William was born on 13th February 1892 in Clapham. He joined the school in September 1905, aged 13 years and 7 months old. He was the eldest of two sons of Alfred and Emma Clevely. His father was a draughtsman and the family lived at 74 Woodlands Road when he attended Ilford County High School. William had previously studied at Cranbrook College.
He enlisted as a private in the Canadian Infantry (4th Battalion of Central Ontario Regiment) and fought in France. He was killed in action on 25th May 1915 and was buried in the Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy in Northern France.
Research by Andrew Emeny, History Teacher at ICHS
Sources:
Ancestry.com
ICHS school records and magazines
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Note
Ilford County High School started life as the Park Higher Grade School in 1901 in Balfour Road, Ilford. It was renamed Ilford County High School (or initially County High School, Ilford) in the years after the school’s management was transferred from Ilford School Board to Essex Education Committee in 1904.