| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
William Sharp was born in Beverley the 12 Mar 1886 and baptised at Beverley Minster the 12 Feb 1887, the son of Thomas Sharp, born in Leven, and Jane (nee Waite) born in Leconfield. William was brought up on Sawney’s Lane, later renamed George Street. His mother, Jane, died shortly after William’s birth on 20 Jul 1886. Thomas remarried in 1891, William’s stepmother was Mary Milner Sharp, born in Leconfield. They had one child, Thomas Edward Sharp.
William became a farm labourer after leaving school and in 1901 was a horseman on a farm at Brigham, near Foston. He later moved to the Molescroft area and lived there after marrying Maud Gilson on 3 Sep 1910 at Beverley Minster. Their first child died at birth in 1911, but they had four other children. William became an engine driver at the Queensgate Whiting Works, Beverley and the family lived for a while at Chalk Villa by the works later moving to 68 Trinity Lane.
William served as a private in the Army Service Corps, he would have employed in moving supplies from railheads and ports nearer to the front line. His photograph appeared in the Beverley Guardian 17 Jun 1917 and suggests he joined up in 1916. The caption notes that he had been “invalided home from France”. William was awarded the War and Victory medals.
William worked as a public work’s contractor and lived in King’s Square, Beverley in 1919. He died aged 82 in 1968 in Hull. Maud died in 1971.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |