Lawrence Waldron Walker

Lawrence Waldron was the youngest child of Samuel (or Sam) Walker and his wife Amelia (née Burnham). His father Samuel was born in 1856, the son of William and Sarah Julia Walker (née Waldron). In 1871 they were living at Kirkewhite Street, Meadows, Nottingham, with their eight children including Sam (14). Samuel married Amelia at Nottingham St John in December 1877 and they had eight children. The four eldest were born in Nottingham and the youngest four in Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire: William Hebert b. 1878, Lilian b. 1880, Millicent birth registered 1881 (J/F/M), Amelia b. 1883 (reg. 1884), Sam b. 1885, Edith Elizabeth b. 1887, Clara b. 1890 and Lawrence Waldron birth registered 1895 (J/F/M). In 1881 Samuel, a framework knitter, and Amelia with their two children William (2) and Lilian (1) were living at 21 Radcliffe Street, Nottingham. By 1891 they had moved to Station Street, Kirkby Folly, Kirkby in Ashfield, where they were living with their seven children. Also in the household was a general domestic servant. Samuel was now a hosiery manufacturer. The youngest child, Lawrence was born four years later. By 1901 the family was living at 11 Melton Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham. All eight of their children were in the home on the night of the census: William a hosiery manufacturer, presumably working with his father, Lillian, Millicent, Amelia, Sam a bookbinder, and Edith, Clara and Lawrence who were at school. With the exception of the eldest daughter Lilian, who had married in 1902, all the children were still living with their parents at the same address in 1911. Millicent was a milliner (employer) but none of her sisters, Amelia, Edith and Clara, was following an occupation. William was a woollen hosiery manufacturer, Sam a book binder (employer) and Lawrence a printer. Their father Sam died in September 1917 at the family home, 11 Melton Road. His widow Amelia died at the same address in April 1923. Both were buried in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery.

1911 - occupation printer

11 Melton Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham. Enlisted Nottingham.

9th Bn Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Formerly 26th Battalion. B/23096 Lance Corporal: 26th Royal Fusiliers 8 July 1916-14 July 1916 and 9th Bn Royal Fusiliers 15 July 1916-4 August 1916. The 9th (Service) Battalion was raised at Hounslow, London, on 21 August 1914, a battalion of Kitchener’s First New Army and one of 47 Royal Fusilier battalions raised in the Great War. It served in France from May/June 1915. Lawrence transferred from the 26th Bn to the 9th Bn on 15 July 1916. The battalion was in action in the Battle of Pozieres on 3 August 1916 with a successful attack resulting in the capture of 4th Avenue Trench. It was then engaged in heavy fighting until withdrawn on 9 August. Lawrence was killed in action on 4 August 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Theipval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Lawrence's cousin, Rollo Waldron Walker, the son of Sam Walker's younger brother Henry, served with the 16th (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), 553205 Rifleman, and was killed in action on 14 April 1917. He is buried in Bootham Cemetery, Heninel, France. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 31 August 1916: ‘Walker. Killed in action, August 4th, Lance-Corpl Lawrence Walker, Royal Fusiliers, youngest son of Mr and Mrs S Walker, 11 Melton-road West Bridgford.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 11 September 1917: ‘Walker. On September 10th, at No. 11, Melton-road, West Bridgford, Sam, the beloved husband of Amy Walker in his 62nd year. Funeral Thursday, 3 o’clock, Church Cemetery. No flowers, by special request.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 27 April 1923: ‘Walker. On the 24th inst., at 11 Melton-road, West Bridgford, Amelia (Amy), widow of the late Sam Walker, aged 73. Funeral Church Cemetery, Saturday, 12 noon.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)