Walter Dominic

Walter was the second son of Jonas Dominic. Walter and his three siblings, Beatrice, Edith and Arthur, were born in Nottingham: Beatrice b. 1884 (J/A/S Nottingham, surname Dominick), Edith b. 28 June 1886 (J/A/S Nottingham), Arthur birth registered 1888 (J/F/M Nottingham) and Walter b. 1890 (O/N/D Nottingham). The three oldest children, Beatrice, Edith and Arthur, were all baptised on 23 October 1889 at St Michael's parish church, Radford. Their parents were named as Jonas and Jane Dominic and the family lived at 223 Alfreton Road, Radford. The family has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census but Jonas Dominic was listed on the 1901 Census at 2 Bismark Square, Nottingham. Jonas, whose age was given on the census as 42, was working as a gas pipe layer. All four children were living at home: Beatrice (17) a leather tanner, Edith (15), Arthur (12) and Walter (9). Jane Dominic has not been traced on the 1901 or subsequent census nor has the marriage to Jonas Dominic yet been traced. However, there is a record of a Jonas Saint Paul Dominic (also Dominick), the son of Andrew and Ann Dominic, born in Sherwood, Nottingham, in 1853 (A/M/J Basford) who married Sarah Bednall on 13 April 1879 (A/M/J Nottingham) at All Saints church, Nottingham. In 1881, two years after their marriage, Jonas (27) a lace maker, was recorded on the census at 31 Vicarage Street, Nottingham, with his parents and his wife Sarah, a cotton winder, was living with her parents, William and Mary Bednall, at 16 Hague Street, Nottingham. In 1901 Sarah, who was still working as a cotton winder, was using her maiden name Bednall and living with her widowed mother. Although there is a discrepancy between Jonas Saint Paul Dominic's year of birth and the age of Jonas Dominic on the 1901 Census, no other person of this name has been found in civil records for Nottinghamshire. Neither Jonas nor Jane have yet been traced on the 1911 Census, although their children have been identified. Beatrice had married Frederick Arthur Parker in 1907 (J/A/S Nottingam) and in 1911 they were living at 21 Denton (?Denman) Street, Nottingham, with their son Frederick Leslie (b. 4 November 1910, O/N/D Nottingham), another child had died in infancy or early childhood. Frederick was a carriage brusher, employed by a lace maker. Also in the household was her brother Arthur (23), a labourer for a lace machine maker. Arthur had enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery in 1906 on a 12 year engagement - 3 years regular service, 9 years Reserve - so had been discharged from the army some years previously. Edith had married Arthur Withers in 1911 (J/F/M Nottingham) and in 1911 was recorded in the household of her widowed mother-in-law, Georgiana Withers (49) a charwoman. Edith was working as a leather maker. Her husband Arthur was not in the home on the night of the census. Walter had joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and in 1911, when he was 21 years old, was serving with the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong. His address at the time of his death in 1915 was 26 Lace Street, Dunkirk. Of Walter's siblings: Beatrice and her husband Frederick Parker may have had four more children: Walter b. 1912, Albert b. 1917, Joan b. 1921 (d. 1922) and Arthur b. 1922. Beatrice died in 1939 (J/A/S Nottingham); her husband Frederick (b. 28 May 1882) was recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register living at 71 Denman Street, Nottingham. Edith and her husband Arthur Withers (b. 22 February 1887) had two children: Dorothy b. 1918 (O/N/D Nottingham) and Arthur b. 26 May 1921 (A/M/J Nottingham). In is likely that in 1939 they were living at Bushcombe Farm, Bushcombe Lane, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, with their son Arthur. Edith Withers died in 1969 (J/A/S Cheltenham) aged 83 (record gives DOB 28 July 1886). Arthur married Ellen Straw in 1911 (O/N/D Nottingham) and they had a daughter, Doris, in 1913 (A/M/J Nottingham). Arthur served in the Royal Field Artillery (42379 Driver); he was killed on 23 March 1918 and buried in Peronne Communal Cemetery (see record on this ROH. His widow Ellen probably never remarried; there is a record of the death of an Ellen Dominic in 1934 (O/N/D Nottingham) aged 48. Their father Jonas Dominic probably died in 1918 (O/N/D Nottingham), buried 13 December 1918.