William Robert was the son of Robert and Sarah Ann Featherstone (née Waddingham).
His father Robert was born in Holme on Spalding Moor, Yorkshire (East Riding), in about 1870 and his mother Sarah Ann Waddingham in Hull, Yorkshire (East Riding) in January 1870. They were married in Newbold Church on 18 March 1891 (reg. York) and had five children, one of whom died in infancy: William Robert b. Hull 16 April 1892, Harold Ernest b. South Cave birth registered 1894 (J/F/M), Minnetta May b. South Cave 1895, Madge b. South Cave 1895 d. 1895 and Herbert Waddingham b. Hull 1899.
In 1891 Robert (21), an inn keeper, and his wife were living in North Newbold, Yorkshire. By 1901 they had moved to 35 Marmaduke Street, Hull, where Sarah Ann, a grocer shopkeeper, was recorded on the census with their four surviving children William (8), Harold (7), Minnetta (6) and Herbert (1).
Robert had attested in the Imperial Yeomanry on 1 March 1901 and served in South Africa from 23 March 1901-23 August 1902. He was discharged on 30 August 1902. (See 'Extra information')
By 1911 the family was living at Syke Breck Farm, Lower Blidworth, Mansfield. Robert's occupation was given as farmer (employer). In the home on the night of the census were his wife, William and Harold who were both farm workers, Minnetta a dairy worker and Herbert (11). Also in the household was Charles Griffin (21) the farm foreman.
William's RND record noted that the relative notified of his death was his married sister, Minnetta White, of Bonemill Farm, Ollerton. Minnetta had married Ernest White in 1912.
The report of William's death in a local paper in 1917 mentioned that his brother 'H Featherstone' was serving in the South Notts Hussars. No WW1 military record has yet been found for either Harold or Herbert. However, it is likely that Herbert, who worked for the Post Office in Liverpool from at least 1922, served in the Royal Engineers (Postal Unit) in the Second World War from 1942-1945.
Sarah Ann Featherstone, a widow, was recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register living in Basford.