William Henry Glover
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the son of William Henry Glover and Jane Glover nee Hibbert; his birth was registered in Nottingham in J/F/M 1897. His father's family came from Shropshire, which was where his father was born, and his mother was born in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire. His parents were married in Nottingham registration district in 1894 (J/A/S). His father completed the census in 1911 with the information that he and his wife had been married for 17 years and had had four children of whom only three were still living. Three children were named on the census between 1901 and 1911; William Henry, Jack (b. 28/12/1899) and a sister who was just a month old at the time of the 1911 Census and had not yet been named. The children were born in Wilford (also known as South Wilford). His father's family was living in Nottingham by 1891; his paternal grandfather, William, was living in South Wilford and working as a farm bailiff. He and his wife Ellen (41), who was also born in Shropshire, had eight children living at home: William Henry (17) working as a gardener, Fred (15), Arthur James (13), Mary Ann (9), Ernest (5), Ellen Elizabeth (3), Jane (1) and Edith (2m.), whose birth was registered in A/M/J 1891 and whose death was registered in the same quarter (A/M/J Basford). The death of an Ellen Glover aged 41 was registered in Basford in J/A/S 1891. Jane Hibbert, who was to marry our William's father, was, at the time of the 1891 Census, a cook in the West Bridgford household of Mrs Rebecca Sansome (52), a widow with several children still living at home. Mrs Sansome employed another servant in addition to Jane. By 1901 William and Jane were married and living in Wilford; William was still working as a gardener (domestic). They had two sons, William Henry (4) and Jack (1). In 1901 his widowed paternal grandfather, William Glover, was living at 6 Kings Terrace, Nottingham, and working as a general carter. Five children were still living at home with him; Arthur (22), Margaret (sic, probably Mary Ann) (19), Ernest (15) and Jane (11) together with a three-year old girl, Clara Constance, (b. 1897 J/A/S) who was described as his daughter and was the half-sister of her older siblings. In 1911 William, his father William Henry, mother Jane and his two surviving siblings - Jack (11) and a one-month old sister who had not yet been named - were still living in Wilford. His paternal grandfather, William Glover (63), and his young aunt, Clara Constance (13 b. 7 July 1897). Frederick Glover (36), a drayman, had been married for 12 years by 1911 and was living with his wife Ada (36) and their four sons, Francis Henry (10), Horace (9), Frederick William (5) and Albert Ernest (2) at 46 Crown Street, Blue Bell Hill Road. Also in the household was Frederick's brother, Ernest (25) a hosiery warehouseman. Following William's death the family continued to live in Wilford. His uncle, Ernest Glover, served in the North Staffordshire Regiment (26320 Private) and was killed on 25 January 1917 age 30 (Basra Memorial), Ernest had married Bernice Hart in Nottingham on 26 December 1912 and they lived at 81 Russell Road. Ernest's widow completed a form in June 1919 listing her late husband's surviving blood relatives: Wife: Bernice Glover, 81 Russell Road, Nottingham Father: William Glover, Wilford near Nottingham Brothers: William Glover (45) Wilford; John Glover (44) Bosworth Road; Fred [Frederick] Glover (42) 46 Crown Street; James [Arthur James] Glover (41) Briar Street) Sisters: Ellen Crane (31) 6 Phyllis Grove [m. Horace Albert Crane, marriage registered J/F/M 1905 Nottingham]; Jane Musson (29) 23 Cairns Street. Half-sister: Clara Glover (21) Manor Park (?Ruddington) William's grandfather, William, died at the age of 76 in 1925 (death registered September, Nottingham). His younger brother, Jack, married Bernice Glover (sic) in 1932 (marriage registered O/N/D Nottingham). He probably died in 1969 (death registered September Spilsby, Lincolnshire). Bernice has not yet been traced on any registers other than the marriage register and death register - died 1968 aged 76, b. abt 1892 (death registered June Spilsby, Lincolnshire). His father William Henry died aged 86 on 21 June 1960 at Highbury Hospital Nottingham, home address 6 Glebe Cottages, Wilford. Probate was awarded to Constance Glover (spinster) who may have been either his daughter (unnamed in 1911) or his half-sister, Clara Constance, as she survived him. Clara Constance, appears to have remained unmarried as there is a record of the death of a Clara C Glover on 27 June 1983 (death registered June Nottingham), cremation 30 June 1983.
