William Ernest's Story.
EARLY LIFE
William Ernest Cross was born in 1891 in Macclesfield and baptised on 10th June 1891 at Christ Church, Macclesfield, the son of Elizabeth Ann (née Bell) and William Henry Cross, a fustian cutter of 5 Old Meadow, Macclesfield (Old Meadow is a short street off Bridge Street, adjacent to the Drill Hall). By 1901 the family had moved to 26 Market Place, where William's father was a publican, and nine year old William had siblings Arthur (7; mistakenly entered as aged 6 in the census), May (5) and Edie (1).
By 1911 the family had moved again, to 20 Chatham Street, Macclesfield, and included Lily, aged eight. Nineteen-year-old William was employed as a shirt cutter and his father was a mineral water carter.
On 1st April 1916 William married 24-year-old spinster Nellie Snape at St Andrew's Church, Levenshulme. At that time he was employed as a cutter-mechanic and lived at 16 Livesey Street, Levenshulme; the couple lived at the same address in Levenshulme after their marriage.
WW1 SERVICE
William enlisted in Manchester. Unfortunately nothing more has been found about his war service, and he was killed in action on 23rd October 1918. His death was reported in the Manchester Evening News on 19th November 1918:
CROSS - Signaller RGA William Ernest Cross, killed in action October 23, 1918. From his sorrowing and devoted wife, Nellie.
COMMEMORATION
Gunner William Cross is buried in Grave Ref. North-West corner of Plot III. in the Le Cateau Communal Cemetery, France.
In Macclesfield, Gunner William Cross is commemorated on the Park Green and Town Hall war memorials.
NOTES
Brother of Arthur Cross, who served as Private 49603 with the 13th Battalion Cheshire Regiment and was killed in action in France on 10 October 1916.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births
Cheshire Parish Baptism Registers: Christ Church, Macclesfield
Manchester Parish Marriage Registers: St Andrew's Church, Levenshulme
Census (England & Wales): 1901, 1911
WWI British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects
WWI British Army Medal Rolls Index Cards
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Thanks to Roy, grandson of William's sister Edith Cross, for the photo and his assistance in compiling this information.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.
Thanks to Roy, grandson of William's sister Edith Cross, for the photo and his assistance in compiling this information.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.