Name
William Henry Parsons
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/04/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
25295
East Surrey Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DICKEBUSCH NEW MILITARY CEMETERY
Row A, Grave 34.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, Watford Post Office Memorial, Not on the Elstree memorials
Pre War
Son of the late Robert Clark and Hannah Maria (nee TIDBURY) PARSONS; husband of Margaret Rose (nee PETERS) PARSONS.
His parents married 21 September 1862 at St Dunstan’s, Stepney, London. Hannah died 1902 in the Hendon, Middx, district aged 58, and was buried 9 May at St Nicholas’, Elstree, Herts; Robert died 16 May 1904 in Bushey Heath, Herts, aged 64, and was buried 19 May, also at St Nicholas’.
William was born 1880 in Elstree, and baptised 9 March 1881 at St Nicholas’, Elstree. He married 1904 at St Nicholas, Elstree; they had three children. He was appointed R Postman Watford October 1907, and Postman Watford February 1910. He resided in Watford. Margaret never remarried and died 1970 in the Watford district aged 82.
On the 1881 Census, aged 7 months he lived in Edgware, Middx, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1891 Census, aged 10 he lived in Elstree, with his mother and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, Harry a postman aged 20 lived in Little Stanmore, Middx, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1911 Census, a postman aged 30 he lived in Watford, with his wife and two children.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford, and was formerly Private 23895 Middlesex Regiment.
He was entitled to the Victory and British War medals, and died of wounds received in action.
Additional Information
There is an In Memoriam for William in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 13 April 1918. Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War. Unfortunately, William’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
