William was the eldest of 9 children to parents William and Mary, born on 3rd December 1891 in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. By the 1901 census the family had moved and were living in the Camberwell area of London, at 42 Arthur Street and William was aged 9 years old. In 1899 he attended the Infant’s Department of Arthur Street School in Southwark (Peckham), leaving on 1st December 1905.
He can’t be found on the 1911 census but before he joined the Navy he worked as a Baker, possibly with his father as he also had the same profession.
William joined the Navy, before the outbreak of war, signing up on the 20th January 1913 for a 12 year duration. Used to working in areas of high heat, he began his training as a Stoker 2nd Class at HMS PEMBROKE II in Chatham.
He was recorded as being 5’3” tall with brown hair and eyes and two dot tattoos on his left wrist.
He joined his only ship, HMS VANGUARD, on 4th July 1913 still as a Stoker 2nd Class, rising in rating on 15th January 1914 to 1st Class. For reasons unknown William spent 14 days in cells from 17th April 1914 and rejoined service on 2nd May.
In the spring of 1916 William married Elizabeth Janet Walton, shortly before the Battle of Jutland - he was also part of the Stokers Second Racing Whalers Crew team which won the Bellerophon and Erin Cups in 1916.
William was just 25 years old when he died. His Star, Victory and British medals were awarded to his widow.
(#68 - 127/843)
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 - FreeBMD
1901 England Census
England, School Admissions and Discharges, 1840-1911 London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; School Admission and Discharge Registers; Reference: LCC/EO/DIV07/ASY/AD/001
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 902
CWGC Register
National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: Piece 007; Piece Description: Piece 007 (1914 - 1919)
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 ADM 171; Piece: 97
WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; Pension Record Cards; Reference: 032/0134/BUN-BUR
Photo courtesy of Peter Bunn