BORN WHITBY 1893. SON OF ALEX JAMES & REMMIE MAJOR, OF  WHITBY & 1 THE AVENUE, CRESCENT STREET, COTTINGHAM.

Harold was the youngest son of Alexander James Major and Clara Major (née Raynor). He was born in Whitby on the 21st August 1893 and baptised in St Michael's Church there on the 14th September 1893. Harold had four older brothers, Arthur, Charles, Cecil, and Leonard. Their father was a self- employed musician, and played the violin. Their mother was a pianist. The family lived at 132 Church Street, Whitby.

Harold was first educated at Hoar Cross School, Staffordshire before attending King's School, Worcester. Whilst there, he was a member of the Officer Training Corps. In 1911 at the age of seventeen he was valet and servant to the Clergyman William John Knox Little, the sub-dean of Worcester College.

Harold was then employed as a Clerk with the Leopoldina Railway in Rio de Janeiro. When WW1 broke out he returned to England aboard the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's Ship 'Amazon', arriving in Liverpool on the 3rd October 1914.

On the 14th October 1914, Harold was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Middlesex Regiment. Promoted to Lieutenant he was sent to France and was killed on the 19th October 1915.
Buried in Reningelst Churchyard Extension, Harold is also commemorated on the War Memorial at King's School and also on the King's School Memorial Window in Worcester Cathedral Cloisters.

The Times newspaper reporting on his death stated that Harold was adopted by Canon W.J. Knox Little, sub dean of Worcester Cathedral, as his son, and was brought up by him. However, there does not seem to be any evidence of this and the 1911 Census clearly states his role as a servant in Canon Little's house. Canon Little does have an adopted son listed above Harold's name on the census. He is Lionel Percy Cooke.

(Sources: CWGC, Ancestry, Find My Past, Newspaper Archives)