William Murden

William was born in about 1890 and may have been the son of Charles and Helena Murden. In 1911 Charles (48 b. Beeston), a stone mason, and Helena (42 b. Lenton), a lace hand, were living at 17 Newbridge Street, Nottingham, with their son William, a collier below ground. According to the census return, Charles and Helena had been married for 21 years and had three children of whom only William was at home on the night of the census. 'In Memoriam' notices published in the local paper mention William's 'brothers and sisters', including one in 1918 which named a brother, Albert, and 'Lottie' although she may have been Albert's wife. It is possible that the term 'brothers and sisters' included his two siblings' spouses. William married Lily Wardle in 1913 and in 1914 when William attested in the Territorial Force they were living at 3 Gedling Grove, Nottingham. This was still their address when William died in 1915. Notices in the local paper in the years 1916-1918 mention that William and Lily had children. It is likely that they had a son, William, who was born in January 1915. William's widow Lily married Arthur Hutchinson in 1918. There is a registration record of the death of a Lily Hutchinson aged 34 (b. 1892) in 1926. William junior probably married Hilda Patricia Marshall (b. 1918) in 1936 and in 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register they were living on Welstead Avenue, Nottingham. William was a window cleaner on his own account. A daughter, Vicki, was probably born later that year. William died in 1991. His wife Hilda predeceased him (1978).

He was a coal miner when he attested (TF) in 1914

3 Gedling Grove, Nottingham

CWGC: 10th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). The 10th (Service) Battalion was raised at Hamilton in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 46th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. It disembarked Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, on 10 July 1915. On 25 September 1915 the Battalion engaged in the attack on the German lines at Loos, its first major engagement. A Territorial Force Attestation (4 years service UK) record for William Murden survives. He attested on 21 April 1914 age 24 years and 8 months. He had previously served in the 1st Notts VRC Scottish Rifles from 12 August 1907 to 16 July 1910. His occupation was given as coal miner, Gedling Colliery. He lived at 3 Gedling Grove, Nottingham, and named his wife Lily of the same address as his next of kin. He completed training in 1914 but was discharged medically unfit for military service on 6 August 1914 having served 108 days. However, William served in France from 11 July 1915. He died in Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, on 8 October 1915 of wounds received in action in France, possibly during the attack at Loos on 25 September, and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. He is also commemorated on the CWGC Screen Wall in the same cemetery. William's medal roll shows that he qualifed for the 1915 Star (France 11 July 1915), British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Registers of Soldiers' Effects: sole legatee widow, 'Lily (Hutchinson)' Nottingham Evening Post, 30 October 1915: 'Murden died of wounds October 8th at Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, William, husband of Lily Murden, age 25 years.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 16 November 1915, photograph with caption: ‘Sergt. W Murden 10th Scottish Rifles, 3 Grove St., Meadows. Died of wounds Oct. 8th.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 7 October 1916: ‘Murden. In loving memory of my dear husband, Sgt William Murden, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), died October 8th, 1915. His country called and he obeyed. From his loving wife and children, brothers and sisters.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 7 October 1916: ‘Murden. In loving memory of our dear brother, Sergt. W Murden, Scottish Rifles, died of wounds October 8th, 1915, age 25. A day of remembrance sad to recall. From his loving mother, father, brothers, sisters and grandma.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 8 October 1917: ‘Murden. In loving memory of my dear husband, Sergeant William Murden, Scottish Rifles, died of wounds October 8th, 1915. He died that we might live. Wife and children, mother, father, brothers, sisters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 8 October 1918: ‘Murden. In loving memory of Sgt. William Murden, Scottish Rifles, died October 8th, 1915. Wife & children.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 8 October 1918: ‘Murden. In loving memory of Sgt William Murden, died of wounds October 8th 1915; also his dear grandma, Jane Murden, died November 27th, 1917. They miss them most who loved them best. Mother, father, brother Albert and Lottie.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Dedication on floral tribute left in Nottingham General Cemetery in 2017 in the area defined for veterans of the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny: 'Sgt W Murden. Cameronian Scottish Rifles. Died 8.10.15. Age 25 years.' (Photographed December 2017) A letter about her grandfather from William's granddaughter, Margaret Sonday, was published in the Nottingham Evening Post, 'Bygones', in November 2007.