William Henry Hutchinson
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Henry was the son of Thomas and Laura Hutchinson (née Smith). His father Thomas was born in Kippax, Yorkshire, in about 1866. His mother Laura was born in Pinxton, Derbyshire, in 1866, the daughter of William and Pamela Smith; she was baptised in Pinxton in 1869. Thomas and Laura were married at Ilkeston Holy Trinity in October 1888 and had eight children, three of whom died in infancy or childhood. Their surviving children were: Pamela b. 1889, Mary Alice b. 1892 and William Henry b. 1894 who were born in Ilkeston and Redvers Percy Hector b. 1900 and Leonard b. abt. 1901 who were born in Bulwell, Nottingham. In 1891 Thomas, a coal miner, and Laura were living on Ebenezer Street, Ilkeston, with their daughter Pamela. However, the family had moved to 9 Rock Street, Bulwell, by 1901: Thomas, Laura and their four children Pamela, Mary, William and Redvers. In 1911 Thomas and Laura were living at 58 Highbury Avenue, Bulwell, with their five children, Pamela an assistant mistress (teacher) with the City Council Education Committee, Mary a card box maker (tobacco manufacturer), William a student and Redvers and Leonard, who were still at school. Laura Hutchinson died later that year aged about 45. Thomas and his sons were living at 21 Highbury Avenue, Bulwell, when William enlisted in August 1914. Pamela may have been living independently (in 1916 she was living at 369 Blue Bell Hill, Nottingham) and Mary had married David L Jones in 1913. Thomas married secondly Rose Lloyd in 1914 (reg. O/N/D). William's sister Pamela completed a form for the army in 1919 listing her brother's surviving blood relatives: Father: Thomas Hutchinson 21 Highbury Avenue, Bulwell Brothers: Redvers Percy Hector Hutchinson (18) 71 Coppice Road Heightfields Doncaster; Leonard (17) 49 Laurie Avenue Burford Road Nottingham. Sisters: Pamela Hutchinson (30) 369 Blue Bell Hill Nottingham; Mary Alice Jones (27) Bulwell. The form was witnessed by William Mottershaw, minister Church of Christ, 49 Laurie Avenue, Burford Road, Nottingham. Thomas and Rose together with Thomas's son Leonard, were living in Bulwell in 1921. Leonard later married (1924, Dora Pickering) and lived in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Mary and her husband were living in Nottingham. Pamela was living independently but married David L Morgan (minister Church of Christ) in 1926. Redvers was probably serving in the army; he married in 1936 (Elizabeth A Hart) and they lived in Nottingham. Thomas may have died in 1925.
William served with B Company, 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). The Battalion was serving in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, in 1914 and returned to England in the October. It was mobilised for BEF France (24th Brigade 8th Division), landing at Le Havre on 5 November, and served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war. William enlisted in the Army Reserve (Special Reservists) on 28 August 1914 on a six year engagement. He was aged 20 years 118 days, occupation clerk. He named his father and brothers, Redvers and Leonard, of 21 Highbury Avenue, Bulwell, as his next of kin. He served at home from 28 August to 15 March 1915 and then with the 1st Battalion in France from 16 March. William was killed in action eight weeks later on 9 May 1915, probably during a British operation to deliver a two-pronged attack on the German line in support of a larger French attack (Second Battle of Artois). William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium (Panel 7). Service: Home 28 August 1914-15 March 1915 (200 days), BEF France 16 March 1915-9 May 1915 (55 days). Total 255 days. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of the Ploegsteert Memorial (extract): The Memorial is in Berks Cemetery Extension, 12.5km from the town of Ieper (Ypres) and 'commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton, in Belgium, to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes, in France, to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood ... Most of those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.' (www.cwgc.org)
Identification confirmed by the 1911 Census, UKSWD, Medal Roll & the Soldiers' Effects Register. His birth was registered A/M/J/1894 so he may have been 21 when he died. David Nunn British Red Cross & Order of St John Enquiries List (Wounded & Missing) 1914-1919: An enquiry was made on 10 July 1915 in respect of WH Hutchinson 5137 B Company 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters, 'unofficially missing since 9 May 1915.' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His sister Pamela was his legatee but payments were made in September 1919 to his 'residuary legatees', Thomas [father] and 'sister and legatee' Pamela. His sister Pamela received William's personal possessions in February 1916 and later her brother's medals, plaque and scroll.
