Chapter 13: JOHN HANCOCKS (b.1879), PAINTER AND DECORATOR
John learned his trade of painter and decorator from his father. He first practiced his trade in the 1890's whilst still living with his parents at 66 Macdonald Street, probably working in partnership with his father.
John married Alice Maud Bull (Chapter 14) on 27 October 1898 in St Martin's. Francis James Adams and Alice Maud’s sister, Laura Bull, who was known as ‘Tot’ due to her small stature, witnessed the marriage. Alice Maud's father was the landlord of the 'Castle and Falcon' on Digbeth.
Only one child was born to John and Alice Maud, a son Francis John (Chapter 16), on 15 February 1900. FAt that time the family were living at 93 Bellbarn Road, moving to Wellington Road shortly afterwards. In the spring of 1901 John and Alice Maud were staying with Alice Maud's recently widowed mother in Highfield Road.
Around the time of the start of the First World War John moved his business to 113 St Luke's Road, which was midway between his former homes in Bellbarn Road and Macdonald Street. Francis John was known as Frank, and would go on to live at 119 St Luke's Road, next to his parent's home, and take over the garage business.
'The war of 1914-18 was an artillery war: artillery was the battle-winner, artillery was what caused the greatest loss of life, the most dreadful wounds, and the deepest fear.' - John Terraine, White Heat - the new warfare 1914-18. During the war John served with the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). The RGA was responsible for the heavy, large calibre guns and howitzers that were positioned some way behind the front line and at forts around the British coastline. When John joined, the RGA had three types of units: Siege Batteries, Heavy Batteries and Mountain Batteries. The first two were armed with large guns in the 6" to 12" range and the latter with smaller guns that could be packed on the back of mules or horses.
John and Alice Maud
John was nearly forty years old when conscripted, probably in the latter half of 1916. By that time the stalemate in Europe had cost the lives of so many British servicemen that the nation had literal run out of regular soldiers, territorials, volunteers, Empire troops and unmarried conscripts. Married older, but able bodied, men were the last to be called up. John was based at the Bulford 'depot' in Wiltshire in 1917. He apparently served on the larger guns as he is known to have been rendered deaf during his war service.
6" Howitzer
On return from the war John continued in business at 113 St Luke's Road until 1924, when he moved next door to number 117, the missed number, i.e. 115, was an entry not a dwelling. In 1927 he spent £860 in purchasing the large elongated yard behind 117, which had formally been a ropewalk. The purchase also included a small cottage (number 113a) in a corner of the yard and the right to £4 3/6 ground rent from his former home, number 113. 113 was later compulsorily purchased to provide space for the building of a school. The rope walk site provided an ideal business opportunity for John for he erected two rows of lock up garages around the edges of the rope walk yard. The lock-ups were rented out and provided a lucrative income for the next forty years. In addition to the lock-ups, the pavement outside 117 and adjacent to the lock-ups entrance became a garage forecourt, with petrol pumps and motoring goods.
Both the decorating and garage enterprises thrived. John employed about fifteen men at the height of the decorating business, and was often commissioned to paint the ornate ceilings of local theatres. A second garage and taxi business was established on Weaman Street, off Colmore Circus, followed by a small garage on Bordesley Green Road. Ronnie Bull who was probably Alice Maud’s nephew managed this latter enterprise. During the 1930's John gave up his decorating business to concentrate on garage management.
In the years between the two World Wars the taking of small weekend chalets in the countryside became very popular with those who dwelt in the increasingly polluted industrial cities. John bought a chalet in Grimley, near the River Severn in rural Worcestershire. He named the property 'Grasmere' as a reminded of holidays spent in the Lake District. On 28 August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain when Birmingham was being regularly bombed, John was enjoying a break at 'Grasmere'. On that fateful summers day he heard an airplane overhead and in his concern that it was German bomber he suffered a fatal heart attack. The airplane was British!
The Hancocks Garage, St Luke’s Road
Due no doubt to his success in business John had taken the precaution of preparing his will in November 1938. In it he left one hundred pounds to each of his two grandchildren and the remainder of his estate to Alice Maud. Widowed Alice Maud stayed on at 117 St Luke's Road, and continued her interest in the garage business, in partnership with her son, until her death in 1953. At that time and by direction of her will, her two grandchildren received one thousand pounds each plus some personal items and Stanley Jones, an employee, received one hundred pounds. Francis John received the balance of her estate, including the garage business.
JOHN HANCOCKS b.1878 d.1940 m.ALICE MAUD BULL (Chapter 14)
…..FRANCIS JOHN HANCOCKS b.1900 (Chapter 16)
