William Crawford

William Henry Walters Crawford was born at Townhead in Cumnock on the 19th January 1879 to iron miner Angus McLeod Crawford and his wife Helen Bertram Walters.

His English born mother was from a family of entertainers.

By the 1881 census the family was living in Govan, Glasgow where Angus was working as a fitter, iron boat builder on the Clyde.

By 1891 his mother is a widow, working as a dressmaker in Gorbals. William is working as a telegraph messenger. (I don't think his mother was a widow in 1891 as her husband Angus is living was his sister-in-law Janet (Mrs Samuel Nicol) in 1901 census.)

In 1901 his mother is working as a theatrical costumier in London.

I understand from family members that Bill, as he was known, had various jobs in the theatre and worked with Charlie Chaplin and was in the same digs as him. Bill is second from the left in a barrister's costume.

When war broke out he enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery. He died of wounds in France on 19 Dec 1916.

CWGC

Son of Angus McLeod Crawford and Helen Walters Crawford, of 106, Nightingale Rd., Wood Green, London.

His war grave is in Quatre-Vents Military Cemetery in Estrée-Cauchy in France.




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