No.8767, Private, William BARBER
Aged 29
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William Barber and his twin brother Joseph were born at 36 Withersfield Road, Haverhill on 23rd December 1885 (Risbridge Q1-1886 4A:643), they were
baptised in St Mary's, Haverhill on 28th November 1886, sons of John and Sarah BARBER (née BLOOM).
1891 census...Aged 5, he was at 2 Parson's Yard, Haverhill with his father John BARBER [27] a maltster's labourer; his mother Sarah Jane [30] a trousers finisher, born Stowmarket; twin brother Joseph H [5]; sisters Kate [3] and Alice [10 months]. All except his mother were born in Haverhill. 1901 census...Aged 15, a kit bag canvas cutter, he was at 65 Burton End, Haverhill with his parents; brothers William (yarn puller) and Charles [5]; sisters Kate (domestic nursemaid), Alice, Minnie [8] and Rose A [2]. The new siblings also born in Haverhill. His father died in Cambridge on 31st May 1909. 1911 census...Aged 25, labourer for Co-operative, he was still at 65 Burton End with his widowed mother; brothers Joseph (hair weaver) and Charles (ropemaker); sisters Kate (attends steam looms) and Rose (scholar). 2 of Sarah Jane's 9 children had died. He married a Haverhill girl, Alice Rebecca WEBB, a machinist in wholesale clothing factory, daughter of Daniel and Harriet Webb, in Haverhill in 1913. The pension card has as his dependant his mother at 65 Burton End, Haverhill. His Army number suggests he enlisted in the Army (for an as yet unknown period) some time in 1904. |
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He was mobilised in Bury St.Edmunds. 2nd Battalion in August 1914 were in Aldershot, part of 5th Brigade in 2nd Division. They landed at
Boulogne 14 August 1914. William must have been part of a later contingent as he never reached France until 10th September The war diary has them at a farm 2 miles east of Zillebeke where they spent the 3rd, 4th and 5th digging a 2nd line of defence and suffering night attack. William's was the only death recorded.
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
