William's Story.
EARLY LIFE
William Ashness was born in Macclesfield in 1885, the son of Mary Ann (née Talks) and William Willott Ashness, a silk designer, who died in 1886. In 1891, six-year-old William was living at House 1 Court 4, Daybrook St, Hurdsfield with his widowed mother and brothers John (12) and Albert (7).
By 1901 William’s mother had married William Bradley and the family had moved to 35 Waterloo Street. William had left school and was working as a cotton warehouse hand. Ten years later, William’s mother was again a widow and was living at 18 Waterloo Street with William and his wife of less than one year, Mary Leah (née Sanders), both of whom were employed as cotton weavers. The couple had married on 11 February 1911 at Bacup, Lancashire. Their daughter, Laura Leah, was born in 1914.
The family later lived at 18 Chatham Street and, by 1919, at 36 Sunderland Street, Macclesfield.
WWI SERVICE
On 2 September 1914 William enlisted in Macclesfield with the 10th Cheshire Regiment. Pte Ashness was transferred to the 2nd Cheshire Regiment and drafted overseas on 4 May 1915.
Private Ashness was wounded in the right forearm three weeks later on 26 May 1915 and repatriated to England for treatment. Private Ashness was attached to the 50th Training Reserve Battalion on 2 November 1916 but was discharged from the Army in February 1917 as “No longer physically fit for war service, due to wounds.” Private Ashness stated that prior to joining the Army he had worked for the Globe Spinning Company as a cotton weaver for fourteen years, but was no longer able to follow this occupation due to his injury. He was awarded a silver war badge (no. 25234) and a pension.
William Ashness died on 4 January 1920. The cause of death is not known. His death was reported in the Macclesfield Advertiser on 9 January 1920:
MACCLESFIELD DEATHS
ASHNESS – On January 5, at General Infirmary, William Ashness, aged 34.
COMMEMORATION
Private William Ashness is not known to be commemorated on any memorials.
NOTES
Another Macclesfield man named Willie Ashness died of wounds in Macclesfield on 1st September 1918, aged 34.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
British Army Medal Index Cards (Ancestry)
WWI British Army Service Records 1914-1920 (Find My Past)
Silver War Badge Records (Ancestry)
Macclesfield Advertiser: 9 January 1920
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.