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

William WHITE (1888–1917)

Some of this information is repeated under the next entry for William White’s brother Herbert

William White (known as Willie) was born in New Headington in 1888, the son of Walter Richard White (born in Marston in 1847/8 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 27 February 1848) and Florence Louisa Harris (born in Summertown near the end of 1850 and baptised at St Michael & All Angels Church there on 19 January 1851).

His parents were married at St Nicholas’s Church, Old Marston on 10 November 1872 and had ten children:

• Walter Benjamin White (born in Marston on 29 May 1872 six months before his parents’ wedding, was registered as Walter Benjamin Harris, but on 8 March 1874 (sixteen months after the wedding) he was baptised as Walter Benjamin White at St Nicholas’s Church, at the same time as his younger brother). He died at the age of 5 in 1877, registered third quarter
• Frederick Richard White (born in Marston on 15 February 1874 and baptised at St Nicholas’s Church on 8 March 1874)

• Alice Emily White, known as Emily (born in Marston in 1876, registered second quarter)
• Kate White (born in Marston in 1877, registered third quarter)
• Frank White (born in Headington on 23 October 1880 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 November 1880)
• Ernest Walter White (born in New Headington in 1881, registered fourth quarter)
• Walter William White (born in New Headington in 1884, registered fourth quarter)
• William White (born in New Headington, baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 8 January 1888)
• Herbert Benjamin White (born in Headington on 19 January 1892 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 29 March 1892)
• Ella Beatrice White (born in Headington on 25 December 1892, baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 5 February 1893)

William’s parents evidently started off their married life in Marston, then moved to Headington by 1880. They were living at No. 2 Bath Buildings (later known as Mattock’s Row) on the south side of Wilberforce Street at the time of the 1881 census with their first four surviving children: Frederick (7), Emily (5), Kate (4), and Frank (1). As William’s father was a gardener, it is possible that he worked for John Mattock.

By the time of the 1891 census William’s family had moved to 23 Bateman Street (then known as East Road) and there were now eight children: Frederick (17), the eldest, was now working as a gardener, and William, who was aged three, was already at school (probably New Headington Infant School in Perrin Street).

When William was six, his mother died at the age of 43, and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 20 October 1894.

William’s father Walter White married his second wife, Harriett Kingham (born in Marston in c.1850), in the Headington Registration District in the first quarter of 1898.

The 1901 census shows Herbert’s father with his new wife Harriett (51) living at Fern Cottage, 40 New High Street. All nine of his children were at home, even though seven of them were in employment: Frederick (27) was a gardener; Alice (24) was a housemaid; Kate (23) was a factory counter assistant; Frank (22) was a cycle maker; Ernest (19) was a Private in the Grenadier Guards; Walter (16) was a carter; William himself (13) was a stable lad; and Herbert (11) and Ella (8) were still at school.

♥ William White married Alice Sadler in the third quarter of 1908 in the Woodstock registration district, and they had three children:

• Blanche Alice White (born on 5 October 1909 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 21 November 1909)
• Gertrude Helen White (born in 1914, registered Headington district second quarter)
• Alan Herbert William White (born in 1916, registered third quarter and baptised at All Saints’ Church on 26 October 1916).

From 1900 to 1916 William was employed by John Mattock in his nursery at the bottom of Gardiner Street: his special work was attending to exhibits at all the great rose shows. When their first daughter was baptised at the end of 1909 they were living in Perrin Street (then called Church Street), and William was described as a rose grower. By 1914 they were living in Gardiner Street (then known as South Street), and were still there when their third child was baptised in October 1916. William was then described as a Private in the O.B.L.I.

Meanwhile at the time of the 1911 census his father and stepmother were still living at 40 New High Street, but only two of William’s siblings were still at home: Walter junior (25), who was a builder’s carter, and Herbert (20), who was also a nursery gardener. Three of William’s siblings were now also married: Frederick (37), Kate (33), and Ernest (29).

 

In the First World War William White was a Private in the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No. 201459). He was killed in action by a shell in Belgium at the age of 29 on 10 September 1917.

He was buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, and is listed on the Roll of Honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield.

William brother Herbert White died just seven months later in France.

 

 

Left: Photograph of William White’s grave in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, kindly supplied by British War Graves. The text reads:

[Emblem of the OBLI]

201459 PRIVATE
W. WHITE
OXFORD & BUCKS. LIGHT INF.
10TH SEPTEMBER 1917   AGE 29

†

UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS