First World War in Headington & Marston
Roll of Honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield

William George HIGGINS (1888–1916)

William George Higgins was born in Headington in 1888, the son of George William Higgins (born in Kidlington in 1863) and Rachel Wilson (born in Ireland in 1862).

His parents were married at St Andrew’s Church on 16 January 1886 and had nine children:

• Margaret Florence Higgins (born in early 1887, died aged four months and buried at Headington Cemetery on 6 June 1887)
• William George Higgins (born in Headington on 18 February 1888 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 29 April 1888)
• John Charles Higgins (born in Headington on 28 August 1889 and privately baptised via St Andrew’s Church on 2 October 1889)
• Edwin Francis Higgins (born in Headington on 18 August 1890 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 26 October 1890; died aged two and buried at Headington Cemetery on 27 August 1892)
• James Henry Higgins (born in Headington on 22 July 1893 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 29 August 1893; died aged 5 weeks and buried at Headington Cemetery on 2 September 1893)
• Joseph Wilson Higgins (born in Headington on 16 February 1895 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 19 May 1895)
• Gladys Violet Higgins (born at Highfield on 22 March 1898 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 15 May 1898)
• George W. Higgins (born at Highfield in March 1900 and survived only 20 minutes; buried at Headington Cemetery on 24 March 1900)
• James Henry Higgins (born at  Lime Walk on 18 May 1901 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 18 May 1901; died aged 19 days and buried at Headington Cemetery on 24 May 1901).

At the time of the marriage William’s father George (who had grown up in New Headington with his parents, the shepherd Henry Higgins and his wife Hannah) was a stoker at Oxford gas works, and his mother was working as a servant.

The 1891 census shows William’s parents living at 64 Lime Walk (then numbered 59). His two younger brothers John and Edwin were at home, but William himself (3) spent census night at 111 Lime Walk (“Daisymede”) with his grandparents, Henry Higgins (who had been described in 1881 as an “imbecile”) and Hannah.

William’s father George Higgins was a stoker at Oxford Gas Works from at least 1886 to 1895, but in May 1898 described himself as a coal merchant and by 1901 as a steam engine fitter or engineer

At the time of the 1901 census William (13) was back home at 64 Lime Walk with his parents and his three surviving siblings: John (11), Joseph (6), and Gladys (3). His mother was also looking after another child, Mary Jones (7), who was described as a boarder.

William’s father died at Lime Walk at the age of 44 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 6 May 1909.

By the time of the 1911 census William’s widowed mother Rachel Higgins had moved to 20 Holyoake Road (then called Western Road), the west side of which was in Highfield parish. She still had three of her children living with her: John (21), who was a draper’s shop assistant; Joseph (16), who was a gardener; and Gladys (13), who was at school. Mary Jones (17), now described as a visitor, was still living with the family, and working as a housemaid.

William himself (23) was now an assistant grocer and he again spent the 1911 census night with his grandparents, who were both 78 and now living at Charlbury Cottage in Stapleton Road (probably No. 36). William’s grandfather Henry Higgins was a pensioner and his grandmother Hannah was still working as a laundress; but just a few weeks after the census she was dead. She was buried at Headington Cemetery on 19 April 1911.

Meanwhile in 1911 William’s future wife Selina Douglas (born in Headington Quarry in 1885/6, registered first quarter of 1886) was living with her brother Albert and his wife Julia at Bateman Street (probably No. 3); she and Julia worked as laundresses at home together, and William would have passed her house on the journey between his grandparents and parents.

♥ William George Higgins married Selina Douglas in the Headington registration district in the third quarter of 1911. They remained at Stapleton Road in Highfield (probably with William’s grandfather), and do not appear to have had any children.

In the First World War William George Higgins served as a Private in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 6225). He was killed in action at the Somme in France at the age of 28 on 7 November 1916 and has no known grave. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, and is also listed on the Roll of Honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield.

A memorial service for William George Higgins took place on the evening of 19 November 1916 at New Headington Wesleyan Chapel in New High Street (shown below).

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Postscript

William’s widow

• Selina Higgins married Albert Cross in the Headington registration district in the third quarter of 1927.

William’s grandfather

• Henry Higgins died at the age of 84 (just a month after his grandson) at Nazareth Home, Oxford and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 29 December 1916.

William’s mother

• Mrs Rachel Higgins died at the age of 80 at 8 Ash Grove, Headington and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 4 September 1937.

William’s siblings

• John Charles Higgins (born 1889), who was a motor cleaner, married Margaret Gibbs in the Heaington registration district in the fourth quarter of 1927. He died at Littlemore Mental Hospital at the age of 45 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 21 July 1933.
• Joseph Wilson Higgins (born 1895) married Edith Horwood in the Headington registration district in the second quarter of 1926. Their daughter Barbara J. Higgins was born in the Headington registration district in 1930 (registered third quarter).
• Gladys Violet Higgins (born 1898) died at 13 Bateman Street at the age of 26 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 20 May 1924.