BOCKING, William James

Joined the Royal Navy PO Mech Eng. 18/10/1915 transferred to RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service). 6/12/1917 transferred to RFC as Officer Cadet. b 1894 Fenton, Staffs. Brother of Bernard BOCKING, John Webb BOCKING, and Selwyn George BOCKING above, and son of John Child Bocking b1866 Abney, and Mrs Sarah Bocking. His father who attended Cambridge and in 1911C was at Gnosall, Staffs, the Parish vicar, was the illegitimate son of Tobias Child, (of Furness House, Hathersage, now called Hawthorne Dene), the Victoria Works owner, and Mary Bocking, b 1846 Abney. Mary was sister to George Bocking b 1830, father to William and grandfather to William ‘Billy’ Bocking, who were the Clerks to Hathersage Parish Council, from its formation in 1894 until 1937. Billy had the corner shop opposite the Little John Hotel on Station Road, Hathersage.