TOPIC:

Did Saxton make it out to South Africa? Seems to have had a weakness for alcohol - would that have taken into account before sending him off on active service?
. ....Before Mr. A. T. Hibbert, at the Borough Police Court on Saturday, John Wm. Saxton, tram conductor, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and causing a disturbance in Market-street, Hyde, the previous night. It transpired that prisoner, who was the conductor of one of the electric trams, left his own car standing and got on to another. Ultimately he was ejected by one of the inspectors of the tramway company.—A witness stated that the inspector did not give prisoner a chance to get off before he hustled him off.—Prisoner said he was in the Royal Artillery, and had been called up to go to South Africa, and in consequence had got hilarious.—He was dismissed, Mr. Hibbert remarking that it would not be advisable to send him to prison as he was wanted by his regiment.
The Mossley and Saddleworth Reporter, Saturday 6th January 1900

Did Saxton make it out to South Africa? Seems to have had a weakness for alcohol - would that have taken into account before sending him off on active service?

Nothing jumping out on Royal Artillery for J W Saxton at present Berenice.
A couple of W J Sexton and J Sexton ref Artillery for ABW but not John William Saxton.
I found a 1901 census with the above name as being born in Sheffield in 1878. Living in Manchester with his wife Lydia. Profession looks like works Driver, not Tram Conductor .
Will have a closer look later.

Dave........

1st trawl of Ancestry.

Dave F wrote: 1st trawl of Ancestry.

Definitely Saxton twice in the newspaper, but that needn't necessarily be correct.