Arthur WILLIAMS (1890–1918)
Arthur Williams was born in Old Headington in 1890, the son of Frederick William Williams (born in Headington and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 August 1859) and Alice Morris (baptised as Rebecca Alice Morris at Holy Trinity Church on 27 November 1864).
His parents already had one child and another was on the way when they were married at Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry on 22 July 1888. They had nine children altogether:
- Alice Rose Williams, known as Rosa (born in Headington Quarry and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 27 June 1887 with the surname Williams, even though her parents did not marry until over a year later)
- Emily Ethel Williams, aka Emily Jane Williams (born in Headington on 14 January 1889 and privately baptised via St Andrew’s Church on 24 February 1889)
- Arthur Williams (born in Headington on 4 September 1890 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 12 October 1890)
- Lily Florence Williams (born in Headington on 3 January 1893 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 5 March 1893)
- Edith Mary Williams (born in Headington on 6 March 1895 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 21 April 1895)
- Norah May Williams (born in Old High Street and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 November 1897)
- Frederick Cecil Williams (born in Old High Street on 7 November 1900 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 23 December 1900)
- Frank Williams (born in Old Headington on 2 May 1903 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 5 July 1903)
- John William Williams (born in Highfield on 9 October 1906 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 2 December 1906).
The 1891 census shows Arthur’s parents living in St Andrew’s Road (then called Church Street) in Old Headington with their first three children: Rosa (3), Emily (2), and Arthur himself, who is wrongly recorded as “Austin”, who was a baby of six months. Arthur’s father was described as a labourer.
Arthur’s grandfather Joseph Williams, a butcher in the Croft in Old Headington, died at the age of 74 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 15 February 1894.
By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to Old High Street, and there were six children at home: Emily (12), Arthur (10), Lily (9), Edith (6), Norah (3), and Frederick (4 months). Arthur’s father was now described as aa cowman.
By 1911 they had moved to 101 Lime Walk (Rose Cottage, formerly numbered 61) in All Saints’ parish. Arthur’s father was now a bricklayer’s labourer, and Arthur (20) was a butcher’s assistant. The other children still at home were Edith (16) and Norah (13) who were working as dressmakers, and Frederick (10), Frank (7), and John (4). Lily Florence (19) was away working as a servant at 59 Marlborough Road in south Oxford.
In the First World War Arthur Williams served as a Private, first in the Hussars (Service No.14001) and then in the 20th Battalion (attached to 124th Trench Mortar Battery) of the Durham Light Infantry (Service No. 25962). He died of wounds in Belgium at the age of 27 on 29 July 1918.
Hewas buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (XXVIII.G.19A), and is listed on the Roll of Honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield.
Postscript
Arthur’s father
- A Frederick Williams continued to live at 101 Lime Walk until the 1940s, and this is probably Arthur’s father rather than his brother (despite the fact that only his mother is named on the CWGC information below), as a Frederick Williams died at the London Road Hospital at the age of 85 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 25 August 1944.
Arthur’s siblings
- John William Williams (born 1906) may be the John W. Williams who married Olive M. Hughes in the Headington registration district in the fourth quarter of 1929. The other siblings seem to vanish from the Headington area.