William Evans

William was the son of Thomas George and Sarah Ann Evans (née Clark or Clarke). His father Thomas George was born in 1854 at Pelsall, Staffordshire, the son of George and Emma Evans. His mother Sarah Ann was born in Huthwaite in 1858, the daughter of Charles and Mary Clarke. In 1871 Charles Clarke, his wife and their five children, Sarah, Lucy, Hannah, Eliza and Henry, were living in Huthwaite. Thomas George and Sarah Ann were married at Mansfield United Free Methodist Chapel in 1881 (reg. Mansfield A/M/J) and had nine children, two of whom died in infancy or childhood. Eight children have been traced on the census records, all of whom were born in Huthwaite between 1882 and 1898: George Wilfred, Norman Charles Henry, William, Arthur, Mary Emma birth registered 1889 (J/F/M) d. 1893 (A/M/J), Charlie b. 1892; Percy John and Lucy. In 1891 Thomas, a coal miner, and Sarah were living in Wrights Yard, Main Street, Huthwaite, with four of their five children, Wilfred (9), Norman (7), Arthur (4) and Mary (2). William (5) was recorded on the night of the census at Station Road, Huthwaite, in the home of his uncle and aunt, Arthur and Lucy Drabble (née Clarke). Charlie was born the following year. Mary died in 1893. By 1901 Thomas and Sarah had moved to New Street, Huthwaite; only five of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: George and Norman, who were both coal miners, Arthur, Percy (5) and Lucy (2). Charlie was visiting his widowed grandmother, Mary Clarke, at Sampson Yard, Main Street, Huthwaite. Also in the household were his brother William, a grocery apprentice, and Arthur and Lucy Drabble. From the information provided on the census William had been adopted by his aunt and uncle. Thomas and Sarah with their sons Arthur a coal miner hewer, and Percy a coal miner/pony driver, were living at New Fall Street, Huthwaite, in 1911. William an assistant grocer, Charlie a boot shop assistant and Lucy, were living at Sampson Yard, Huthwaite with Arthur and Lucy Drabble. George had married Annie Mary Crooks in 1904 and was living with her and their three children on Barker Street, Huthwaite, while Norman had married Mary Shaw in 1909 and they were living on Carnarvon Grove, Sutton in Ashfield. William's parents were still living in Huthwaite at the time of his death in 1916. Thomas and Sarah were living on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Thomas died in 1941 and Sarah probably died in 1947. William's adoptive parents, Arthur and Lucy Drabble, were living on Sutton Road, Sutton in Ashfield, in 1939 with their niece, Lucy Fidler (née Evans) and her husband Edward (m. 1925). Arthur died in 1942 and Lucy in 1943. According to a report of William's death in the local newspaper, two of his brothers were also serving in the army. One was Charlie who served with the 2/8th Bn Sherwood Foresters and was killed in action on 26 September 1917.