William Edward Handley
His occupation in 1911 was that of dyer and he was employed as a dyer's labourer when he attested in 1915.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Edward was the eldest son of Edward and Miriam Handley (née Cave).
Both his parents were from Nottingham and were married in 1885. They had four children who were all born in Nottingham: Florence (1885), William Edward (1889 JAS bap. Carrington St John 21 October 1891), Thomas (1893) and Elizabeth Ann Betsy (1902 JFM) bap. 4 February 1902.
Edward, a lace maker, his wife and their three children, Florrie, a hosiery maker, and William and Thomas who were school age, were living at 11 Elgin Street, Nottingham, in 1901. Their daughter Elizabeth was born the following year.
By 1911 the family had moved to 17 Bangor Street: Edward, a Leivers turn hand, Miriam, Florence who was still working as a hosiery had, William a dyer, Thomas a curtain copier and Elizabeth who was school age.
William married Sarah Ellen Thurman (b. 1888) on 20 December 1913 at Nottingham Register Office and their home was at 4 Poplar Terrace, Deering Street, Meadows, Nottingham.
The later CWGC record gives his parents address as 46 Loscoe Road, Carrington, Nottingham and they were still at the same address in 1921 with their three surviving children; Florence a hosiery hand, Thomas a carriage cleaner (Great Central Ralway) and Lizzie a hosiery hand. Also in the household was a one of Miriam's relatives, Nellie Cave (17), a hosiery hand at JB Lewis, as was Lizzie.
Thomas later moved to Coventry where he was living at 66 Godiva Street when he attested in December 1915. He was serving in Mesopotamia with the 9th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment when his brother was killed. (See 'Extra information')
Edward died on 1 March 1928 (burial 3 March) and his widow Miriam the following year on 21 August(burial 22 August).
Their daughter Florence married Frederick Jackson, an LNER goods guard, in 1936. She died in 1966. Her surviving brother, Thomas, died in 1969 (Redhill Cemetery, Arnold). The second daughter, Elizabeth, has not yet been traced after 1921.
William served with No. 12 Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment).
William attested on 11 December 1915 aged 26 and was placed in Occupation Group 13 (occupation dyer's labourer). He transferred to the Army Reserve the following day and was mobilised 'for the duration of war' on 11 October 1916.
He embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne on 2 June 1917 and disembarked the same day, reporting at Etaples on 3 June. He joined at 20 Infantry Base Depot on 5 June and was posted under AO204 (1916) to the 2nd Royal Scots on 16 June, joining in the field on the 19th.
William was reported missing in action 26 September 1917 toward the end of the Third Battle of Ypres, although his death was not confirmed until April 1918. It is likely that he died on the first day of the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September-3 October). He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium (Panel 11-14).
He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC History of Tyne Cot Memorial (extract): The Memorial to the Missing forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery which is 9km from the town of Ieper (Ypres).
'The Memorial is one of four to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge. The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 [outome Allied withdrawal and line of defence shortened.] ... There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.' (www.cwgc.org)
Original record revised and updated (RF, Aug. 2025)
CWGC Additional information: Son of Edward and Miriam Handley, of 46, Loscoe Rd., Carrington, Notts.; husband of Sarah Ellen Handley, of 4, Poplar Terrace, Deering St., Nottingham.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 20 April 1918: 'Handley. Reported missing September 26th [1917] now reported killed, Private W Handley, eldest son of M and E Handley, 46 Loscoe Road, Carrington. Mother, father, sisters and brother Tom (Mesopotamia)'. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 22 April 1918. ‘Handley. Reported missing September 26th, now reported killed in action, Pte W Handley, the dearly beloved husband of Nellie Handley, 4, Poplar-terrace, Deering-street. He was one of England’s heroes gone to eternal rest, he fought for King and country, God knows he did his best. His sorrowing wife Nellie.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
His widow, Sarah Ellen (Nellie), was awarded a weekly pension of 13/9d (13 shillings and 9 pence) with effect from 17 June 1918. Before a pension was awarded she had had to provide her marriage certificate and confirm that she had not remarried.
Thomas Handley enlisted on 11 December 1915 at the age of 22; he was living at 66 Godiva Street, Coventry, and working as a blacksmith's striker. He named his father Edward as his next of kin. Thomas was placed in the Army Reserve on 12 December and was mobilised in February the following year and posted to the 3rd Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment, later transferring to the 9th (Service) Battalion (16772 Private). The Battalion served with the 9th Indian Expeditionary Force for Expeditionary Force Mesopotamia, from 7 July 1916 to 1 January 1919. The 9th Battalion then transferred to Salonika, 2 January-20 October 1919. Thomas was discharged on 29 November to his parents' address, 46 Loscoe Road. Service: Mobilised February 1916 to Home service, Mesopotamia 7 July 1916-1 January 1919, Salonika 2 January 1919-20 October 1919, Home service to 29 November 1919.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 19 August 1929: ‘Handley. On August 17th at the General Hospital, Miriam Handley, the beloved mother of Florrie, Tom and Lizzie, age 66. Peace after pain. Wilford hill, Wednesday, 3.30.’ (wwwbritishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of William Handley
Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium (www.cwgc.org)