John Beetham (1885-1946)
John Beetham (from second marriage) was born at Bennitthorpe, Doncaster, Yorkshire on 18 December 1885 and died in Doncaster on 25 March 1946. At the time of the 1891 England Census, John (aged five, born Doncaster, Yorks) was living with his parents at 5 Bennitthorpe, Doncaster. John, who was usually known as “Jack”, attended a private school in Doncaster before going as a boarder to Retford Grammar School. A story recalled by his daughter was Jack being sent off to school on a train by his father: Jack, it seems, had other ideas and decided that he did not want to go to school so he got off the train at Bawtry and walked the ten miles home however his father quickly dispatched him back to school!

At the time of the 1901 England Census John (aged 15, born Doncaster, Yorks), Boarder, was attending school at Retford and living at 34 London Road, Ordsall, Retford, Nottinghamshire. At Retford, Jack made many friends and was voted the most popular boy in the school: the prize was an individual leather bound set of the complete works of Shakespeare. After having completed his education, Jack worked in the family wine and spirit business.

At the time of the 1911 England Census, John (aged 25, born Doncaster, Yorks), Wine & Spirit Merchant’s Clerk was living with his widowed father at 7 & 9 Bennitthorpe, Doncaster.

At Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire on 13 June 1912 Jack married Violet Mary Bemrose, the elder daughter of Charles Reuben Bemrose, a farmer of Rolleston, Nottinghamshire, and Anne Levers. Violet was born at Branston, Leicestershire on 17 December 1887 and died at Chelmsford, Essex on 09 April 1975. She went to the village school at Branston then to a boarding school in Lincoln (near Newport Arch, by the Minster). It was at this school that Violet became friends with Kathleen Beetham [3.4.9.3.5.3] through whom she subsequently met Jack. Jobs being scarce after leaving school, Violet became a governess and housekeeper; when engaged to Jack, she had to take her employer’s baby with her, even when courting.

Jack joined the RNVR in the 1914 1918 War, trained in camp on the Dorset Downs, and was billeted with a family of farmers called `Pearce’ at Pimperne, near Blandford a friendship which lasted many years: his wife Violet joined him there at times. As a Sub Lieutenant he went to France in 1916 and fought at the Somme, Beaumont Hamel and Hill 60.

Upon returning home he did not wish to carry on the family wine and spirit business; he would have preferred to go to New Zealand as his younger brother Richmond did. However he did take over the family firm, finally selling out to the Wakefield firm of `Richard Whitaker & Son’ just before his death in 1946.

Jack did not have much time for hobbies but enjoyed sailing, particularly on the Norfolk Broads, bird watching, and photography: he was a founder member of the Doncaster Natural History Society, the Doncaster Camera Club, and a member of `The Club’ in Regent Square, Doncaster.

At the time of the 1939 England & Wales Register, John (born 18 Dec 1885), Wine & Spirit Merchant, and Violet (born 17 Dec 1887, married), Unpaid Domestic Duties were living at 2 St Helens Road, Doncaster, Yorkshire: living with them was their unmarried daughter Joan.

During the Second World War, Jack’s house `Lowood’, Bessacarr, near Doncaster had been let to three schoolmistresses and the house was left in bad order and the garden terribly neglected. It was felt that all the hard work to put the family home and garden to rights was a contributing factor to Jack’s early death since at the same time he was working very long hours in the family business with very small staff.

A few years after Jack’s death, his widow Violet moved to a house in Sleaford, Lincolnshire that was just down the road from her married daughter Joan. In the mid-1960s Violet became increasingly blind and infirm and sold her house and lived with her daughter’s family who were by this time living in Chelmsford, Essex. Violet’s home surroundings meant a lot to her and she was interested in antiques, but only as they suited her at home, not as a collector. 

The above information is provided by John’s grandson, John Macrae (2025)