William Arthur Hopewell
Member of the Oliver Hind Club, Dakeyne Street, and the St John Ambulance Brigade.
1939: in employment and also a volunteer with the St John Ambulance Brigade and an ARP Casualty Volunteer.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Arthur was the youngest son of Albert and Mary Hopewell.
His father Albert was born in Nottingham in 1879 and his mother Mary in Lincoln, also in 1879. They were both living at 66 Inner Street, Lincoln, when they were married at Lincoln Spitalgate parish church on 15 August 1897 (Grantham Journal 21 August).
The couple had twelve children, two of whom died in infancy: Kate Mabel b. 24 July 1899 bap. Nottingham St Ann 27 Aug 1899 d. 1900 (JFM), Samuel Albert b. Dec 1900 (reg 1901), Annie Elizabeth b. 1903, Helena birth reg. 1905 (JFM) d. 1907, Ralph b. 1907, Helena b. 1908, George b. 11 November 1911, Thomas Henry b. 1913, Winifred Mary b. 1918, William Arthur b. 9 May 1920, Jennie b. 1920 and Irene b. 1923.
Albert and Mary were living at 3 Albany Terrace, Pym Street, when their first child , Kate, was born in 1899 (d. 1900), but by 1901 were living with their four month old son, Samuel, at 1 Albany Terrace.
The 1911 Census recorded the family at 1 Simkins Street, Nottingham: Albert, a bill porter and distributor, Mary and their four children Samuel, Annie, Ralph and Helena. Their third son, George, was born later that year.
Both Albert and his eldest son Samuel served in the Great War (see 'Extra information'). Their service records gave their next of kin as Mary Hopewell, 2 Ashley Street, Nottingham.
The family was still living at 2 Ashley Street in 1921. Albert was now a trainer in watch and block rejoining at a 'Government instruction factory'. Their eight surviving children were still living at home: Samuel a police constable with the City Police Force (later a police inspector), Annie an embroidery mender, Ralph, 'a cripple all his life unable to go to school or work', Helena, George and Thomas who were school age, and Winifred and William. Jennie was born the following year and Irene in 1923.
Albert died on 28 October 1933 aged 53; he and Mary were still living at 2 Ashley Street.
His widow Mary was living at 115 Bluebell Hill Road in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. In the home on the night of the census were her youngest daughter Irene, a clerk, and sons Thomas an ambulance driver, Ralph a general labourer and William who may have been working for a grocer. All three were St John's Ambulance and ARP Casualty Volunteers. Also in the household were Irene Musson (b. 1921), a tobacco worker, and an elderly widow, Charlotte Adams. There is a record that Irene Hopewell was in the Women's Land Army from 15 August 1942 until 31 October the same year when she appears to have left on marriage (John Barnes, 1942 JAS).
Ralph was still living at 115 Blue Bell Hill Road when he died in 1960. His mother Mary died three years later on 11 January 1963; the probate record gave her address as Hallam Road, Mapperley, and she may have been living with one of her children.
William Arthur served with the 70 Squadron as ground crew. It was a heavy bomber squadron which was already in Egypt at the beginning of the war having previously been stationed in Iraq for nearly 20 years. The Squadron later operated from bases in Italy.
Location of 70 Squadron: January 1942: LG.75 and January-June 1942: LG.104 (Qotafiyah II, Egypt).
William was killed at LG.104 on 27 February 1942 when a bomb exploded as the aircraft, a Wellington IC (z9023), was being armed. Four other ground crew were injured.
He is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery (grave ref. XVIII E 1).
CWGC History of the Cemetery (extract): The Cemetery is in the village of Alamein, about 130km from the city of Alexandria. 'The campaign in the Western Desert was fought between the Commonwealth forces (with, later, the addition of two brigades of Free French and one each of Polish and Greek troops) all based in Egypt, and the Axis forces (German and Italian) based in Libya. The battlefield, across which the fighting surged back and forth between 1940 and 1942, was the 1,000 kilometres of desert between Alexandria in Egypt and Benghazi in Libya. It was a campaign of manoeuvre and movement, the objectives being the control of the Mediterranean, the link with the east through the Suez Canal, the Middle East oil supplies and the supply route to Russia through Persia.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: Son of Albert and Mary Hopewell, of Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Always thoughtful, loving and kind, beautiful memories left behind'
Nottingham Evening Post, 3 March 1942 (photograph): ‘Nottm. Airman Killed. William Arthur Hopewell, son of Mrs Hopewell of 115 Blue Bell-hill, Nottingham, has been killed in the Middle East. He was 21, and had been in the RAFVR 15 months. Before joining up he was a member of the Oliver Hind Club, Dakeyne-street, and was a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 4 March 1942: ‘Hopewell Arthur RAFVR killed Middle East, aged 21. A sorrow too deep for words. Mother brother and sisters.’ Also notices from Winnie [Winifred Carberry, m. 1939] Pat [Francis P], John [son]; siblings Ralph, Jennie and Irene; fiancée Irene [possibly Irene Musson, see Family History, 1939].
His father Albert, who had served for a short period in the Militia (4727 Private, 4th Bn Sherwood Foresters) from 17 August 1896 to 26 February 1897 (left by purchase), served in the RASC (278327 Private) during the Great War. He was discharged on 9 September 1916 and then worked as a commissionaire but joined the RAF on 29 July 1918 becoming an aircraft handler. He transferred to the RAF Reserve on 23 February 1919, discharge date deemed 30 April 1920.
William's brother Samuel, a motor driver and mechanic, joined the RAF on 4 May 1918 aged 17 (164008). He extended his service on 10 March 1919 and was discharged on 24 March 1921.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 30 October 1933: ‘Hopewell. Albert, 2 Ashley-street, died October 28th, aged 53. Much suffering, patiently borne. Sorrowing wife, children, grandchildren.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 14 January 1963:’Hopewell. Mary, passed away January 11th. Fondest memories of mother. Albert [Samuel Albert], Tom [Thomas], Nellie and Winnie [Winfred Carberry].’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of William Arthur Hopewell
Buried El Alamein War Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of William Arthur Hopewell
Photograph published in the Nottingham Evening Post, 3 March 1942 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)