William Henry Giles

William Henry (or Harry) was the son of Samuel Benjamin and Jane Giles (née Burton). Samuel Benjamin Giles was born in Gloucester in about 1863 and Jane Burton was born in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, in 1860. They were married at Meadows St Saviour, Nottingham, on 16 March 1885 and had ten children, three of whom died in infancy. Their surviving children were: Amy Louise b. 1885, Bernard b. 1887, Albert b. 1891, William Henry birth registered 1894 (J/F/M) bap. Meadows St Saviour 15 January 1896, Emma birth registered 1896 (J/F/M) bap. 15 January 1896, Arthur b. 1902 and Leslie birth registered 1905 (J/F/M). All the children were born in the Meadows, Nottingham. The three children who died in infancy were probably Florence b. 1898 (J/F/M) d. 1898 (J/A/S) and twins John and George b. 1899 (O/N/D) d. 1899 (O/N/D). In 1891, Samuel, a picture framer, and Jane were living at Eleanor Terrace, Lamcote Street, Meadows, with their two children, Amy (5) and Bernard (3). However, when William and Emma were baptised in 1896 the family was living at 2 Hartford Street and this was still the family home in 1901. Samuel was now working as a boot repairer (own account). He and Jane had five children, three others having died in infancy: Amy a lace winder, Bernard an errand boy (pawn shop), Albert (9), William (7) and Emma (5). Arthur was born the following year and Leslie in 1905. By 1911 Samuel (47) and Jane (51) had moved to 30 Blackstone Street, Meadows, but only four of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: Albert, an iron trimmer, Emma a lace mender, Arthur (8) and Leslie (6). Also in the household were two lodgers, James and Walter Taylor, who were both iron workers. Two of their children were married, Amy Louise (m. 1906) and Bernard (m. 1908), while William, a coal miner, was lodging with his uncle and aunt, George Edwards, also a coal miner, and Harriett Edwards (née Burton m. 1883) at Barker Street, Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire. A report in a local paper in December 1918 in which he was reported missing, gave his parents' address as 69 Barker Street, Huthwaite, although this was the address of his maternal aunt and uncle, Harriet and George Edwards. His aunt was his legatee and one military record described her as William's guardian. His father Samuel probably died in 1938. His mother Jane was still living on Blackstone Street in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; she died in July 1944.