Born at Burnham on Crouch, son of David (Agricultural Labourer) and Harriet Cooper. 1881: With his family at Horse Avenue Farm Binacre Road, Woodham Ferrers. His father died in the summer of that year. In 1884 his mother married Frederick Deed, a General Labourer. 1901: William was a General Labourer living with his mother and stepfather Frederick Deed at 8 Maybank Cottages, Maybank Road, South Woodford. That year he married Florence Swift. 1911: A Brickfields General Labourer living with his wife and three children at 19 Maybank Cottages, Maybank Road, South Woodford.
He enlisted at Epping and was initially posted to 13 Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment. However possibly because of his age, at some stage he may not have been rated A1 fit for front line service. This could explain his subsequent transfer to 121 Coy of the Labour Corps.
He Died of Wounds, probably in a Field Dressing Station at Brandhoek near Leper in Belgium.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com