This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley’s Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it’s new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Private. 28th (County of London Regiment) (1st Artist’s Rifles) Service number 6967, later 761554.
Early life:
William was born on 12th January 1887 in Denholme, Bradford. He was the son of Frank Kidd Ashby and Ann Ashby née Wilson.
He was four years old in the 1891 census and living at Main Street, Denholme, with his parents, brother Frank Wilson Ashby and sister Dorothy Alice Ashby. Their father Frank was a watch, clock maker and jeweller and he also served on the Denholme and Thornton School Board (from newspaper reports, this was between at least 1895 and 1902.)
In 1899 William would have been twelve years old when he won a County Minor scholarship, which were awarded by the West Riding County Council and were only tenable at approved secondary day schools. That year’s awards were reported on 6th July 1899 in the Bradford Daily Telegraph and 7th July in the Brighouse News. William then started attending Keighley Boys Grammar School and was educated there until 1904.
In the 1901 census William was fourteen years of age and residing at 54, Main Road, in Denholme with his parents, brother and sister. Three years later in 1904, he left Keighley Boys Grammar School, having won a County Major scholarship to enter Leeds University, completing his course there by passing the B.Sc. examination with Honours in Mathematics.
The Bingley Chronicle, 17th January 1908:
DENHOLME. Coming of Age Celebration.
To celebrate the 21st Birthday of Mr. William Ewart Ashby, eldest son of Mr. Frank Kidd Ashby, watch and clock maker, Denholme. A party was held on Monday evening, when a few friends and the members of the Wesleyan Chapel Choir, numbering thirty to forty persons, were entertained to tea.
William’s father Frank died aged 52 at the end of 1909, when William was 22 years old.
In the 1911 Electoral register, William was living as a lodger at 10, Cross Queen Street, Normanton, West Yorkshire. He was living in furnished rooms rented by Mrs. Page. He had been living in Mill Field Terrace until 21st February 1910 and then at 10, Cross Queen Street after that date. This was almost directly across the road from the Normanton Central Board School on Queen Street, so it’s possible he was teaching mathematics there.
The 1911 Census states that he was 24 years old and living at 10, William Street, Denholme with his mother, brother and sister. Occupation: Public School teacher.
War service:
William attested for the 28th Battalion London Regiment (1st Battalion, Artists Rifles), almost certainly with Lord Derby’s scheme. His home address was given as 6, Well St, Denholme. He was aged 28 years, and 8 days and his occupation was Mathematics Schoolmaster at Pannal Ash College, Harrogate. His service number was 6967.
His call up and official enlistment was on 20th January 1916. After a period of training he entered France on 4th March.
William came home on leave from 30th May to 9th June 1917. Killed in action on 30th October aged 30 years. His body was not found and he has no known final resting place.
WO-95-3119-2 page 28 – the war diary for the 1st Battalion Artist’s Rifles (28th Battalion London Regiment), states that they attacked from Albatross Farm at 5.50 am on 30th October 1917 but gives no further details.
WO-95-3117-2 pages 27 and 28 – the war diary for the 190th Brigade, gives a more complete account of the attack and the Brigade Major, Captain Dowden wrote:
Brigade attacked, at 5.50 am, the position about the Paddybeck to the West of Westroosebeeke – The going was very bad, men were up to their knees in mud in many cases – The enemy barrage came down right on our troops before they could move and casualties were extremely heavy, even the men who were not caught in the barrage could make no progress and were sniped whilst sticking in the mud.
Very little progress was made – The Brigade on our left made less progress still – Canadians who were on our right made slightly more but their casualties were so heavy that they had to be reinforced by companies of our Reserves or they could not have held on. No news of how the battle was proceeding could be obtained for about 8 hours as runners could not get forward or back owing to barrage and very heavy going – The partial failure was due to the heavy going and to the fact that the enemy were expecting our attack and caught us before we could move.
This is the attack in which William was killed.
Obituary from the Keighlian Magazine, November 1918:
WILLIAM EWART ASHBY. Cadet. Artists’ Rifles O.T.C.
William Ewart Ashby attended the School from 1899 to 1904. He came from Denholme, and entered the School as a County Minor Scholarship holder. He had a most successful career during the five years he was a student with us, and during the latter part of that time his name appears very frequently in the School records of examination successes.
In 1904 he won a County Major Scholarship and entered the Leeds University, completing his course there by passing the B.Sc. examination with Honours in Mathematics.
At the outbreak of war, he was Mathematics Master at Pannal Ash College, Harrogate. It was from
there that he enlisted in the Artists’ Rifles O.T.C., at the end of the Michaelmas Term, 1915. His
first and only leave from France was in June, 1917. On his return, he went up the line to the Ypres
Salient, and was last heard of in the Passchendaele Ridge attack, October 28th to 31st, 1917. It is
greatly feared that he was killed whilst fighting in that battle.
William Ashby was an Old Boy of whom the School has always been proud. He was one of our most successful students, and everything gave promise of a brilliant career
It is deeply regretted that such a promising young life should be so suddenly cut off. At School
he was a fine mathematician, and a genuine good fellow. As a teacher, to quote the words of one of
his colleagues, “he was greatly respected by us all, and set a fine example of fidelity to duty and
conviction.” The School tenders its sincere sympathy to his relatives.
Probate record:
ASHBY, WILLIAM EWART of 6, Well Street Denholme Bradford, a Private in the London Regiment, died on or since 30 October 1917 in France.
Administration: Wakefield 21 February to Ann Ashby widow. Effects: £229 6s. 8d.
Post war:
William was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service. These would have gone to his next of kin along with a King’s certificate and memorial plaque.
He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, panel 153. (his Mother Ann was living at 30, Cliffe Terrace, Denholme).
Locally he is remembered on the Denholme War Memorial in Foster Park and in the
Keighlian Magazine’s Roll of Honour for Keighley Boys Grammar School.
His brother Frank Wilson Ashby also served, although with the New Zealand contingent. He survived the war but was very badly wounded and lost his left arm as a result and was discharged as unfit for further service. He died in 1945.
Source information:
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
1911 England Census
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library
Bradford Daily Telegraph, British Newspaper Archive.
Keighlian Magazine
WO-95-3119-2 war diary for the 1st Battalion Artist’s Rifles (28th Battalion London Regiment)
WO-95-3117-2 war diary for the 190th Brigade
Trench Map reference: Sheet 28 NE. D.2.d.3.
