Pte 140363 Thomas Peter Williamson

 

In 1881 they are living at 18 Ryley’s Gardens, Liverpool. His father is a 40 year old rivetter, his mother is 36 years of age. There are three children in the household; Francis is 17, a sampler at the dock, Joseph is 7, Thomas is 1. They have a boarder, Thomas Madden, a 38 year old shoemaker from Dublin.

 

By 1891 they have moved to 90 Westbourne Street, South Everton. His father is shown as a 54 year old boilermaker’s labourer, his mother is shown as being aged 46. There are three sons in the household; Frank aged 27 and Joseph aged 17 are bookkeeper’s clerks, Thomas is aged 11, and is at school. Also present in the household is a niece, Mary Ann Levins, age 8. 

 

By 1901 his father has died and his mother Mary Ann, 56, is head of household at 98 Westbourne Street. Francis, aged 36, is a musician, Joseph,  aged 27, is a shipbroker’s clerk, Thomas P. aged 21, is an oil merchant’s clerk, and niece Mary Levins is 18.

 

By 1911 only Thomas and his mother, 67, are still at 98 Westbourne Street. He is 31, single, employed as a shipowner’s clerk. 

 

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool as Private 36651 joining the 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. 

 

He was subsequently transferred and was serving as Private 140363, of the 57th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, when he was killed in action at Bullecourt on 31st August 1918.  (CWGC graves registration document shows date of death 31/8/1918 crossed out and replaced with 03/9/1918.)

 

Thomas now rests at Saint Martin Calvaire British Cemetery, St. Martin-sur-Cojeul, Pas-de-Calais.

 

The village of St. Martin-sur-Cojeul was taken by the 30th Division on 9 April 1917. It was lost in March 1918 but retaken in the following August. St. Martin Calvaire British Cemetery was named from a calvary which was destroyed during the war. It was begun by units of the 30th Division in April 1917 and used until March 1918. Plot II was made in August and September 1918. The cemetery contains 228 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, five of them unidentified. There are also three German graves within the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

 

His grieving family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on the 09th September 1918: 

“August 31, killed in action, aged 39 years, Private Thomas Williamson, (Machine-Gun Corps, formerly with Liverpool Pals), the dearly-beloved youngest son of Mrs. Williamson, 25, Lucan Road, Aigburth.  Sadly missed by Mother and brothers Frank and Joe.”

 

Pte. 140363 Williamson, Machine Gun Corps, was reported as Killed in the Weekly Casualty List for 15th October 1918.

 

His mother Mary Ann, at 25 Lucan Road, Liverpool, later changed to 2 Derwent Road, Stoneycroft, received a War Gratuity of £11 and a pension of 15/- a week.

 

Thomas is commemorated on Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 31.

 

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