Completed John Bills
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 1:55 pm
Gunner 88714 John Bills
Abt 1874 -20/5/1917 (43)
https://www.tiptonremembers.net/index.php/bills-john
Dob Abt 1874
Baptism possible
Staffordshire Ocker Hill Tipton St Mark
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 1426
Baptism date 07 Dec 1874
Person forename John Thomas
Person sex M
Father forename James
Mother forename Betsy
Father surname BILLS
Person abode Toll End
Father occupation Miner
Parents James Bills & Elizabeth Foster
Parents Marriage
9/6/1872 Staffordshire Ocker Hill Tipton St Mark
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 76
Marriage date 09 Jun 1872
Groom forename James
Groom surname BILLS
Groom age 19
Groom condition bachelor
Groom occupation Miner
Groom abode Great Bridge
Bride forename Elizabeth
Bride surname FOSTER
Bride age 18
Bride condition spinster
Bride abode Great Bridge
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BILLS
Groom father occupation Miner
Bride father forename William
Bride father surname FOSTER
Bride father occupation Labourer
Witness1 Thomas HEATH
Witness2 Sarah Jane HEATH
Notes Groom, Bride & both Witnesses sign X.
1891 66 New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (38, Coal Miner, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (36, born Tipton), and their 7 children: James (18, Coal Miner, born Tipton), John (16, Labourer in an Iron Works, born Tipton), Edward (9, Scholar, born Tipton), Richard (7, Scholar, born Tipton), Dinah (4, Scholar, born Tipton), William (2, born Tipton), and Thomas (3 months, born Tipton).
There is no trace of John Bills on the 1901 census as he was serving with the Royal Artillery in South Africa. His parents were still living in New Road, Great Bridge.
1901 8 Court, 6 House, New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (52, General Labourer, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (50, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Edward (19, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Richard (17, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Dinah A. (14, born Tipton), William (12, born Tipton), Thomas (10, born Tipton), and Annie (7, born Tipton).
Marriage
9/7/1904 Staffordshire Tipton St Paul
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 124
Marriage date 09 Jul 1904
Groom forename John Thomas
Groom surname BILLS
Groom age 28
Groom condition bachelor
Groom occupation Labourer
Groom abode Tipton
Bride forename Mary Jane
Bride surname SEAR
Bride age 22
Bride condition spinster
Bride abode Tipton
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BILLS
Groom father occupation Miner
Bride father forename Ezra
Bride father surname SEAR
Bride father occupation Labourer
Witness1 Martha BLAKESLEY
Witness2 Florence BLAKESLEY
Notes Neither banns nor licence is specified
1911 25 Avon Road, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire.
John Bills (36, Clay Miner, born Tipton), his wife Jane (28, born West Bromwich), and their 2 children: May (4, born Tipton on 9th August 1906), and Arthur (1, born Tipton on 25th July 1909). A second daughter, Evelyn Florence, was born on 8th October 1911 in Blainavon.
Death of Mary J Bills, age 33, registered June quarter 1914 at Abergavenny.
Marriage of John Bills and Jennie Greathead registered in June quarter 1916 in Leeds.
Marriage of Jennie Bills and Charles Bury registered in March quarter 1919 in Leeds.
WW1 Records
Gunner 88714 John Bills
Died Home on Sunday, 20th May 1917, age 43.
Buried in Grave C. Ded. 105B. at Tipton Cemetery, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
Royal Field Artillery, 42nd Reserve Battery.
Husband of Jennie Bury (formerly Bills), of 7, Primrose St., Camp Rd., Leeds
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Unknown.
First landed France & Flanders, 14th September 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers
John Bills Soldier
Jennie Bills Widow
Elizabeth Bills Guardian
May Bills Child
Arthur Bills Child
Evelyn Florence Bills Child
John was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital at Hipswell Camp, Caterick, on 20th May 1917. He died on the same day, the cause of death recorded on his Pension Card is "heart failure due to disease aggravated by Active Service." His body was returned to his family roots in Tipton, and he is buried in Tipton Cemetery with a Commonwealth War Graves gravestone.
Dod 20/5/1917 ( ) Heart Failure
Buried in Grave C. Ded. 105B. at Tipton Cemetery, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/395335/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124 ... john-bills
Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Any other info
John's mother, Elizabeth, as Guardian to his 2 daughters, May and Evelyn. An additional pension payment of 7/0d (7 shillings) per week was paid to Mr Arthur Garner as Guardian to John's son, Arthur Bills. As Garner lived at 452 East Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio, USA, it suggests that Arthur had most likely moved to America.
