John Barlow Emmott

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ant Stewart

9^th August 1888 – 4^th June 1915. Manchester Regiment (10^th Battalion)

John Barlow Emmott was a former Manchester FC player who was killed in Gallipoli, whilst serving as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the 10^th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. Emmott was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, but his family had roots in Manchester. His father George Henry taught law at Victoria University (now University of Manchester), and after leaving school John himself joined the university as a commerce student. Upon graduation, Emmott did as so many Manchester FC players did, and joined the cotton industry, moving to Oldham to work for the spinners Emmott and Walshaw. The name is no coincidence; John’s uncle just happened to be Oldham industrialist Lord Alfred Emmott. At this point he also started playing for Manchester FC, as a forward.

Before the war, Emmott joined the Manchester territorials, commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant. Consequently, he travelled to Gallipoli with the Manchesters where he was killed in action on the 4^th June 1915, during the Third Battle of Krithia.

He was survived by his widow Doris Lees. They had been married in Werneth, Oldham, on the 27^th August 1913. That day, the wedding was the talk of the town. “The bride looked very charming in her rock of soft gold brocade, “the church was crowded, and “the wedding presents were numerous and beautiful.”

Emmott is buried at the Twelve Trees Corps Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. Grave I.B.10

SOURCES
World Rugby Museum
Manchester University
Manchester Courier