William Scotney
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William was born in 1882 in Morton and was the son of Frances Sussanah Elizabeth Handford who was born in Morton , she was married in 1883 in Bourne, to Dan Pope Scotney a bricklayer. The couple went on to have a further seven children :- Dan (b1884 Bourne), Jessie (b1886 Bourne) Elizabeth Alice (b 1889 Bourne) Eliza (b1892 Edenham), Jazez Ernest (b1894 Bourne) Joseph Thomas (b1897 Bourne) and Charles (b1901 Bourne) We first come across William in the 1891 census , when he is 9 years of age , he is shown as William S Handford, he is shown living with his family at Edenham near Bourne Lincolnshire. His father is Dan Scotney a bricklayer born Bourne and his mother Frances S E Scotney born Morton, siblings living at the same address are Dan Scotney (b1884 Bourne) Jessie (b 1886 Bourne) Elizabeth (b 1889 Bourne) and Ernest (b 1890 Edenham) By the next census of 1901 the family are living at West View, Bourne ,William appears to have dropped his surname, Handford and is now known as William Scotney, he is not living with his family, however he is believed to be living as a boarder at East House Street, Leicester with Daniel Muddimer and his family, William is shown as 19 years of age single and a bricklayer, also at the address is Thomas Scotney 20 years who may have been a relative who is a carpenter. By the 1911 census the Scotney family are living at Chapel Street, Orston , Dan Pope Scotney and his wife Frances are living in the village with two of their sons Thomas (b 1897) and Charles (B 1902) They have been married for 28 years and have had 9 children , however sadly one died in infancy. William has by now got married and is living on Lombard Street, Orston, he is 29 years of age a bricklayer born Morton with his wife Sarah Ellen Scotney (nee Baker ) also 29 yrs of age born Orston , they have been married for 2 years but have no children, At the time of Williams death they were living at Chapel St., Orston, Nottingham
William Scotney enlisted in Newark and served with the 17th battalion , Sherwood Foresters , he became a Sergeant in the regiment and was killed in action on 3rd September 1916, he has no known grave , his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme.
Article published 12th January 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “CAUGHT IN THE ACT. “ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SOLDIER'S WIDOW. “Sarah Ellen Scotney, 36, a lace hand, of Orston, pleaded guilty at the Guildhall, Nottingham, to-day [12th January 1918], to stealing a paper bag containing glass, china, and candles, value 8s., the property of Messrs. Woolworth and Company, Lister-gate. “The manager of the shop kept the woman under observation yesterday [11th January 1918] and saw her take the articles from the counter. D.s. Rose was called in, and to him prisoner expressed her sorrow and asked to be allowed to pay for the articles. “Prisoner appealed to the magistrates to give her another chance, and in view of the fact that she was a soldier's widow in receipt of a pension of 16s. 3d. per week the magistrates took a lenient course and dismissed the case, but ordered her to pay 30s. damages. They reminded prisoner that she had done a wicked and foolish thing, and hoped she would endeavour to lead an honest and steady life in future.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
No Photos