William Henry Harrison
Employed as hosiery trimmer at Charles Cox & Sons, Basford, Nottingham. (Army Service Record 1915)
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Henry (Harry) was the son of William Harrison and his wife Maria (née Street)
His father William was born in Swanwick, Derbyshire, in about 1849 and his mother Maria was born in South Wingfield, Derbyshire in 1851 (bap. South Wingfield parish church 2 February 1851), the daughter of Henry and Sarah Street.
William and Maria were married at the Ebeneezer United Methodist Free Church in 1983 (reg. AMJ Belper) and had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Eight of their nine children were: Sarah Ann b. 1873 and Emma b. 1875 who were born in Swanwick, and Frederick b. 1879, Ellen b. 1881, Harriett b. 1883, Arthur b. 1886 d. 1887, William Henry b. 1888 and Ethel b. 1890 who were born in Radford, Nottingham.
The family lived at 33 Vane Street, Radford [C.1881, C.1891 & C.1901]. William's occupation was given as coal miner on each census.
36 Vane Street, Radford [C.1911 & CWGC]. Only William Henry, a hosiery trimmer, and Ethel, a cigarettte packer, were still living with their parents in 1911. Frederick had not been recorded in the family home after 1891 and four of his sisters had married by 1911.
Emma married John Thomas Chamberlain in 1897 (reg. Nottingham) and they were living in Basford in 1901. John was employed as a carter (brewery), but by 1911 they were living in Edlington, Doncaster and he was working as a miner-hewer. Emma, now widowed, was still living in Doncaster in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Also in the home was her brother Frederick, an unemployed boiler maker. Emma died in 1963 (reg. Don Valley). Frederick has not been traced after 1939.
Sarah Ann married John William Hall , a coal miner, in 1900 (reg. Nottingham) and in 1901 they were living in Pleasley, Derbyshire, but by 1911 were recorded in Mexborough, Yorkshire. Sarah Ann died in 1923 (reg. Rotherham).
Ellen married John Wass Straw, a coal miner, in 1904 (reg. Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living in Adwick le Street, Doncaster and still living there in 1921. Her husband died in March 1934 (reg. Nottingham) and was buried in Nottingham.
Harriett married Albert Henshaw, a coal miner-hewer, in 1908 (reg. Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living at 1 Lonsdale Road, Nottingham. They were still living at the same address in 1939. Harriet died in 1972 (reg. Nottingham).
Maria Harrison died in January 1914. The same year her son William Henry married Amy Yates at Radford All Souls on 25 July. They were both living at 24A Miall Street at the time of their marriage but later moved to 55 Lonsdale Road. Amy died in 1916 aged 28.
The youngest daughter, Ethel, married William Bishop, a miner, at Radford parish church in April 1916; both were living at 36 Vane Street at the time of their marriage. Ethel died in 1971 (reg. Nottingham).
William snr. was still living at 36 Vane Street in 1939. Also in the home were his widowed daughter, Ellen Straw, and two of her children, Harry (b. 1917) and Eve (b. 1926).
William died in June 1943 aged 94. His daughter Ellen died in January 1962; the probate record gave her address as 40 Vane Street, Radford.
William Henry enlisted at Nottingham on 11 December 1915 and assigned Service No.75988. He transferred to 14th Training Reserve Battalion (6/13898 Private) and embarked for France on 23 May 1917 and then assigned to 2nd/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (71915 Private) on 25 October 1917.
William Henry was killed in action less than two months later on 12 December 1917 and was buried in Ribecourt Road Cemetery, Trescault, Pas de Calais, France (grave ref. I.C.15).
Service: Home 11 Dec 1915 - 1 May 1917: 2y 142d. BEF France 2 May 1917-12 Dec. 1917: 225d. Total 2 years 2 days.
William qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal and these were issued to his father.
CWGC History of Ribecourt Road Cemetery (extract): the village of Trescault is about 13km from the town of Cambrai. 'Ribecourt was taken on the 20th November 1917 by the 6th Division, but at the conclusion of the Battle of Cambrai it remained practically on the British front line; it was lost in March 1918 and recaptured by the 3rd and 42nd (East Lancashire) Divisions on the following 27th September. Trescault remained in British hands until March 1918 and was retaken by the 37th Division on the following 12th September ... Rows B, C and D in Plot I in the Cemetery have graves of November 1917 to February 1918, chiefly of the 51st (Highland) and 59th (North Midland) Divisions; but the remainder of the cemetery was made in October 1918, almost entirely by the 42nd Division (who called it the Divisional Cemetery, Trescault).' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: Son of Mr. W. Harrison, of 36, Vane St., Radford, Woodhouse, Notts.
Nottingham General Cemetery. Family grave and headstone, inscription: ‘In loving memory of Maria the beloved wife of William Henry Harrison, who died Jany. 22nd 1914 aged 63 years. Also of William beloved husband of the above who died June 1st 1943 in his 95th year. Re-united. Also William Henry 2/8 Sherwood Foresters son of the above, who was killed in action in France Decr. 12th 1917 aged 30 years. ‘He lies not in his native land but under foreign skies far from those who loved him best In a hero’s grave he lies.' Also of Arthur son of the above who died Octr. 3rd 1887 aged 13 months … (-) Mary ...'
Note: The quotation is an adaptation of the closing lines of a poem written Mary Ann Prowse in her autograph book about her son, 31776 Private Arthur Prowse, 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry , who was killed in action on 3 September 1916. (www.cwgc.org/stories)
Registers of Soldiers Effects: his legatees were his father and his married sister, Sarah Ann Hall.
WW1 Pension Ledgers: Names his father, William Harrison, 36 Vane Street, Radford, but his married sister, Ellen Straw, was named as a nominee.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 12 December 1918: 'Harrison. In loving memory of Pte. William Henry Harrison, 2/8 Notts. and Derbys., killed in action December 12th, 1917. Fondly remembered. – From his sisters, brother, and nieces.'
Courtesy Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
William Henry Harrison
Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone, Ribecourt Road Cemetery, Trescault. Courtesy of Murray Biddle
Photo of William Henry Harrison
Family grave/headstone, Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Rachel Farrand (25 Nov. 2025)