John was born in 1889 in Patricroft, Lancashire
into a family who were successful cotton brokers and manufacturers.
His father, Charles Hermann Tattersall, studied medicine and eventually
became Medical Officer of Health for Salford. John was educated
at Giggleswick School and joined the family business. He was married
about July 1915 to Christina Maitland McCrone. His service in
the Lancashire Fusiliers described in the letters ended with his
wounding and repatriation in February 1916. I have no knowledge
of whether he returned to the Regiment during the remainder of
the war.
John and Christina had 2 sons, Ian born in 1917 and my father
Neil born in 1921. They moved to Lytham probably during the twenties.
John continued to work in the family business, commuting to Manchester
on the Club Train. He had interests in flying, cine
photography (some footage survives) and especially sailing. He
owned a lovely yawl Stroma and the family made extensive
cruises up and down the West coast.
All this came to an abrupt end in 1939. Ian served in the Navy
while Neil studied medicine during the blitz in London. Post WW2
John was unhappy with the economic and political situation in
Britain so he and Christina moved to Kenya and bought a hotel
and farm at Thompsons Falls. He died in Kenya in 1949.
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