William H. Paget(t) was born in Saltney, and his birth was registered in Hawarden (HAW/41/57) in 1895.

( believe that his parents Thomas and Florence H. Watson had married at Chester in a civil marriage in 1894 (ROC/32/121).

The 1901 census records the Pagett  family living at 16, Curzon Street, Saltney.  Thomas, 31 was a Candle Maker (Grease) who had been born in Wolverhampton.  His wife Florence, 25 and all the children had been born in Saltney. The children listed were William H. 5, Selena M 4,   Maggie, 2  and baby James K.  Thomas’s father Isaac Pagett , a widower, 68 a General Labourer was listed on the census.

The family suffered 3 bereavements before the next census. In 1902,  a daughter Mable died.  (her death was registered in Chester (Cathedral) (CAT/74/50). In 1906 Thomas died (his death being registered in Hawarden (HAW/03A/26). In 1907 Thomas’s father died (HAW/04A/27).

in the 1911 census Florence was then a widow and recorded as living at 28, Chainmaker’s Row, Saltney. She stated  on the census form that 7 children had been born to her but one had died.  Florence was 36 and she was a Charwoman. The listed children were William H 15,   a Butcher’s Boy, James10,  Maggie, 5 and Isaac, 4.

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919  accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms William’s regimental information and tells us that he was born in Saltney, Chester and he also enlisted in Chester. His medal card also on ‘Ancestry’ details his medals as above and adds that his first Theatre of War was France and he entered it on 15th February 1915 and  that he died of Wounds on the 16th June 1915, 4 months later, age 20.

There is an index card for William Pagett in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden Card (Saltney Ferry F 24). It tells us his period of service was 10 months and he died in June 1915.   He was wounded on Hill 60 and then died of wounds.   Florence signed the card on the 1st November 1918. (Hill 60 is near Ypres)

At Hill 60. Visited in April 2017

Palm Cross left by Lorraine Blythyn. It was Palm Sunday the weekend we visited Hill 60.

A sealed bunker at Hill 60, the day that FWM visited, April 2017 – Photographs taken by a kind stranger at the request of Mavis Williams.   Thanks to him for climbing in and out!!

William’s brother survived the war.  James Kendrick Paget’s Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Saltney Ferry L 155) tells us he was in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 66736, he was a Private and his period of service was 1 and 1/2 years.   His mother Florence signed his card on 6th November 1919.

William Henry is also remembered on the Saltney War Memorial