Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas and Katie Deacon of Ellistown, Leics., and the husband of Sara May Deacon. He died of meningitis. Other sources show his unit as the Depot, Leicestershire Regt. Other sources show his place of residence as Ellistown, Leics.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 2nd, 1917

ELLISTOWN SOLDIER’S DEATH

It is with much regret that we record the death of Private Percy Deacon, only son of Mr and Mrs T. Deacon, of Ellistown, which has occurred under exceptionally sad circumstances. The deceased joined the Army only a month ago, and was attached to a Training Battalion, at a camp near Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. He had not been there long before he contracted fever, his weakened condition through an attack of influenza about the time he joined up, rendering him the more susceptible to the disease. During the last few days, his condition became serious, and a telephone message was received in the early hours of Wednesday morning stating that he had passed away. The late Mr Deacon was 26 years of age, and leaves a widow and one child. Before the war he assisted his father in the role of baker and confectioner, at Ellistown, and was well-known in the locality, being held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. For some years, like his parents, he had been a member of the Hugglescote Baptist Church, Much sympathy is felt for the young widow, and the mother and father in their great bereavement. The body is to be brought to Hugglescote for burial in the Baptist churchyard.

Coalville Times article - Friday March 9th, 1917

THE LATE PTE. T. P. DEACON

FUNERAL AT HUGGLESCOTE

The funeral took place in the Hugglescote Baptist Burial Ground on Saturday afternoon of Private Thomas Percy Deacon, of Ellistown, whose death occurred from illness on Wednesday, at a camp in Staffordshire, where he was in training, having been in the Army about a month. The deceased was so well-known in the locality that a large crowd of people assembled to witness the internment, sympathy with the bereaved relatives being widespread owing to the sad circumstance surrounding the death. Among those present were the Coalville Fire Brigade, of which the deceased was a former member, and representatives of the Hugglescote Baptist Church, the late Mr Deacon being a member and secretary of the choir, and former secretary for the Sunday Scouts.

The chief mourners were: Mrs T. P. Deacon (widow), Mr and Mrs T. Deacon (father and mother), Misses Kathie and Freda Deacon (sisters), Mrs Hurst (grandmother), Mr George Hurst, the Rev. W. E. Hurst, Mr and Mrs Jas. Hurst, Mr and Mrs George Higgins, Mrs Wilkinson, Mrs George Wade (mother-in-law, of Shepshed), Mrs W. A. Wade, Mrs E. Handford (Shepshed), Mr T. Archer (Barwell), Mr A. Archer (Leicester), Mr and Mrs J. Gutteridge, Mr and Mrs E. Orton (Coalville), Mr and Mrs T. Lawrence, Mr Maurice Wade, Mr and Mrs E. Smith (Shepshed), Mrs Tiegle, Miss Deacon and Miss Hatchett.

The body was enclosed in an oak coffin, with brass mountings, the breast-plate bearing the inscription, “Private T. P. Deacon – Res. Batt. Died February 28th, 1917, aged 26 years.” It was met at Hugglescote Station, the hearse and coaches then proceeding to Ellistown for the mourners, and returning to the graveyard. The bearers were Messrs. D. Burton, G. Cooper, T. Cox and George Armson, all members of the Baptist choir. The service was conducted by the Rev. C. Barker (pastor), assisted by the Revs. J. Hayhoe (Ellistown), and W. Williams (Birmingham).

There was a handsome lot of floral tributes from the following: His sorrowing wife and baby; Mother, Father and Sisters; Mother, Father, brother and sister, (Westroyd, Shepshed); Grandma Hurst; Aunties Edith and Emily; Aunt Amy, Uncle Will and Leicester cousins; uncles, aunties and cousins, of Shepshed; Mr and Mrs Orton; Auntie Lizzie and cousins; Auntie Edith and Uncle Arthur (Leicester); Auntie Alice and Uncle Sam (Birmingham); Mr and Mrs J. T. Lawrence; Frank and Cissie; Lizzie and Enoch (Heatherdene, Shepshed); Mr and Mrs J. Hume and Allan; Mr and Mrs W. Fellows and family (Hugglescote); Mr and Mrs W. Smith and family (Donington); Mr J. Ellis; Mr and Mrs Gough and family; Auntie and Uncle and Nancy Gutteridge (Coalville); Mr and Mrs Lagoe and Rifleman and Mrs H. Lagoe; Mr and Mrs E. W. Guy; Mr and Mrs Howard Baseley; Mr and Mrs Harry Smith; Syd Hemsley; Mag, Gertie, Lizzie and Olive; Hugglescote Baptist Choir; Hugglescote Baptist Sunday School; Officers and men, Coalville Fire Brigade; Officers and men, Hugglescote Company, V.T.C.; the Rev. C., and Mrs Barker’s young men’s and young women’s classes; Mr and Mrs Derry and family; Uncle George; Aunt Emmie, and Uncle Jim.

