HELLO! *waves* Hi everyone, how are you all? A further two years pass and I'm back with a little update and probably confusing myself again! However, first of all, I truly hope that everyone is keeping themselves safe in these strange days.
An update:
Brother, Arthur Swain Williams (1891-1954), Private, 57980, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, awarded Victory and British medals. In later life he lived 12 Kings Road, Paignton, Devonshire, died 1 April 1954 at Paignton and District Hospital, leaving to Ada Williams, widow, and his daughter, Mrs Dorothy Irene Dale, effects of £365 11s. 7d.
Confirmation that Clive had a niece.
Sister, Henrietta Amplias Swain Williams (1882-1974) who married William Fenn, Mining Engineer, in 1911. Living in Flat 1, Arden Court, Beardsmore Road, Sutton Coldfield. Mr Fenn died 5th December 1973. Henrietta died 26th January 1974, bequeathing £500.00 to Lillian May Clarke, 5 Tamworth Road, Polesworth and £21,097.00 to her niece, Mrs Dorothy Irene Fogwell, 2 Norman Road, Paignton, Devon TQ3 2BE. Henrietta signed her will in 1973 with “x”
I am interested in her signing with an "x", which either indicates an inability of not being able to write, or a condition that restricted her in later life from signing. I am also interested in how her death was so near to that of her husband. Who is Lillian Clarke?
Niece, Dorothy Irene Fogwell, previously 119 Haytor Avenue, Paignton, TQ4 7TB, more recently of Kingsmount Residential Home, 28-30 Kingshurst Drive, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 2LT, died, aged 93, 14th February 2015. Dorothy left her estate to a number of people, but she had no children:
John Richard Fogwill & Andrew Nicholas Fogwill
6 Garfield Road
Paignton, TQ4 6AU
Catherine Ann Causey & Stephen Andrew Bulman
Church House
Queen Street
Newton Abbott, TQ12 2QP
Sandy & Bob Grimwood
117 Haytor Avenue
Paignton, TQ4 7TB
Pamela Ann Shields Selfe & Conrad Selfe
5 Brockhurst Park
Marldon, TQ3 1LB
Michael Doherty
20 Elm Park
Paignton, TQ3 3QH
Ian Fraser
6915 Goodemote
Clarksville
Michigan 48815
Christine & Mike Tunbridge
Marime, 47 Ryhill Way
Lower Early
Reading, RG6 4AZ
In the 1911 Census, the 16-year-old Clive was a colliery labourer for the Kingsbury Colliery Company. With the school leaving age being 14, Clive could have been working at the mine for over two years. However, he is commemorated on the Pooley Hall memorial, indicating he was working there before joining up. I contacted the organisation that holds NCB (and predecessors) records. There is nothing from the time of Clive. I am informed that, given his job and service number, it suggests that Clive joined the war very late, perhaps as late as August 1918. I'd still like to elicit where he signed-up and which Division of 1/8th he joined?
I understand that Clive was a keen batsman and bowler for Tamworth Cricket Club Reserve Team. He is mentioned in a Tamworth Herald article reporting the Club’s AGM at The Railway Inn, March 1915. I will join the UK Newspaper History website to research further and to obtain ALL of the memorial notices.
I discovered that Clive's injuries were a result of 'friendly fire' as he was shot in the jaw. I made contact with an American university that might hold records on every soldier who passed through Rouen General Hospital #12, when it became an American Base Hospital in 1917 until closure in 1919.
Still no photograph, still no indication of the mysterious person that has possession of Clive's medals and Death Plaque.
I sincerely hope you are all safe, please look after yourselves and if I hear nothing before, Merry Christmas!
x Clive