William Shipley
Occupation - house painter
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William was born in Nottingham in 1887, the son of William and Elizabeth Shipley (née Russell).
William snr. was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, in 1853, and his wife Elizabeth Russell was born in Bristol in 1839. They were married on 26 July 1875 at Birmingham St Martin.
William and Elizabeth were living on Hill Street, Derby, in 1881 but had moved to Nottingham by 1891 when they were living at 11 Holden Street, Radford, with their son who was school age. William was working as a house painter and Elizabeth was a charwoman.
The family was recorded on the 1901 Census at 25 Grey Friars Gate, Nottingham, by which time both father and son were employed as house painters.
William jnr. married Elizabeth Ann Holroyd (b. 25 April 1881) at Sneinton St Stephen on 5 May 1906, and their son, Frederick William, was born on 13 July the following year.
The couple were living at 23 Brand Street, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, in 1911. Also in the household on the night of the census was Elizabeth's unmarried brother, John William Holroyd (44), a warehouseman for Gifford Fox & Co. Ltd., lace merchants. Their son, Frederick William (4), was recorded as a visitor at 29 Newark Street, Sneinton, in the home of Jesse and Kate West.
William's parents had moved from Grey Friar Gate to 6 Traffic Street, Nottingham, by 1911. William died in 1915 age 52 and his widow Elizabeth in 1918 aged 78.
Their widowed daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, and her son Frederick William, a clerk for a railway general engineering company ('railway material contractors') on Meadow Lane, were still living at 23 Brand Street in 1921.
Frederick William (21), of 23 Brand Street, a decorator, married Coris Mary Bulling (b. 1905), a dress designer, at Sneinton St Matthias on 15 December 1927.
His mother Elizabeth died in July 1934 aged 53, and was buried at Carlton Cemetery, Nottingham.
Frederick and his wife were living on Hollydale Road, Bakersfield, Nottingham, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Frederick was employed as a fireman (Nottingham City Police-sic). The records of two other members of the household remain closed but one may have been a son, Robert (b. 1936).
Frederick died in June 1995; the probate record gave his address as Hollydale Road. His wife Coris had predeceased him.
William Shipley enlisted in Nottingham and following training was posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, disembarking Egypt on 12 July 1915.
He later transferred to France and was part of the 6th Army Tramway Company, Royal Engineers.
William was seriously wounded during the Third Battle of Ypres and died during an enemy air raid at the Casualty Clearing Station at Dozinghem, Belgium, on 20 August 1917. He was buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery (grave ref. IV.J.11).
Two military records give William's rank as Acting Sergeant.
He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC history of Dozinghem Military Cemetery (extract): 'The cemetery is located to the north-west of Poperinge near Krombeke ... Westvleteren was outside the front held by Commonwealth forces in Belgium during the First World War, but in July 1917, in readiness for the forthcoming offensive, groups of casualty clearing stations were placed at three positions called by the troops Mendinghem, Dozinghem and Bandaghem. The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem and the military cemetery was used by them until early in 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)
Nottingham General Cemetery, grave/headstone inscription: 'In loving memory of my dear mother, Elizabeth Emma Holroyd, who died April 18th, 1918. Also my beloved husband, Sergt. W Shipley, R.E., died of wounds in France, August 20th 1917.'
CWGC Additional information: Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Shipley; husband of Elizabeth Ann Shipley, of 23, Brand St., Meadow Lane, Nottingham. Born Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Thy will be done'
WW1 Pensions Record: his widow was awarded a pension of 20 shillings a week for herself and their son Frederick; first payment made week commencing 4 March 1918.
Additional research/record updated, RF (August 2026)
Photo of William Shipley
Dozinghem Military Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)
Photo of William Shipley
Nottingham General Cemetery, family grave/headstone. Photograph Rachel Farrand (6 August 2026)
Photo of William Shipley
Nottingham General Cemetery, family grave/headstone. Photograph Rachel Farrand (6 August 2026)