Willoughby, William Richard

William Richard Willoughby was born in 1894 and baptised on 5th August 1894 in Leamington.

Warwick Advertiser 1st July 1916

This newspaper item gives William’s mother as Mrs Byerley of 6 Commercial Buildings and we believe this to be Annie Elizabeth Byerley, who married Thomas Byerley in Q1, 1913.

Annie had previously been married to Frederick Edkins, who died.  Prior to that we think that William was born out of wedlock – we have not been able to trace his father with any certainty.

We have found a 1901 census record for Richard Willoughby, where he is a ‘visitor’ at the home of William and Ellen Birkett at 9 Bridge End, Warwick.  We think this is William Richard Willoughby as, William’s army record on his death shows that a sum of £6 17s 11d was left to ‘Ellen Birkett’.

The 1911 Census shows William working as a Farm Labourer, aged 17, at the farm of Thomas Morgan at Llandilo, Carmarthenshire.

William then enlisted in August 1914 at Capel Isaac, Carmarthen, joining the Welsh Regiment.  He must have transferred to the East Lancashire Regiment at some time between then and his death on 22nd June 1916 in Alderhay Hospital.  He was buried nearby on the 26th June at Kirkdale Cemetery.

This shrine slip was completed by William’s sister, Mrs A J Walton.  We believe this is William’s half sister, Emma nee Edkins – a daughter from the marriage of Williams mother Annie Elizabeth and Frederick Edkins.