John William Proom was the eldest of x children, born to James W Proom and Lucy Ann Neave, in Seaton Sluice. In later life he was to get the nickname "Jigger"
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The family originally lived in a small house on the Harbourside (sandy island) in Seaton Sluice.
Like his Father James, Jigger went to work at the Colliery from the age of 14.
He was a conscript into the army in 1916 during WW1, but was taken prisoner on the Western Front in March 1918.
He spent the rest of the war as a Prisoner of war, before returning to Seaton Sluice.
He married Dorothy James in January 1920