Name
William John Prior
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/08/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1885839
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Benskin's Brewery Memorial, Watford, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Not on the Albury memorials
Pre War
Son of the late Alexander and Hannah (nee SMITH) PRIOR.
His parents married 15 April 1876 at St Mary’s, Albury, Herts. Hannah died 1885 in the Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, district aged 35, and was buried 19 September at St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford. Alexander remarried 11 April 1887 at St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford, to Mary Ann PRIOR. He died 1909 aged 59; Mary died 1928 aged 90; both in the Bishop’s Stortford district.
William was born 1878 in Albury, Herts, and baptised 15 September 1878 at St Mary’s, Albury. He resided in Bishop’s Stortford.
On the 1881 Census, aged 2 he lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 12 he still lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his father, step-mother and seven siblings. On the 1901 Census, a house painter aged 22, he still lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his father, step-mother and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, a cellar labourer aged 32, he still lived in Bishop’s Stortford, with his widowed step-mother and one sibling.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 11 October 1915, and was killed in action.
Additional Information
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)
