William Bishop Bamkin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Wililam Bishop was the son of Ernest Everard and Mary Ann Bamkin (née Bishop). His father Ernest Everard was born in Whitwick, Leicestershire, on 1 May 1867, the son of John Francis and Harriett Ann Bamkin. The family had moved to Nottngham by 1871 and in 1881 were living on Dane Street, Nottingham. Ernest was a hosiery apprentice. His mother Mary Ann was born in Nottingham on 6 August 1866, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Bishop. In 1881 William, a hosiery assistant, his wife and family, including Mary Ann, a hosiery mender, were living on Kenilworth Terrace, Nottingham. Ernest and Mary were married in 1890 and had two children, William Bishop b. 1891 and Gladys Annie b. 14 February 1894. In 1901 Ernest (33), a hosiery warehouseman, and Mary (34) were living at 101 Noel Street, Nottingham, with their son and daughter. By 1911 Ernest and Mary were living at 'Sunnyholme', Westdale Lane, Mapperley, with their daughter Gladys, a clerk in a lace warehouse, and Ernest's widowed father, John Francis Bamkin (75), a boot salesman. Their son William was living at 18 College Green, Bristol, a boarding house. He was a tailor's cutter and the other boarders were also connected to the drapery trade. In the 1914 Directory of Nottingham William was listed as a tailor at 21a Forman Street. At the time of William's death in 1916 his parents were still living at 'Sunnyholme' but the later CWGC record gives their address as 'The Nook', [15] Steedman Avenue, Mapperley Plains. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled Ernest and Mary were still living at 'The Nook'. Ernest's occupation was given as retired hosiery folder. Mary died at home on 16 August 1941 and Ernest on 24 May 1954; he was then living at 58 Woodthorpe Drive, Arnold. Probate was awarded to his daughter Gladys and son-in-law, Sidney Mitchell. Gladys had married Sidney Harry Mitchell (b. 29 June 1892, d. 1975), a paper maker's agent, in 1918. In 1939 they were living with their three children, Grace Mary (b. 8 January 1920) a cashier, Francis Everard Sidney (b. 28 April 1922, d. 1990) a student paper maker and Kathleen Gladys (b. 1 July 1925 d. unm. 1976) who was at school, at 13 Steedman Avenue, next door to Gladys's parents. Gladys Annie died in 1987.
74th Bde Royal Field Artillery. William served in France from 18 October 1915. He was killed in action on 23 September 1916 and is buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, France (grave ref. III J.8), 1573 burials. William's body may have been reinterred in the cemetery after the Armistice (see below). He was eligible for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - Flatiron Copse Cemetery (extract): 'Flatiron Copse was the name given by the army to a small plantation a little to the east of Mametz Wood. The ground was taken by the 3rd and 7th Divisions on 14 July 1916 and an advanced dressing station was established at the copse. The cemetery was begun later that month and it remained in use until April 1917. Two further burials were made in August 1918 and after the Armistice, more than 1,100 graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and from smaller cemeteries [listed].'
CWGC headstone, personal inscription: 'Ever in our thoughts severed only till He come. Man, Dad, Glad and Sid' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 2 October 1916: ‘Bamkin. Killed in action, September 23rd 1916, Bombdr. WB Bamkin, Sunnyholme, Westdale-lane, Mapperley, the only and dearly loved son of Mr and Mrs EE Bamkin.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his legatee was Miss May Mellor.
