Pte 42326 William Harrison

William was born in Birkenhead in August 1885(from De Ruvigny’s Roll), the youngest son of Samuel Harrison and his wife Esther (née Huntington).  Samuel and Esther, both from Cheshire, married on the 27th December 1865 in St. Nicholas, Liverpool.  Samuel was a Waterman, as was his father and grandfather.  The family is included on the website “Boat Families of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal”.  They had ten children:  Robert, Emily, Thomas, Mary Ann, Esther, Samuel, Elizabeth, Eliza, William, and Ada. 

  

On the 1891 Census the family are living at 261 Brook Street, Birkenhead, with nine children.

His father Samuel is aged 46, born in Northwich, a barge captain of a flat(boat), as is his brother Thomas, 20. Mother Esther is aged 40, born in Wallasey, Emily is 22, a domestic servant, Mary Ann 18, a domestic servant, and Esther aged 15. At school are: Samuel 12, Elizabeth 9, Eliza 7, William 5, with Ada aged 5. William was educated at St. Anne’s School, Birkenhead. 

 

In 1901 they are still at 261 Brook Street, with the two youngest children at home.  His father, 53, is a flatman (barge), his mother is 49, William is 15, a telephone messenger, Ada is 12.  They also have two grandsons in the household, Thomas 5, and Robert Carr, 9.

 

William married Sarah Jane Williams in late 1905 in Wrexham. Sarah was born in Ruabon, Denbighshire in 1887. Their son Thomas Samuel was born on the 23rd November 1906 in Birkenhead. 

 

By 1911 they have moved across the water and are living at 30 Chirkdale Street, Kirkdale.

 

William is 26, a coal heaver at the docks, (De Ruvigny’s profile states he worked as a coal heaver on the Belfast boats before the war.), his wife Sarah Jane is aged 24 and they have been married for five years and have one child, a son named Thomas who is aged 4. His parents are at 3 Fell Street, a Birkenhead, with daughters Emily and Eliza and grandchildren. His father, 68, is still working as a flatman.

 

A daughter, Neta, was born on the 23rd February 1912, followed by Mary on 26th August 1914, both born in Liverpool.

 

William enlisted in Liverpool as Private 42326, 17th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.  Based on the amount of the War Gratuity and information from DeRuvigny, William enlisted early in 1916.  After a few months’ training in the U.K. William was sent to the front. In October 1916 the 17th battalion takes part in the Battle of the Transloy Ridges. The attack is a costly failure. At the end of the month the Division moves north of the Somme to take over a section of the line opposite Bienvillers.  It is not known when or where William was hospitalised. He was apparently in the evacuation chain for England, as he died at No.16 General Hospital, Le Tréport, which is on the coast.  He died of acute nephritis contracted on active service on 13th December 1916.  He was 31 years old.

 

He now rests at Mont Huon Military Cemetery at Le Treport in France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"PEACE PERFECT PEACE" 

During the First World War, Le Treport was an important hospital centre and by July 1916, the town contained three general hospitals (the 3rd, 16th and 2nd Canadian), No.3 Convalescent Depot and Lady Murray's B.R.C.S. Hospital. The 7th Canadian, 47th and 16th USA General Hospitals arrived later, but all of the hospitals had closed by March 1919. As the original military cemetery at Le Treport filled, it became necessary to use the new site at Mont Huon. There are now 2,128 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery and seven from the Second World War. The cemetery also contains more than 200 German war graves. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

 

His death was announced in the local press: 

Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 19 December 1916 

Died From Wounds. 

HARRISON— December 13 in, hospital, aged 31 years, William, the husband of Sarah Harrison, 22, Lind-street, Walton. 

His children were 9, 4, and 2 years old when William died.  His widow Sarah Jane, at 22 Lind Street, Walton, received his Army effects, Army pay £2 6s 11d, War Gratuity of £3, and a pension of £1-6s-3d a week for herself and three children. 

 

William is commemorated at St Lukes Church, Walton. The family lived at 22 Lind Street, Walton. 

 

Widow Sarah remarried in 1918 to John Watkins at West Derby Registry and a daughter Margaret was born in 1919, and son John Thomas born in 1920. 

 

On the 1921 Census they are still at Lind Street.

John Watkin is a painter aged 37, born in Aberaman, Glamorganshire, Sarah Jane is 34, born in Coppras, Denbighshire, Thomas S. Harrison is 14, Neta 9, Mary 4, Margaret Watkins is 2 and John Thomas aged 11mths.   

 

By the 1939 Register they are at Mill House(?), Wrexham Rd, Wrexham. Sarah J., dob 26th Jan 1887, and John born 12th June 1884, are with two of their children(redacted). She died in Trevalyn Hospital aged 79 in 1966. 

 

His son Thomas married and had a family, lived in Dalton-in-Furness, and died in 1960, aged 53.  His daughter Neta married and had a family, lived in Stoke on Trent, and died in 1989. It is not known what became of his widow Sarah Jane or daughter Mary. 

 

William is commemorated at St Lukes Church, Walton. The family lived at 22 Lind Street, Walton.  

 

We currently have no further information on William Harrison. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.