He served in France from 25 February 1915 and was killed in action when the battalion was at Bac St Maur, Belgium. He is buried in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery (grave ref A/53). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His mother, Jane, was his legatee. Memorial window in St Wilfrid's church, Wilford: 'In loving memory of Pte W Glover, 1/7 Robin Hood, killed in action May 11th 1915'. Boots ‘Comrades in Khaki’, May & June 1915, ‘Dead on the Field of Honour’: ‘As this magazine is going to press, news reaches us of the death at the front of Pte. William Glover, of the 1/7th Robin Hood Rifles. William Glover, who was only 19 years of age, had been engaged for some years in Boots Perfumery Department at Station Street, Nottingham, where his abilities and sterling character made him highly popular with his associates, among whom the sad news has brought a sense of personal loss. Private Glover had been attached to the Robin Hoods before war broke out and accompanied his regiment on active service with the British Expeditionary Force.’ (Nottinghamshire Archives, RB.38) Boots ‘Comrades in Khaki’, July 1915, ‘The Hand of Death’ - part of a letter from Sergt. S Carnell, also a Boots employee: ‘You will be sorry that Pte W Glover (Sundries Dept) has been killed whilst on duty in the trenches. He was one of my platoon, and it has been a great loss to me, inasmuch as he always did his duty, willingly, cheerfully and fearlessly. However, the loss will be felt even more grievously by his parents, and I am exceedingly sorry for them.’ (Nottinghamshire Archives, RB.38) Note: S Carnell appears to have survived the war. Boots ‘Comrades in Khaki’, July 1915, ‘The Bivouac of the Dead’: ‘Mr Furness, a resident of Wilford, has received the following letter descriptive of the camping ground where William Glover now lies still in silent glory. Many of the Boots men writing home from the trenches refer to their lost comrade. ‘Sunday 6pm Belgium. Dear Mr Furness, Conceive the ring of bullets from rapid fire all around you, the shriek of Jack Johnsons and our own shells whizzing overhead, possibly the whirring of an aeroplane’s propellers, the weird light of the German Star-Shells in the trenches a short distance away, and above all the desolation of a ruined country and the mystery of midnight, and you can imagine the burial of one of our poor fellows who goes ‘West’ while in the trenches. I go up every night now, and last night I went to find Bill Glover’s grave. I will give you the name of the Town and locality when I return home. I found his grave in the Soldiers’ Cemetery, a dense wood surrounding a chateau. Not five yards from his feet on his right the open plains of Flanders stretch away, and on his left not two miles from where he is lying, is that ‘Line’ which means death for many a thousand. His grave is well tended as are all the graves of British soldiers. All around grows a barrier a foot high of twigs taken from trees, and they are sprouting beautifully – bent over in arches they look real fine. On the top grow a few daisies, a close-growing kind of fern, and some other flowers, and there is also a bouquet in a tin placed there by some friend. At his head is a cross such as is placed on all graves of fellows in our brigade. Painted white and lettered in black, it is inscribed, ‘GR 1931 Pte W Glover, 1st 7th Sherwood Foresters, Killed in Action 11-5-15.’ There, Mr Furness, you have the picture in words I promised you of the resting place of an old pal, He is buried along with many others in as peaceful a spot as there is in the whole world. Everything else is just as usual and there is nothing to report that youdo not already know. The hill from which Mr Asquith viewed the panorama of the zone is the place of our bivouac. Goodbye for the present, and write soon. Yours sincerely HA Taylor, Corporal RAMC attached to 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters.’ (Nottinghamshire Archives, RB.38). Note: HA Taylor appears to have survived the war. Article published 19th May 1915 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “WILFORD ROBIN HOOD KILLED. “News has been received in Nottingham of the death at the front of Private William Glover, of the 1/7th Robin Hood Rifles. Glover, who was only 19 years of age, was the son of Mr. William Glover, gardener to the rector of Wilford. Both father and son were born in that village, that the association of the family with Wilford extends over long period. Young Glover used to sing in the choir the Parish Church, and was employed as a bookbinder at Messrs. Boots premises in Station-street. He was attached to the Robin Hoods before war broke out, and volunteered tor active service.” Above is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
