WILLEY, Donald Arthur

Joined the Navy as Midshipman in 1916. 1918 a sub lieut. Stayed in the Royal Navy after the war and rose to the rank of Lt Commander.  b 1/9/1898 in Sheffield. 1911C living at Wostenholme Road, Sheffield, but by 1912 the family was living at ‘Heatherfield’, Hathersage. Died 18/11/1961 at Norwich.  Brother of Henry Lawrence below.

WILKIN, John Joseph

ă 167608 Gnr 46 Siege Bty RGA. Enlisted 6/12/1915 but placed on the reserve list, then mobilised 29/6/1917.  b 1898 Hathersage, son of John Francis Wilkin, Millers Bank, Hathersage, who was brother to Austin Mark and Charles Philip above. His sons are therefore cousin to Charlie Austin, Charles Philip and Francis Joseph, above. Their grandmother was Catherine Smith also  b Hathersage 1833..  Not found on 1911C, but his enlistment papers having him living in Pitsmoor, Sheffield, a machinist. 1918 Absent voters address given as The Dale. Father of Norah, who married Tony, son of Arthur Noel Jessop.

WILKIN, Francis Joseph

ă 241711 Pte.  2/6 Sherwood Foresters. also 6862260, 22 London Regt. (DC 12/5/1917; ‘reported in hospital in France with scalp wounds’).  b 1895 Hathersage, 1911C living at The Dale, 1918 absent voters address; School Lane, Hathersage. Worked for his father as a joiner, painter & decorator. Younger son of John Francis Wilkin, Millers Bank, Hathersage, who was brother to Austin Mark and Charles Philip Wilkin. His sons are therefore cousin to Charlie Austin and Charles Philip (above) and John Joseph Wilkin below. Their grandmother was Catherine Smith also b Hathersage 1833.

WILKIN, Charles Philip

46832 Gnr R G A.  b 1895 Darlington. 1911C at Durham University, later a schoolteacher.  His father, also Charles Philip Wilkin (b 1868 Hathersage), who in 1911C was in Preston, a sewing machine agent, is the younger brother to John Francis and Austin Mark Wilkin. His son is therefore cousin to Charlie Austin (above), Francis Joseph and John Joseph Wilkin below. Their grandmother was Catherine Smith also b Hathersage 1833.

WILDBLOOD, Walter Gordon

Д  (DC 28/1/1922 listed among Methodist Church Members who had served), Z/10452. R.N.V.R.  He was Signaller on ships SS Aidan (report 8/3/1918) and SS Meteor (report 20/6/1918).  b 1898 Redditch Worcs, his father Charles was a Methodist Wesleyan Minister in over 14 parishes, and who officiated on 28/4/1923, when Walter Gordon, then a bank cashier, married Frances Abigail Burn Inwood, only daughter of Frederick Inwood, the Hathersage Wesleyan Minister at Hathersage. There are records of him playing cricket for Hathersage in the 1920’s. His bride was Lt of Hathersage Girl Guides and taught at Philadelphia Schools, Sheffield.  He had a brother, William Arthur Wildblood, Lt A S C 195th Coy, who was K.I.A. 16/6/1917, and buried in Reningheist New Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium. Another brother Charles Bowers Wildblood was an army chaplain who also officiated at his brother’s wedding.

WILD, William

He joined up in 1916. 8984 Pte. 28 County of London Bn London Regiment, (this was the prestigious Artists Rifles Company). By April 1917 he is 2/Lt in the R.F.C. April 1918 promoted to full Lt., in the R.A.F. He was awarded the CROIX DE GUERRE with Palme by the French in Nov 1918.  b 15/8/1898 at ‘Hanging Cote’, Hathersage Booths. Son of Arthur Wild & Mary Elizabeth Cotterill.  (His father was listed as a Brass Founder, Quarry Owner & Supplier of Fire Resistant goods. His company was William Wild & Sons Ltd. Brass Founders & Refractory Material Merchants of Sheffield & Holyhead). The family subsequently moved to Hawthorne Dene, Hathersage. William was educated at Holmleigh Preparatory School Hathersage, Buxton, and later Repton, until March 1915. 1919 Voters register address; Hawthorndene, Hathersage.

Tragically William committed suicide in Sept 1924. His body was found by Thomas Smith of Hathersage. A Scout patrol leader, Harry Daniels swam out and recovered it from water in the bottom of the local Bole Hill quarry. He had shot himself in the head. He had suffered a wound to the arm in the war, and although it didn’t cause him any pain, it was continuously discharging. The Coroner returned a verdict of suicide while suffering from depression (see Shields Daily News 16/9/1924). These days this would be considered classic case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and surely a strong argument for him being a classed a war casualty? Then in July 1930 his 70 year old father’s body was found in the loft after taking poison. The ashes of both bodies were later spread at sea near Sheritan Cliffe off Flamborough, where Mr Wild used to sketch.

WILD, Oswald

54413  Pte 11 Bn Notts & Derbys. (DC 14/8/1917 listed as Ill in Hospital). Discharged ‘physically unfit’ 1/12/1917. b 1885 Hathersage. 1891C living at Longshaw Lodge, son of William Wild and nephew of Tomas Wild who had been a regular soldier himself and is mentioned in ‘The Wisest Dogs in the World’ a book about the origins of Longshaw Sheep Dog Trials. 1911C; Oswald was still living at Longshaw Lodge Cottage, a  millstone maker, with his father William and mother, Ann Wild. In 1913 Oswald married Annie Elizabeth Pepper at Sheffield, (b Beighton 1887 and who on 1911C was living/working as a domestic in Nether Padley. Her brother and Oswald’s brother-in-law, James Robert Pepper (b 1897 and lived at 5 Court, 1 House, Peel Street, Sheffield), was Pte 26442 1/4th Y & L. KIA 20.10.1917 – Remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial.

WIGGETT, Frank

 59634 Motor Cyclist  R A F/ R F C. (DC 21/9/1918; ‘Frank Wiggett, Royal Air Force, returned from leave on Friday’).  b 1898 Hathersage.  1911C; living at School Lane, Hathersage. d 23/1/1974 buried in Hathersage churchyard. Probably brother of James Arthur below?

WIGGETT, Charles Lawrence

Щ (ß Laurence) No military details have been discovered, although there is a picture of him an indistinct army uniform on a family tree website.  He was b 1895 Hathersage, the Illegitimate son of Florence Wiggett. He is on the 1911C living with his grandparents Alfred and Hannah Smith at “Booths”. His mother Florence, also b Hathersage, married James Fox  in 1898 and had a further six children, while living in Sheffield. Charles had an uncle, John Wiggett b 1885 at Hathersage. 1911C shows his grandparents ‘Smith’ had been married 40 years, He married Annie Elmore in Sheffield in 1918 and had a daughter Beryl in 1917. He died in Sheffield in 1951, age 57.