Bernard Lewis Watkin

Bernard Lewis was the youngest son of William Henry and Annie Jemima Watkin (née Dexter). His father William was born in Swafield, Lincolnshire, in about 1846, and his mother Annie was born in Castle Donington, Leicestershire, in about 1853. They were married at the General Baptist Church, Castle Donington, in 1876 and had eight children: Edith b. Castle Donington 1876, Arthur Lewin b. Grantham 1878, Lionel H. b. Lincoln 1880 and Herbert b. Lincoln abt. 1883 and the four youngest children who were born in Nottingham, Minnie b. 1887 d. 1906, Sidney William b. 1891, Stella b. 1891 and Bernard Lewis b. 1895. The Watkin family lived at: 23 Church Lane Lincoln, Lincolnshire [C.1881]; 418 Berridge Road, Hyson Green, Nottingham [C.1891] and 29 Great Freeman Street, St Ann’s, Nottingham [C.1901]. In 1902, William Watkin, who had worked as a painter and decorator, died at Nottingham, aged 56. His second daughter, Minnie, died four years later in 1906 aged 19. In 1911 the widowed Annie Watkin was living at 19 Stoneleigh Terrace, Portland Road, Nottingham (All Saints parish), with three of her seven surviving children, Sidney a bottle washer (mineral water manufacturer), Stella 'hem sticking collars' (linen manufacturer) and Bernard a printer's assistant. Annie's four eldest children were now married. The eldest daughter, Edith, had married William Allen in 1898 and they were living on Laurel Street, Nottingham, with their four sons. Arthur was married to Mary Ann Walmsley (m. 1900). Lionel and his wife Gertrude (Derrick), whom he had married in 1901, were living on Edginton Road, Nottingham, with their three children. Herbert had married Elizabeth Muriel Burton in 1907 and they and their son were living on Oldknow Street, Nottingham. Bernard was living with his mother at 46 Lambert Street, Radford, when he attested in 1915. However, a post-war address was given for Annie Watkin in her older son Herbert Watkin’s CWGC entry, of 18 Bennet Grove, Coppice Road, Mapperley. Annie has not been traced after this, although there is a record of the death of a Jemima Watkin in 1935 (reg. J/F/M Nottingham). Bernard's older brother, Lionel, a postal clerk, attested in the RAF on 28 March 1918 (189591). He was appointed Clerk 3 on 25 May, appointed Clerk 2 on 1 December 1918, and served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 4 July 1918 to 18 March 1919. He transferred to the RAF Reserve on 6 May 1919 and was 'deemed discharged' on 30 April 1920. Arthur Lewin may have served in the RAMC (M-281240). Herbert served with the 1/6th Bn Sherwood Foresters and was killed in action on 1 July 1916. (See 'Extra information') The boys' sister Stella married 366673 Lance-Corporal Edward Leek RE, by special licence in June 1918. Edward died in hospital in August 1924 and there is a WW1 Pension Ledger record naming his widow, Stella Leek.