Paternal grandparents

James Williams was born about 1831. In 1871 he was a labourer aged 40 in Little Soudley, Shropshire. By 1881 he was said to be a farm labourer in the same place. His wife, Ann, was born about 1837. They had at least 12 children of whom the 5th was Levi.

Parents

Levi was born about 1864 in Soudley. He was living with his parents in 1871 and 1881 but we can find no record of him in the 1891 census.

Levi married Emma Davies at St Paul’s church, Withington, on 16 October 1895. His address was 21 Moorfield St, Withington and his father James was a deceased waggoner. Emma’s address was 25 Central Rd, Withngton and her father, George, was a bootmaker.

Emma was born in either Tunstall or Bradeley (neighbouring villages near Stoke). We could only find her in the 1891 census, staying with an uncle and aunt in Barrow-inFurness. A Levi Williams died in Manchester in 1944 and an Emma Williams in 1940 but we cannot be certain they are the correct people.

Alfred

Alfred was born about 1896 in Didsbury. In the 1901 census the family lived at 50 Hill St, Withington, which still exists. Levi is described as a carter aged 37 and Emma is 28. They had 4 children. Alfred aged 5 was the oldest. In 1911 the family lived at 1 Streets Building, Didsbury. Levi was 47 and a stoker in a destructor works and Emma was 38. They now had 6 children but the census states that a further two had died. Alfred, 15, was a market gardener.

With regard to Alfred’s war service, the Forces War Records site says he was a private in the Manchester Regiment, 21st (Service) battalion, (6th City), C Company, Platoon No XI, 91st Infantry Brigade. They cite a book, “Manchester Regiment city battalions 1914 - 1916”. His service number was 19302.

He died aged 22 in action on 11 October 1918 and is buried in Naves Communal Cemetery Extension, about 5 km from Cambrai, France Nord, grave reference I. C. 1. Additional information was that his wife Martha Ann Dunbar (formerly Williams) lived at 17 Cromwell Grove, Levenshulme.

Alfred’s wife seems to have remarried. We can find no record of a Martha Ann marrying either Alfred or a Mr Dunbar. There is a Martha Ann Dunbar buried in Southern Cemetery in an unmarked grave in 1936. Harold Raymond Dunbar died in 1933 and is in the same grave.