Abt 1874 -20/5/1917 (43)
https://www.tiptonremembers.net/index.php/bills-john
Dob Abt 1874
Baptism possible
Staffordshire Ocker Hill Tipton St Mark
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 1426
Baptism date 07 Dec 1874
Person forename John Thomas
Person sex M
Father forename James
Mother forename Betsy
Father surname BILLS
Person abode Toll End
Father occupation Miner
Parents James Bills & Elizabeth Foster
Parents Marriage
9/6/1872 Staffordshire Ocker Hill Tipton St Mark
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 76
Marriage date 09 Jun 1872
Groom forename James
Groom surname BILLS
Groom age 19
Groom condition bachelor
Groom occupation Miner
Groom abode Great Bridge
Bride forename Elizabeth
Bride surname FOSTER
Bride age 18
Bride condition spinster
Bride abode Great Bridge
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BILLS
Groom father occupation Miner
Bride father forename William
Bride father surname FOSTER
Bride father occupation Labourer
Witness1 Thomas HEATH
Witness2 Sarah Jane HEATH
Notes Groom, Bride & both Witnesses sign X.
1891 66 New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (38, Coal Miner, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (36, born Tipton), and their 7 children: James (18, Coal Miner, born Tipton), John (16, Labourer in an Iron Works, born Tipton), Edward (9, Scholar, born Tipton), Richard (7, Scholar, born Tipton), Dinah (4, Scholar, born Tipton), William (2, born Tipton), and Thomas (3 months, born Tipton).
There is no trace of John Bills on the 1901 census as he was serving with the Royal Artillery in South Africa. His parents were still living in New Road, Great Bridge.
1901 8 Court, 6 House, New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (52, General Labourer, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (50, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Edward (19, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Richard (17, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Dinah A. (14, born Tipton), William (12, born Tipton), Thomas (10, born Tipton), and Annie (7, born Tipton).
Marriage
9/7/1904 Staffordshire Tipton St Paul
Register type Parish Register
Register entry number 124
Marriage date 09 Jul 1904
Groom forename John Thomas
Groom surname BILLS
Groom age 28
Groom condition bachelor
Groom occupation Labourer
Groom abode Tipton
Bride forename Mary Jane
Bride surname SEAR
Bride age 22
Bride condition spinster
Bride abode Tipton
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BILLS
Groom father occupation Miner
Bride father forename Ezra
Bride father surname SEAR
Bride father occupation Labourer
Witness1 Martha BLAKESLEY
Witness2 Florence BLAKESLEY
Notes Neither banns nor licence is specified
1911 25 Avon Road, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire.
John Bills (36, Clay Miner, born Tipton), his wife Jane (28, born West Bromwich), and their 2 children: May (4, born Tipton on 9th August 1906), and Arthur (1, born Tipton on 25th July 1909). A second daughter, Evelyn Florence, was born on 8th October 1911 in Blainavon.
Death of Mary J Bills, age 33, registered June quarter 1914 at Abergavenny.
Marriage of John Bills and Jennie Greathead registered in June quarter 1916 in Leeds.
Marriage of Jennie Bills and Charles Bury registered in March quarter 1919 in Leeds.
WW1 Records
Gunner 88714 John Bills
Died Home on Sunday, 20th May 1917, age 43.
Buried in Grave C. Ded. 105B. at Tipton Cemetery, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
Royal Field Artillery, 42nd Reserve Battery.
Husband of Jennie Bury (formerly Bills), of 7, Primrose St., Camp Rd., Leeds
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Unknown.
First landed France & Flanders, 14th September 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers
John Bills Soldier
Jennie Bills Widow
Elizabeth Bills Guardian
May Bills Child
Arthur Bills Child
Evelyn Florence Bills Child
John was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital at Hipswell Camp, Caterick, on 20th May 1917. He died on the same day, the cause of death recorded on his Pension Card is "heart failure due to disease aggravated by Active Service." His body was returned to his family roots in Tipton, and he is buried in Tipton Cemetery with a Commonwealth War Graves gravestone.
Dod 20/5/1917 ( ) Heart Failure
Buried in Grave C. Ded. 105B. at Tipton Cemetery, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/395335/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124 ... john-bills
Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Any other info
John's mother, Elizabeth, as Guardian to his 2 daughters, May and Evelyn. An additional pension payment of 7/0d (7 shillings) per week was paid to Mr Arthur Garner as Guardian to John's son, Arthur Bills. As Garner lived at 452 East Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio, USA, it suggests that Arthur had most likely moved to America.
