Thank you to Molly Worsfold and Tim Dumas from St. Bartholomew Church in Leigh for allowing Dorking Museum to reproduce their research. Thank you to Jane Anthony for the additional research.
William Winkworth was one of six children of Thomas Percy and Mary-Ann Winkworth. Like his four sisters and brother, he was born in Winchester in 1884. His father was a butcher.
He married Bessie Arnold at Kingwood in 1909. In the 1911 census they were still living with Bessie’s brother James. Bessie and her brother had been born in Norfolk. William was working as a baker in the Leigh Bakery. In 1913, William and Bessie lived at Shepherd’s Cottage in Dawes Green, they had a child who died at birth.
He enlisted in the 4th Battalion The Rifle Bridge. The Battalion had been in India at the outbreak of the war but had returned to Winchester, where William had enlisted, and were deployed to France in December 1914.
William was wounded in 1915, and came home to recover. In due course it seems he was ordered back to France. He told his friend Mr F. G. Flint of Forge Cottage, Leigh that he thought he would not survive the war.
He was killed in action on 10th May 1915, at Ypres where he is commemorated. At the time of his death his widow Bessie was living at Nutley Lane, Reigate and his father in Ashford Kent.
Bessie remained in touch with Mr. Flint, but moved to Feltwell in Norfolk where she originally came from. She died there in 1975, but was in touch with Mr. R. D. Livermore; Mr. Flint’s grandson until his death.
| Born | Winchester, Hampshire | |
| Son of | Thomas Percy and Mary-Ann Winkworth | |
| Husband of | Bessie Winkworth of 5, Nutley Lane, Reigate, Surrey | |
| Regiment | 4th Battalion. Rifle Brigade | |
| Number | 9432 | |
| Date of Death | 10th May 1915 | |
| Place of Death | Ypres, Belgium | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in Action | |
| Age | 31 | |
| Memorial | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
