Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William J. Cawthorn an agricultural labourer, born 1849 in Wigston, Leics., and his wife Harriet E., born 1848 in Wigston, Leics. John William was born in 1878 in Wigston, Leics., his siblings were, Harriet, born 1873, Thomas, born 1877 and Henry, born 1880, all his siblings were born in Wigston, Leics., in April 1881 the family home was at 22, North Street, Wigston Magna, Leics. In April 1891 John was employed as a hosiery trade winder and was residing in the family home at Victoria Road, Wigston Magna, Leics., together with his father, now a brick maker, his mother and siblings, Harriet, Thomas, Henry and Edgar, born 1882 in Wigston, Leics., also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandfather, John Johnson, a framework knitter, born 1827 in Whetstone, Leics. In March 1901 John was employed as a brickyard labourer, and was residing in the family home at 32, Burgess Street, Wigston Magna, Leics., together with his father and mother, now a hosiery trade seamer and his siblings Thomas, Henry and Edgar, also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandfather, John Johnson. In April 1911 John was employed as a roadman and was residing at Welford Road, Wigston Magna, Leics., together with his widowed father, now a roadman, this being the family home of his brother in law Charles Wood and his wife Harriet.