03/07/1917

Colin is not only mentioned on the WW1 memorial scroll in the church, but his wife Jessie had this personnel memorial erected in the church.

I am not sure what their connection with St Thomas’s was, as I can find no detail of them living in Mow Cop, or family connections. Jessie Preston married Thomas Stone in 1921 in Bridgnorth. Maybe someone would be able to shed some light onto this.