Description:John Salt's version of his story: John claimed he had been deported to northern Canada in the late 19th century for poaching rabbits. When the Great War broke out convicts were offered a free pardon if they were willing to serve in the armed forces. Jack served with the Canadian Army in France. He served with distinction and at the end of the war he returned to England a free man.
Research by Jan Penrose has revealed a different story. Newspapers reveal John Salt's journey through life was difficult. Born at Denstone in 1868, John never had a home, and suffered poverty and neglect. His first arrest was at age 12 while pushing a pram loaded with vegetables down the main road. He was sent to reform school at 14 for two years of 'industrial training'. However, in 1883, at 15, he was put on a ship to Canada with other 'Home Children' to provide free child labour. This was a scheme run by the church promising settlement in loving christian families and opportunity for a new start. The scheme relieved the parish expense by emptying out orphanages and reform schools. John's stay did not go well, as he was back in Denstone by 1898. From then on he had a string of arrests for drunkenness, stealing sheep, stealing cattle, stealing a coat & watch, and sleeping in outbuildings. He sometimes kicked the police and once broke a window, but was usually polite and thankful to have a bed for the night. There is no record of John serving in the Canadian forces for the Great War. He was 46 by the time WWI started. No record of serving in the military in England emerges. John was aka 'America Jack' in court reports of 1909. He was only 5 feet tall. John's story is one of poverty and insecurity, with a liquid lunch at a warm pub always on his mind. His thefts all arose from hunger or needing a change of clothes, and taking a little from those who had a lot while he had nothing. One Judge cited 44 convictions to his name, and suggested being a white-washer by trade, it was his record that most needed white-washing. Perhaps John's story improved as he incorporated the accounts of others, and if, by telling his story he got himself a pint of ale, so be it. Any story was much better than his own. John probably deserved a little act of kindness now and then, such as that cup of tea, pictured. The last mention of him was in 1939, aged 71 years.
The original photograph of America Jack remains (2012) at The Tavern, Denstone perhaps eighty years since it was taken.