BORN HULL 1887. ONLY CHILD OF CHARLES MADDEN DARBY (1859-1897) & MARGARET CALEY (1859-1939) HE HAD NO OTHER SIBLINGS. WORKED AS A LABOURER. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 1.5 INCHES TALL, 36-38 INCH CHEST, 125 LBS WEIGHT, ‘DEFECTIVE TEETH’.
MARRIED ON 30/03/1907. HIS WIFE MARY DUNKERLEY (BORN 14 AUG 1888) AND FOUR CHILDREN (MARGARET, ROBERT, MINNIE AND JOHN), LIVED AT, 3, PLIMSOLL TERRACE, CHAPMAN STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS) AND 3, BICKERTON BUILDINGS, WILLIAM STREET, HULL. (ARMY ADDRESSES)
HE ENLISTED AT HULL, ON 23/01/1915. SERVED IN EGYPT. SERVED WITH THE 13TH EYR (HULL PALS). KILLED AT SERRE, ON 13/11/1916, AGED 30. JOHN WILLIAM DARBY IS COMMEMORATED AT THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, SOMME, FRANCE. HE HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 1 YEAR AND 295 DAYS.
HE LEFT A WIDOW ND THREE CHILDREN. HIS SON JOHN DIED ON 28 AUG 1917 AND HIS WEEKLY WAR PENSION WAS REDUCED TO 26/3 SHILLINGS.
HIS WIFE REMARRIED, BECAME MRS MARY TREMBLE AND LEFT HULL AFTER HIS DEATH.
HIS NAME “J. DERBY” IS RECORDED AS KILLED, ON HULL’S GRANGE STREET SHRINE.
