Private. B Company, 3/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) Service No: 4637.

Private William Mather. Bradford Daily Telegraph, 1916.

Early life:

William was born in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire on 25th March 1887 and his birth was registered in Wolstanton in the second quarter of the year. His parents were Henry Mather and Martha Mather née Marsh.

There is some confusion about William’s place of birth being St. Helen’s in Lancashire. His parents certainly lived there and some of his older siblings were born there, so this may be where the confusion came from.

In the 1891 census William was four and they were living at Heathcote Street in Kidsgrove. Henry aged 39 was a clogger and Martha also aged 39 was looking after the family home and their eight children, who were John aged 17 and a coal miner, Harry Dixon aged 11 and an errand boy, Joseph aged 9, Elizabeth aged 7, Catherine Dixon aged 5, Martha Alice aged 2 and the baby of the family was Maggie Marsh aged just 5 months.
By the time of the 1901 census they had moved to Keighley, living at 5, Diamond Street in an area known as the ‘Jewel Box’ which is in Ingrow, Keighley. Henry was 48 and still a clogger, Martha was 49 and keeping home and their children were Harry aged 21 and an iron moulder making textile machinery, Joseph aged 19 was a Bobbin sorter at a worsted mill, Elizabeth aged 17, Catherine aged 15 and Martha aged 13 were all worsted spinners and William aged 14 was a bobbin sorter. The youngest child Maggie was just ten years old and a scholar.

The ‘Jewel Box’ set of streets at Ingrow in 1908. Diamond Street is named at bottom left. (Courtesy of NLS Mapping – see sources below)

Because they were living in one of the ‘Jewel Box’ streets which were built and owned by local mill owner Robert Clough, it’s likely that most of them were working at his Grove Mills which was just a couple of hundred yards from their home.
In 1907, William was 21 and living at 5, Diamond Street and working as a combing overlooker, when he married 21 year old Ruth Walton of 4 Emerald Street on 19th October at St. John’s Church in Ingrow.
In the 1911 census William was living with his parents at 5, Diamond Street. He was working as a fish salesman, probably with his brother in law Thomas Ashcroft (another fish salesman) who was married to Mary.
William and Ruth had an adopted daughter called Winifred Starmer, apparently born in Liverpool on 4th August 1914 (a very notable date in history).
Winifred appears on the pension card as receiving a dependants pension until 4th August 1930 which would have been her 16th birthday.

War service:

William enlisted on 7th August 1914 at Skipton with G Company of the 1/6th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, service number 2337. He gave his age of 26 years and 5 months, stating he was a fish salesman working for his father and living at 61, Brunswick Street, Ingrow. He also said he’d been in the militia in Halifax but was discharged under age after 6 months service. He did not mention any other service.
On 2nd December 1914, he was discharged ‘medically unfit for further military service’ after a medical examination on 26th November with a hammer toe, which he refused an operation to correct. He had served for 118 days.

William enlisted again on 5th August 1915, this time at Keighley, joining the Territorial Force in the 3/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment with the service number 4637. He was a fish salesman working for his father Henry and his given address was 61, Brunswick Street. As an early volunteer, William’s name also appears in the Keighley Town Clerk’s list of early enlistments with the same address which also appears in Keighley’s Gallant Sons.
Also listed is his elder brother Harry Dixon Mather living at 141, Ingrow Lane in Keighley, who also joined the West Riding Regiment.

William’s details were an apparent age of 28 years and 4 months. He was 5 feet 4, 1/2 inches tall with a 36 inch chest. Good vision and fair physical development. He was passed fit for service at Keighley on 11th August 1915 and was transferred to A Company of the 27th Provisional Battalion at Theddlethorpe at the same time.
The 27th Provisional Battalion was formed from several battalions of the West Riding Regiment with York & Lancaster Regiment at Withernsea in April 1915 and was at Theddlethorpe in January 1916. The battalion was part of the 2nd Provisional brigade which were made up from men who were territorial soldiers not yet available for overseas service, perhaps because they’d not signed for overseas service or they had a medical condition rendering them unsuitable for overseas service. After the Military Service Act in 1916 they became available.

William’s headstone in Ripon Cemetery.

William died of appendicitis on 29th March 1916, whilst on active service at Ripon Artillery Training School, He had been admitted to the Military Hospital at Ripon on 27th March where he died on the third day.
William was buried on 31st March with full military honours. His grave has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone. He was 29. His grave is in section D, grave 355 and the family’s inscription reads: ‘Thy Will Be Done.’ His surname is incorrectly spelt Mathers on the headstone.

Keighley News Saturday 1st April 1916, page 3:

KEIGHLEY SOLDIER’S DEATH.
The late Private W. Mather, son of the late Mr. H. Mather and Mrs. Mather of 34, Queen’s Road Keighley, died suddenly at the Ripon Artillery Training School from appendicitis, was interred yesterday at Ripon Cemetery with full military honours.
There were beautiful floral tributes from officers and “pals” of the regiment, from his widow and child, and from his mother and relatives.

His wife Ruth received the sum of £8 9s 11d on 31st July 1916 and a further payments of 19s 6d on 12th August 1916. She also received a war gratuity payment of £3 on 13th September 1919.
She received a dependants pension from the Army of 15 shillings per week, for herself and their daughter Winifred. This began on 2nd October 1916 and was due to end on 4th August 1930, which was Winifred’s 16th birthday.

Remembrance:

William is of course remembered with a headstone on his war grave at Ripon.
His name is also inscribed on the Ingrow war Memorial next to St. John’s Church.

Post war:

In 1919, his wife Ruth received the bronze war memorial plaque for his war service. There were no service medals as he did not serve overseas.
Ruth married Joshua Lilley on 21st April 1919. She was 31 and living at 42, Hanover Street and Joshua was 27 and a labourer, living at 3, Britannia Street.
In 1921 census they were living at 24, Hanover Street in Keighley. Joshua was a packer working for Hall and Stells textile machinery makers, Park Works, Keighley. Winifred was at school.
In the 1939 register, Ruth was recorded as a widow aged about 53, working as a twister in a worsted mill and living at 26 Hanover Street with Malcolm and Winifred Mackinnon. Malcolm was a bus conductor and Winifred a spinner at a worsted mill. (At the same address there are three entries redacted which might be Malcolm and Winifred’s children)
Ruth died in the second quarter of 1953 with her death registered in Bradford. She was 66 years of age.

Information sources:

England & Wales Births 1837-2006
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
1911 England Census
Keighley’s Gallant Sons:
British Army World War I Pension Records 1914-1920
British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
British Newspaper Archive on FindMyPast
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
1921 Census Of England & Wales
1939 England and Wales Register
National Library of Scotland mapping website