Born: 7 July 1879
Died: 11 November 1914
Buried:
Address: 6 Thornton Buildings, Idle Road, Undercliffe
Parents: Richard & Sarah, nee Bell
Spouse: Emily Jane, nee Reynolds
Siblings: Mary Ann, Rose, Sarah, John
Occupation: Valley Combing Company
Organisations/clubs: Boxing
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Luke’s, Eccleshill; Menin Gate Memorial
Children: Thomas
Regiment: Duke of WEllington’s
William Kirk
William Kirk came from a Lincolnshire family.
He was born on the 7th July 1879 and baptised
at St Martin’s in Lincoln on the 14th August
1879, the son of inn keeper Richard Kirk born
1839 in Lincoln and Sarah Bell born 1844 in
Lincoln.
William’s father Richard died in 1887 aged 47
years and in 1891 the family were living at 101
Runwick Road, Lincoln. Sarah is now head of
the family and has kept the position of
beerhousekeeper to support the family. It
appears that she is also selling milk as she is
also shown as a cowkeeper.
In 1901 the family are living at 31 Melville
Street, Lincoln. Sarah now has a shop and is
working as a general dealer. William is still at
home and his occupation is shown as iron
moulder.
Sometime after this date William enlisted in the
Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and
saw service in South Africa during
the Boer War and also in India.
On his return to England William
had moved to live in
Wolverhampton where in 1909 he
married Emily Jane Reynolds who
had been born in Wolverhampton in
1887. She had employment as a
servant.
William and his wife Emily moved
to Bradford where he found work as
a stableman with the Midland Railway
Company and in 1911 the family were living at
6 Thornton Buildings in Idle Road. They had
one son Thomas born 1910.
By 1914 William had moved to work as a driver
for the Valley Combing Company.
When war broke out William was one
of the first to enlist on that day
becoming Private 6411 in the 2nd
Battalion Duke of Wellington. Having
previously served in the army he was a
reservist and he was called for action
on the 12th September.
On the 11th of November 1914 the
Germans launched a desperate attack
on Ypres and the Regiment lost over
400 officers and men, including
William. He was 35 years old.
He is remembered at the Menin Gate as one of
the many who had walked along this road
towards Ypres, had lost their lives there and
whose body was never recovered for burial.
With thanks to Jean Britteon for sharing her
research
The following piece appeared in the
Shipley Times & Express on 11
December 1914. While much of the
story is of William’s friend, it does
give some insights into the early
stages of the war.
Among the list of casualties in the
West Yorkshire Regiments who
have lost heavily in a number of
engagements, is the name of Pte
William Kirk of 6 Thornton
Buildings, Idle Road, Undercliffe.
When the hostilities commenced,
he was on the 2nd Reserve, having
served 14 years with the Regulars.
Boer War
Kirk went through the Boer War
and was granted the medal with
three bars. When the campaign in
Africa terminated, he was drafted
to India.
Being a good exponent of the art of
self-defence, he had met many
promising young men in the boxing
profession, including the
middleweight champion of India.
Previous to rejoining the Colours at
the outbreak of the present war, he
had been employed by the Midland
Railway Company, and later still by
the Valley Combing Company.
His regiment left for France on
September 16th.
Comrade
In his letters home only once does
he mention actual fighting and that
was to say one of his comrades,
named Casey, had been wounded
and had gone down the line.
This comrade returned to England
and visited Pte Kirk’s wife to
whom he reported that when he left
France her husband was quite well
and fighting in the trenches.
Casey related how he was
wounded. He was on outpost duty
and seeing a German on guard was
on the point of getting behind a tree
to take aim at him but the German
was quicker and plugged a bit of
lead into his leg.
Worse injury
Casey spoke of famished German
soldiers coming to the British
trenches for bread and remaining as
prisoners.
Having recovered from his injury,
Casey has gone back to the front
line. His friends have since heard
that he has suffered a worse injury,
having had a leg blown off by a
shell.
The last postcard Mrs Kirk had
from her husband was dated
November 9th. It stated that he was
quite well and had received her
letter.
The next message was from the
War Office on December 2nd to the
effect that her husband had been
killed in action on the 11th
November. This intimation was
accompanied by expressions of
sympathy from the King and
Queen.
Coloured wool
Kirk was proud of his regiment. On
the walls of his stricken home is a
picture worked by him in coloured
wool of the flag of his regiment,
bearing the names of its
engagements and its motto.
The deceased was 35 years of age
and was a native of Lincolnshire.
He was an excellent workman and
highly respected by those who
knew him. He leaves a widow and
one child.
