Biography

William Edward Evans appears on the 1945 Service Electoral Roll for Linton, showing that he served in World War 2. However, we have not fully established what his service was.

Family background

William Edward Evans was born on the 9th November 1908 in Lower Bebington, Cheshire, the son of Thomas Evans and his wife, Elsie Leaton Evans. He was baptised at St. Andrews Church, Bebington on the 23rd January 1909 and at that time his parents were living at 4 Brook Street, Port Sunlight and Thomas was working as a book-keeper. At some stage the family moved across the Pennines and at the time of the 1922 census were living at Roseneath in Lidgett Lane, Roundhay, Leeds. Thomas was an accountant to Joseph Watson and Sons Ltd, Soap Manufacturers of Whitehall Road, Leeds. William was aged 12 years 7 months and was at school. The household was completed by Martha Edwards, an 83 year old widow, described as a visitor, and Florence Machon, aged 14, who was a servant.

Through the 1920s and early 1930s we find no records of the family, but in 1936 Thomas, Elsie and William ar living at Linton, marking the start of their association with the villages.

On the 19th June 1937, William married Hilda Kathleen Cumpstey at St. Paul's church, Daybrook, in Nottinghamshire, and they set up home in Linton. In 1938 and 1939 Thomas and Elsie were registered at Orchard Hill, Linton and William and Hilda at Orchard Bank. We do not know when William enlisted and have very few clues to his service, but a small newspaper article published in The Yorkshire Evening Post gives a few clues:

Service record

The newspaper article gives William's rank as Lance Bombadier, an artillery rank, so we can assume that he served in the Royal Artillery. The other hint is "(India)", suggesting that his unit were serving in India or Burma. However William's fairly common combination of names and the number of men serving in the Royal Artillery means we cannot definitively connect any record to William. We have found a number of records that can be discounted as the units mention did not serve outside Europe.

After the war

From 1946 to 1953, William appears on the Linton electoral rolls living at Orchard House, Linton. However, things had not worked out for his marriage to Hilda and in 1949 they divorced. Hilda re-married later in 1949. We don't know what happened to William Edward Evans after 1953, but we believe he died in 1974 in Gloucester.

Biography last updated 07 September 2025 14:25:07.