He was born in 1871 in Halifax Yorkshire. In 1896 he married Mold girl Ada Thomas. The 1911 census places them in Pwllglas Mold. William and Ada were both 40 and were both headteachers. They had no children. They had one resident servant – Maggie Hughes. We can see from the newspaper cutting below that he was the headmaster of the Boy’s Dept of  Mold’s National School.

County Herald 13th November 1914

William’s Flintshire Roll of Honour Card carries some detailed information about what happened to him. It says that he served in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine. He was severely wounded at Gallipoli. At Gaza he was wounded and his injury necessitated amputation of foot. Returned to England July 1917 and died at military hospital, Whitworth St Manchester on 20th November in same year from blood poisoning arising from gunshot wounds. The card was signed by D Rutter Thomas (Possibly his wife’s brother)

County Herald 27th August 1915

County Herald 3rd September 1915

County Herald 27th April 1917

Flintshire Observer 4th November 1915