William Henry Newman
1911 - school age. Occupation carter when he attested in September 1918.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Henry was the son of Alfred and Mary Ann Newman (née Reynolds).
Both parents were born in Nottingham, Alfred in 1864 and Mary Ann in 1863. They were married at Beeston St John parish church on 1 November 1885; Alfred (22) was a box maker, and Mary Ann (22) a silk winder; both were living in Beeston at the time of their marriage. Mary Ann signed the marriage register with her mark.
The couple had 13 children, six of whom died in infancy or childhood. Nine children have been traced including the eldest, Charlotte Reynolds (Newman), whose birth was registered in 1885 (OND) and may have been born shortly before their marriage; Charlotte died in 1903 (OND). The other eight children were: Ellen (Nellie) birth registered 1887 (JFM), Thomas b. 1888 (AMJ) d. 1888 (JAS), Ada b. 1892, Alfred b. 1894, Samuel b. 1897, William Henry b. 1900, George b. 1903 and Ernest b. 1908.
At the time of the 1901 Census, Alfred, a bricklayers' labourer and his wife Mary Ann, a lace clipper, were living at 21 Fleet Place, Nottingham. In the home on the night of the census were their six surviving children: Charlotte a box maker, Nellie, hosiery turning, Ada and Alfred who were school age, and Samuel and William. Their daughter Charlotte died two years later aged 18, the same year as their son George was born; Ernest was born five years later.
By 1911 Alfred and Mary Ann had moved to 16 Thoresby Street, Nottingham, were they were living with five of their seven surviving children: Alfred a printers' boy (newspaper), Sam, William and George who were at school and Ernest.
Their two daughters, Ellen and Ada, were married. Ada married John Carroll in 1908 and in 1911 they were living in Chapel Yard, Nottingham, with their surviving son, Daniel; their first child, Catherine (b. 1908), had died at a few months old. They also had five daughters, Kathleen M (1912), Catherine E (1914), Connie (1919), Ada (1921), Hilda (1923). In 1921 John, a bobbin presser, and Ada, a lace hand drawer, were living at 3 Dennett's Terrace, Beaumont Street, Sneinton, with their son and three daughters. Ada was widowed in December 1923 and died in March the following year. Administration of her Will was awarded to her son Daniel and her brother George Newman. Ada's sister Ellen married John Green in 1910 and had three daughters, Ethel (1911 JFM), Mary Ellen (1912) and Ida (1920 JFM) and a son, John G (1914). Ellen also had a daughter, Kathleen Mary (Newman) b. 1907. Ellen, a lace hand (home worker) and her husband, a goods porter with the Midland Railway, were living at 3 Ratcliffe Row, Nottingham, in 1911. Also in the home were Kathleen Mary (Newman) and their daughter Ethel. Ellen was widowed by 1921 when she and her five children were living at 8 Dennett's Terrace, Nottingham. Ellen died in May 1934.
William's service record includes a document dated June 1920 advising that his personal belongings should be returned to his father, Alfred, at 6 Arrow Terrace, Fisher Gate.
According to the information provided on the 1921 Census, William's mother, Mary Ann, had died by this date. Her widowed husband Alfred, who was still employed as a bricklayers' labourer, was living at Arrow Terrace, Fisher Gate, Nottingham, with his two sons, George, an apprentice bricklayer with the same employer as his father, G Wainer Builders & Contractors of Shrewsbury Road, and Ernest who was at school. Their surviving brother, Alfred, had married Madeline Lovett in 1919 and in 1921 they were living in Victoria Place, Walker Street, Sneinton, with their daughter Ida May.
George married Annie Elizabeth Sudbury in 1923 and Ernest, of 7 Moody Street, Nottingham, married Annie Elizabeth Matthews at Sneinton St Matthias in 1925.
Alfred Newman snr. died in 1924 (OND) aged 61.
William Henry Newman attested in August 1918 at Nottingham. He was aged 18y 6m and employed as a carter. He was mobilised on 24 August 1918 and served with the 51st (Young Soldier) Battalion Notts & Derby Regiment.
William was tried by DCM (Clipstone Camp) in 1918 for being absent without leave from 19 October to 21 October, and sentenced to 42 days detention for absence and attempting to escape. There is also a record that he forfeited pay for 7 days absence from 1930 on 26 December 1918 to 1300 on 3 January 1919.
William embarked on 9 March 1919 for France disembarking 10 March. At some point the Battalion presumably moved to Germany as his Army service record shows that he left Germany on 28 August 1919 for Ireland, disembarking 2 September.
On 21 January 1920 William was awarded 21 days detention by his CO for 'irregularity on sentry [duty]'; he was released from detention on 11 February.
He was shot by Irish Nationalists on 28 February 1920 and admitted the same day to the Military Hospital, Queenstown. He succumbed to his wounds at 5.35am the following day, 29 February.
William's body was repatriated to the UK and he was given a military funeral at Nottingham General Cemetery on 6 March. William is buried in a double grave; 10861 Private George Exley Gospel Sherwood Foresters, died 16 February 1920 (see record on this Roll of Honour). The grave is one of four behind the screen wall (grave ref. 03280. A).
