William Walter John Christmas was born in 1884 in Mucking, Essex. His parents were Walter and Elizabeth Christmas. In 1891, the Christmas family were living at Blue House Farm in Mucking. By the 1911 census, William and his older sister Elizabeth were living as boarders at 106 Kingston Road, Ilford, with Mr and Mrs Bateson. William worked as a dark plate maker, a job possibly associated with the local photographic factory of Ilford Limted.
William joined the army as a Private with the 21st Battalion, (Prince of Wales’s Own) West Yorkshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 5th January 1915. William was laid to rest at Tilloy les Mofflaines Military cemetery, three kilometres south east of Arras in France.
Research by Redbridge Museum with thanks to Patrick O’Mara
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com