William Henry Guest
William entered the Royal Navy at HMS Ganges in 1915 and served continuously until his death in 1945.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Henry was the only son of William Henry and Emily Guest (née Pickard m. 1892 Nottingham St Andrew).
William had four sisters, Hilda Florence (b. 1893), Eva May (b. 1896), both baptised at Nottingham St Ann in January 1897, Doris Ada (b. 1902) and Elsie (b. 1905).
The family was living at 89 Westwood Road, Nottingham, in 1911: William snr. a leather presser (tan works), Emily, Hilda a hosiery runner-on, Eva an errand girl (lace warehouse), and the three youngest children, William, Doris and Elsie, who were school age.
William joined the Royal Navy in 1915. He married Isabella Phillips in 1928 (reg. Portsmouth) and they had three sons, William H (b. 1929 Portsmouth), Eric James (b. 1933 Portsmouth, Portsmouth Evening News 6 May) and Barrie J (b. 1942 Nottingham).
Isabella was living at 21 Brushfield Street, Hyson Green, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; she was employed as a munitions worker (final assembly, heavy work). Her two eldest sons, William and Eric, were recorded on the Register in the household of Augustus and Mabel Jepson who lived in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
In 1939 her widowed father-in-law, William Guest, whose wife Emily had died in 1927, was living at 30 Barnston Road, Nottingham, with his two married daughters, Hilda Wales (m. 1921) and her husband Leonard, and Eva Sugden (m. 1918 William E Sugden) and her son Dennis W (b. 1923 d. 1941), an ironmonger's errand boy. William Guest snr. died on 22 May the following year.
Isabella was still living at 21 Brushfield Street when the later CWGC record was compiled. She married Alfred Chaplin in 1953 and died in December 1971.
Guest entered the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman at HMS Ganges in 1915. He joined on a 12 year engagement at the age of 18 on 13 November 1916 when he was rated Ordinary Seaman. He was rated Able Seaman on 19 December 1917 and to Leading Seaman (Leading Stoker) on 9 January 1925. He re-engaged on 2 August 1928 'to complete.'
Guest died at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire, on 15 August 1945 following a long illness and was buried in Nottingham Northern Cemetery (Grave Ref: Sec. XK/12. Grave 13).
CWGC Additional information: ‘Son of William Henry and Emily Guest, of Nottingham; husband of Isabella Guest of Hyson Green, Nottingham.’
CWGC Personal inscription: ‘These men see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep’
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Deaths', 22 May 1940: Guest. William Henry, 8 Radford Grove-lane, passed away May 22nd.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 21 April 1941. Sugden. On April 21st, Dennis, the dearly loved and only son of Eva and William, age 17 years. Loving mam and dad.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 20 August 1945, photograph with caption: ‘Leading Seaman WH Guest HMS Dolphin, of 21, Brushfield-street, Hyson Green, Nottingham, died on VJ-Day at the RN Hospital, Gosport, Hants., after a long illness. He had 32 years service in the Navy.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Acknowledgements’, 24 August 1945: ‘Mrs Guest and Family wish to thank all kind friends and neighbours for their kindness, letters of sympathy and beautiful floral tributes, also greatest thanks to Mrs Kirkby and Naval ratings.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 30 December 1971. ‘Chaplin. Isabella (Guest), suddenly on December 28th. Dear mother of Bill, Eric, Barrie and daughters-in-law. Grandchildren [5].’ A notice from her husband Alfred was published in the Evening Post on the same date. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of William Guest
Nottingham Evening Post, 20 August 1945 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)