Service record: Home 24 August 1918-9 March 1919 (198d), France 10 March 1919-1 September 1919 (196d). Home 2 September 1919-29 February 1920 (181d). Total 1y 190d.
His Army service record has the following information written on 2 March 1920 by a Captain of the 51st battalion Sherwood Foresters (signature illegible): 'The commanding officer regrets to report the death of No 123987 Pte Newman W.H. of this battalion. The soldier was one of an escort which proceeded to escort explosives from Rocky Ireland to Government Dock, Rusbrook and on returning to camp this party was attacked by a body of Sien Feinners and their rifles and ammunition and equipment were taken from them. The late Pte Newman endeavoured to escape from the raiding party and was pursued by two armed men, one of whom fired and wounded the late 123987 Pte Newman in the neck, the bullet entering the side of his neck and coming out of his side.'
CWGC William Henry Newaman. Additional information: Son of Alfred Newman, of 6, Arrow Terrace, Fisher Gate, Nottingham.
His brother Private Samuel Newman served with the 10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action 20 September 1917 and is buried in Zantvoorde British Cemetery. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Another brother, Alfred, attested on 9 September 1914 aged 19y 309d and served with 12th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (14029 Private). He was discharged 'no longer physically fit for war service Para 392 (xvi) KR, rifle bullet wound of spine - loss of power right leg.' on 18 September 1916. Service: Home 9 September 1914-8 September 1915 (1y), France 9 September 1915-2 October 1915 (24d), Home (Leeds) 3 October 1915-15 August 1916 (321d), total 1y 345d. Qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He died in 1964.
Their brother-in-law, John Carroll, the husband of their sister Ada, served with the Durham Light Infantry (75907 Private) but may have transferred from the Notts & Derby Regiment (18729 Private). John Carroll was discharged from the Army on 16 May 1919; he died in December 1923.
Nottingham Evening Post, 1 March 1920: ‘Shooting Of A Sherwood Forester. Private William Henry Newman, the Sherwood Forester shot with fatal results near Queenstown, lived in Arrow -terrace, Fisher-gate, Nottingham, and was 20 years of age. Having been educated at the Albion School, Sneinton, he secured employment at the Corporation Gasworks. His eldest brother is partially paralysed as the result of being shot through the liver, and a second brother was killed in France.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 2 March 1920: ‘Nottm Soldier’s Death, Jury’s Verdict In The Irish Tragedy. At the inquest at Queenstown yesterday on Private William Newman, Sherwood Foresters, who was shot when a party of soldiers were held up by civilians on Saturday, the jury found that ‘Death was due to a gunshot wound inflicted in the melee by some person or persons unknown. They expressed their abhorrence of the crime. And tendered their sympathy to the relatives.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 4 March 1920: ‘Raid on Docks, Sequel To The Shooting Of A Sherwood Forester. A sequel to the shooting affair at Queenstown n Saturday, in which Private William Newman of the Sherwood Foresters, and a native of Nottingham, was mortally wounded, took place yesterday when an infantry detachment, comprising several hundred soldiers belonging to the Sherwood Foresters, and several policemen and detectives, fully armed, marched from Queenstown to the Rushbrooke Docks, which were surrounded. The military entered at noon and ordered all the employees to cease work and march past the line of soldiers, This, it appears, was done for the purpose of identification, if possible, of those concerned in Saturday’s affray. The works were searched for the stolen rifles, and after two hours the military retired. The body of Private Newman, which was removed from Queenstown yesterday, has not yet reached Nottingham.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 6 March 1920: ‘Sherwood Forester’s Funeral. Victim Of The Irish Affray Buried In Nottingham. A considerable degree of public interest and sympathy was manifested in Nottingham to-day when the funeral took place of Private William Newman, the young Sherwood Forester who was shot in the affray at Queenstown a week ago. The body was brought from Ireland to the dead soldier’s home in Arrow-terrace, Fisher-gate, and to-day it was conveyed to its last resting-place in the soldiers’ portion of the General Cemetery. The band and pipers of the 51st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, from Clipstone Camp, was in attendance, and the firing party was also furnished by this regiment, but a detachment of Sherwood Foresters, under Lieut. Hare, had come over from Ireland, and the depot at Derby sent a party of bearers and a bugler to sound the ‘Last Post’. The cortege proceeded by way of Carter-gate, Hockley and Parliament-street, to the cemetery where the last rites were performed by the Rev. Canon Field DD, vicar of St Mary’s, the parish in which Newman’s home is situated. There were numerous floral tributes, including wreathes from the officers of Newman’s battalion (the 51st), the officers, NCOs and men of A and D Companies, the Sherwood Foresters Old Comrades Association which was represented at the graveside, and the neighbours of the dead soldier’s parents.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 8 March 1920. Photograph with caption: ‘Scene at the funeral in Nottingham on Saturday of Private William Newman of the Sherwood Foresters, who was killed in the affray at Queenstown.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).
Nottingham Evening Post: other reports, 1 March 1920 and 3 March 1920.
Updated and additional information RF (Oct. 2025)
William Henry Newman
Buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Murray Biddle
Photo of William Henry Newman
Funeral, 6 March 1920. Nottingham Evening Post, 8 March 1920 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)