Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Clarkson a stone quarry man, born 1862 in Shepshed, Leics., and his wife Sarah Ann, born 1861 in Shepshed, Leics. John Henry was born in 1898 in Shepshed, Leics., his siblings were, William, born 1885, Mary Matilda, born 1887, Annie, born 1889, Eliza Ann, born 1892, Eunice, born 1894 and Elizabeth, born 1896, all his siblings were born in Shepshed, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Charnwood Road, Shepshed, Leics. In April 1911 John was a scholar and was residing in the family home at Charnwood Road, Shepshed, Leics., together with his father and mother, now a hosiery trade home worker and his siblings, Annie, Eliza, Eunice, Elizabeth, Thomas, born 1902 and Sarah Ann, born 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Shepshed, Leics.