Private Thomas Jackson
17412 8th East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 15th July 1916, aged 32
Lived at 128 Sandygate
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France
St Peters Memorial, Burnley
Burnley Express 2/8/1916 (P)

Thomas Jackson was born in Burnley He was a widower with one son. He enlisted at Burnley in November 1914 and served as Private 17412 in the 8th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment.

The Burnley Express of August 16th 1916 reported that he lived at 28 Sandygate Burnley and as his wife had died in April 1916 he left an orphan son Wilfred aged 4. He came over from the front for the funeral but was 2 days late. His little son is living with Mrs Reed whom his father appointed to be his guardian. The little boy had been going to school for a year. Thomas was connected with Pickup Croft Mission of St Peter’s Parish. He was formerly a weaver at Messrs. Blakey’s Sandygate Mill Private Jackson’s brother Joseph has been wounded in the foot. Joseph lives in the Burnley Lane District and has 7 children. 3 nephews are in the army and his sister lives in Norton Street ( number 29) - James Harker 18th Cheshire Regiment. Thomas Harker 6th East Lancashire Regiment. Private Robert Henry Harker is in 2nd Welsh Fusiliers.

The Burnley News of Saturday, August 5 1916 reported:- “Burnley Brothers. One Killed. Another Wounded"

Mrs Harker of 29 Norton Street, Burnley has just been notified of the death of her brother Private Thomas Jackson of the 8th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment. She received previous intimation in a letter from another brother, Private Joseph Jackson of the same regiment, who is wounded and in hospital in France. He wrote on July 15th that he suddenly missed Tom in the fight and as no news had come through about him he presumed that he had been killed. This unfortunately has proved to be the case. Pte Jackson was predeceased by his wife only three months ago, and he was granted special leave to attend her funeral, but he however, arrived too late in Burnley for the internment. He formerly lived in Sandygate, and enlisted at the same time as brother two years ago. He was a weaver at Messrs. Blakey’s and Bibby’s and was 32 years of age. He leaves a little son.”

Notes
Tom was also commemorated on the Pickup Croft Sunday School Memorial which was dedicated on 16th September 1922. Pickup Croft was a mission church of St Peter’s Parish and was also used as an Infant School.