The deceased’s mother is the president of the Ellistown Women’s Adult School, and at the Coalville Adult School on Sunday, the members passed a vote of sympathy with the bereaved relatives.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

A memorial service was held at the Hugglescote Baptist Church on Sunday evening, when there was a large congregation, which included the members of the Hugglescote Company V.T.C., to which the deceased formerly belonged. The pulpit was faced with two flags (the Union Jack) crossed, and the service was impressively conducted by the Rev. C. Barker, whose address was based on the words found in Matt. 14c., 12v. He spoke of the christian life lived by the deceased soldier, of his excellent work for that church and Sunday School, his geniality and good companionship, and said this must be a comfort to those left behind. Like thousands of others were doing, he had given his life in a noble cause, and it was acceptable in the sight of God. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” It was something to be proud of that Jesus gave a commendation like that. An early death was not necessarily a premature one. There was work to be done on the other side of Jordan, and if God wanted workers, why should he not call the best. In a nobler sense, Percy Deacon had gone to the Front. Life was not to be measured by years. It depended upon what they put into it. The life was longest which had the most in it of divine service. Piety in life was the only guarantee of peace in death. During the service the hymns sung were “Son of my soul”, “Looking unto Jesus”, “For all the saints”, and “At evening time”. Mr E. W. Guy (organist) played, “O rest in the Lord” and at the close gave a fine rendering of the “Dead March in Saul,” the congregation standing meanwhile.

Coalville Times article - Friday May 21st, 1920

HUGGLESCOTE BAPTIST WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILING OF A COMMUNION TABLE

The memory of young men from the Hugglescote Baptist Church and Sunday School, who fell in the war is to be perpetuated by a handsome oak communion table, with an inlaid brass plate, containing fourteen names, and a suitable inscription, and at a special service last Sunday afternoon the table was unveiled.

The ceremony was performed by the Rev. C. Barker (pastor) in the presence of a large congregation. The inscription and names on the table are as follows:

“In memory of those who gave their lives for freedom in the great war, 1914 – 1918”

James Cox, John W. Williamson, Frederick Chamberlain, Charles Drewett, John W. Brooks, J. W. T. Collier, John W. Barrs, T. Percy Deacon, George Barrs, Charles H. Shilton, George Wood, H. B. Drewett, Leslie Cross and Fred Whitmore.

The hymns sung during the service were “O God our help,” “Now the labourer’s task is o’er,” and “For all the saints.” Prior to the unveiling, the Rev. C. Barker read appropriate passages of scripture, and gave an address dealing with what had been accomplished in the war, and the debt they owed to the men who accomplished it. Ex-Captain J. Emmerson also gave a short address, speaking of his connection with the boys.

The Rev. C. Barker also read a letter from Captain Jamie, in which he wrote, “I very much appreciate the honour you have done me in suggesting that I should assist in the unveiling of your war memorial, and were it at all possible for me to get over to Coalville on that day I should have been proud to do so. However, I am afraid that is impossible. I very much regret this, as I was closely associated with many of your Hugglescote men during the war, and would gladly have taken such an opportunity of paying homage to the memory of those whose names are on the roll of honour.”

At the close of the service, the congregation sang “God bless our native land.” On Sunday evening, the Rev. C. Barker preached a memorial sermon, based on the text, “They being dead, yet speak.” Hebrews 11 – 4.

The collections realised over £10 towards the cost of the table, over £70, the whole of which has now been raised.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 19/10/2017