William Henry's Story.
Pill Box at Hill 60
Bunker at Hill 60
Palm Cross left at Hill 60 Pill Box by Laraine Blythyn on Palm Sunday 8th April 2017.
William H. Paget(t) was born in Saltney, but his birth was registered in Hawarden (HAW/41/57) in 1895.
He was the son of Thomas Pagett and on the 1901 census Thomas, 31 a Candle Maker (Grease), born in Wolverhampton and family were living at 16, Curzon Street, Saltney (4 rooms). His wife Florence, 25 and all the children had been born in Saltney, some in Flintshire, some in Cheshire as the borders were changing all the while. Son William H. Pagett, 5, was the eldest child, daughters Selena M., 4 and Maggied, 2 with baby James K. Making up the family. Thomas's father Isaac Pagett , a widower, 68 a General Labourer had been born in Stafford was also living there.
I believe that Thomas had married Florence H. Watson at Chester in a civil marriage in 1894 (ROC/32/121)
If my research is right, Florence was to suffer a series of deaths in the family, firstly I believe that their little daughter Mabel had died in 1902 and her death was registered in Chester (Cathedral) (CAT/74/50) To make things worse, her husband Thomas was to die in 1906, his death being registered in Hawarden (HAW/03A/26) as was his father's death the following year, 1907 (HAW/04A/27). Any help would be appreciated.
By the 1911 census Florence was living at 28, Chainmaker's Row, Salney with her children and on that she stated that 7 children had been born to her and Thomas, but one had died, however, I cannot find Selena M. either. Florence was now 36 and she was a Charwoman, son William H., 15 was a Butcher's Boy and they were the only two bringing in any money to the household., son James10, daughter Maggie, 5 and son Isaac, 4 were all at school. Looking at the dates there is a possibility that Florence was pregnant with Isaac when her husband died in 1906 as Isaac was born in 1906, see below. The following year his namesake and Grandfather died, he was buried on the 28th December 1907. To make things worse, it appears that Florence was to give birth to Isaac in the workhouse as can be seen by the entry in the Broughton Parish Register, Baptisms:-
Page 246 No 1961 24th February 1907 , born 18th December 1906 Isaac s/o Thomas & Florence PAGETT, Workhouse, Candlemaker.
Just a note, sometimes Workhouses were used as Hospitals circa this time, so perhaps Florence had gone there for the birth, let's hope this was the case.
I cannot find any Army Service Papers for William, but his Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Saltney Ferry F 24) tells us his period of service was 10 months and he died in June 1915, so it looks as though he enlisted at the outbreak of war. He was wounded on Hill 60* and then died of wounds. Florence to to sign the card on the 1st November 1918.
* http://www.1914-1918.net/cheshire.htm
* http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/hill60.htm
Another of her sons was to enlist as well, but he survived. (Surname on both cards was spelt PAGET.) James Kendrick PAGET's Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Saltney Ferry L 155) was in the Lancashire Fusiliers, 66736, he was a Private and his period of service was 1 and 1/2 years. Again his mother Florence signed his card on 6th November 1919.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about William Pagett confirms his regimental information and tells us that he was born in Saltney, Chester and he also enlisted in Chester.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William Pagett tell us his first Theatre of War was France and he entered it on 15th February 1915 and died of Wounds on the 16th June 1915, 4 months later, age 20.
Researched and compiled by Mavis Williams.