1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 48091 William King
- Age: 38
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
- D.O.W Thursday 19th April 1917
- Commemorated at: Abbeville C C Ext
Panel Ref: II.E.26
William was born in Liverpool on the 20th August 1878, the son of James King and his wife Margaret (née Pye) who were married on the 23rd November 1869 at St Nicholas’s Church, Liverpool. Widower, James, was a mariner of Leeds Street, his father, Henry, was a joiner, whilst Margaret was also of Leeds Street, her father, Halsall, was a joiner.
William was baptised on the 02nd September 1878.
James’ first marriage was to Margaret’s sister, Jane Pye, who were married on the 30th January 1863 at St Philip's Church, Liverpool. James was a 23 year old mariner of 80 Leeds Street, whilst, Jane, was aged 24 of 6 Leeds Street.
Jane died, aged 25, in 1865.
His father, James, died of fever, aged 40 on the 09th November 1879 in Saigon whilst aboard the SS “Elgin”.
On the 1881 Census the family were living in shop premises at 48 Leeds Street, Liverpool. his mother, Margaret is aged 36, with her children; Mary, aged 11, James, aged 9, Thomas, aged 5 and William, aged 3. They are residing with her brother Thomas Pye and his wife Ann, and their daughter Hannah.
On the 1891 Census the family have moved to 62 Leeds Street. his mother, Margaret, is aged 47, with her children Mary, aged 21, and is a school teacher, Thomas, aged 15, and is a carter, and William, aged 12. They have four boarders including Thomas and Ann Pye.
On the 1901 Census the family are still at 62 Leeds Street. Widowed, Margaret, is aged 57, with Mary, aged 31, a preacher, Thomas, aged 24, a warehouse porter, and William, aged 22, a rice mill operator.
William married Alice Forshaw on the 22nd December 1907 at St Nicholas' Church, Liverpool. William was a 29 year old drain flusher of Leeds Street, his father, James, was a deceased mariner, whilst Alice was aged 22 of Gascoyne Street,her father, Alexander Robert, was a deceased carter.
On the 1911 Census they are living at 2 Naylor Street, at the back of Leeds Street. William is aged 32, a drain flushing waterman for Liverpool Corporation, Alice is aged 25. with children Alexander Robert aged 2 and Margaret aged 1. They also had a further daughter Mary born in 1911.
His mother, Margaret, is aged 67, and still at 62 Leeds Street with Thomas, Mary and William.
William enlisted in Liverpool and was serving as Private 48091 with the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment when he died of wounds.
He had been admitted to Hospital on 13th April 1917 with wounds to his arm, left thigh, head and chest. He was transferred by Ambulance Train from Warlincourt to Abbeville where he passed away on 19th April 1917, aged 38.
He now rests at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension in France where his headstone bears the epitaph:
“PEACE PERFECT PEACE”
For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. The Extension contains 1,754 First World War burials and 348 from the Second. The Commonwealth sections of both cemetery and extension were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
His mother, Margaret, died aged 74, a few months later and was buried on the 29th August 1917 at Anfield Cemetery.
Probate:-
KING Margaret of 62 Leeds-street Liverpool widow died 25 August 1917 Administration Liverpool 29 September to Mary Preston (wife of Thomas Nelson Preston). Effects £136 4s. 4d.
Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £3 13s 9d, £3 War Gratuity, and Pension of 26/3 pw to widow Alice and children Alexander Robert, Margaret and Mary.
On the 1921 Census at 51 Dorrington Street, his widow, Alice, is aged 36, Alexander Robert, is aged 12, Margaret, is aged 11 and Mary, is aged 9.
She remarried to William Parker in 1925 at Our Lady & St. Nicholas & St. Anne, Liverpool.
On the 1939 Register they are living at 31 Dorrington Street, where William was a dock labourer born 1881.
She died, aged 81, in 1967.
William is commemorated on Panel 68 of Liverpool Town Hall’s Hall of Remembrance.
We currently have no further information on William King. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
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