James Oscroft Mountney (1899–1955)

Second Lieutenant

Royal Air Force 137770  

Photo courtesy Wendy Holtam

James Mountney in 1923

Biography
James was born in 1899 at Whatstandwell where his parents, Herbert and Elizabeth, were publicans at the Derwent Hotel. He joined the RAF in May 1918 as a cadet, passed as a pilot and was based at an armament school at Ealing. He left the service in January 1919 as a second lieutenant.

Married to Laura Grafton in 1924, he ran the Derwent Hotel until 1931; then the Lion Hotel, Belper, before running hotels at Staines and Finchley.

He was a supporter of the Whatstandwell Football Club.

His sister Florence May Mountney married William Alfred Barton, who is also on the Roll of Honour.

Whatstandwell Football Team in 1923

The Mountney family were well-known in the parish as publicans of the Derwent Hotel beside Whatstandwell Bridge.

Photo of the Derwent Hotel, Whatstandwell


RAF Service Record
137770 , Janes Oscroft Mountney
Born : 17 May 1899, Crich
Religion: C of E
Date of engagement: 1 May 1918; aged 18y 11m
Occupation: Engineer
Next of Kin: Herbert Mountney, Crown Holes, Matlock, father
Personal details: ht 5 feet 10½ in; black hair, blue eyes, fresh complexion

1/5/18 Cadet Distribution Depot
2/5/18 Fit as a pilot
5/5/18 to 20 CW communications wing
13/7/18 to 6 School of Administration
29/9/18 Arm Sch
20/11/18 Arm Sch Ealing
20/1/19 Demobilized

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Derwent Hotel, Whatstandwell

Forename Surname Relationship Age Information Where born
Herbert Mountney Head 35 Farmer & publican Cromford
Elizabeth A Mountney wife 29   Sutton in Ashfield
Doris M Mountney daughter 6   Whatstandwell
Florence M Mountney daughter 5   Whatstandwell
James Mountney son 1   Whatstandwell

RG13 piece 3231 folio 54 page 28

1911: Derwent Hotel, Whatstandwell

Forename Surname Relationship Age Information Where born
Herbert Mountney Head 45 Inn keeper & farmer Cromford
Elizabeth A Mountney wife 40   Sutton in Ashfield
J. Mountney son 11   Whatstandwell
Olive Mountney daughter 9   Whatstandwell

RG14PN20985 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED14 SN1

1939 Register: High Street, Staines
James O Mountney b. 17 May 1899; hotel manager
Laura Mountney b.2 May 1898; hotel manageress