William Milner, one of 9 children, of whom only 8 survived, was the youngest of 4 brothers, he had 1 elder and 3 younger sisters. His father William Milner, native of Castleside, County Durham, married at Gateshead, in 1873, to Mary Jane Shields of Gateshead, they were born in 1854 and 1855 respectively. They settled at Castleside where William was employed as a joiner and their children were born, John Joseph in 1874, Sarah Jane 1876, Thomas Gleason 1878 and Alfred 1880, William, July 9th 1882, Loretta and Elizabeth were born 1885 and 1887 respectively. By 1891 Thomas (13) was an errand boy, his younger siblings attended school and to further increase the family income they had taken in a boarder, 20-year-old John George Watson originally from Mickley, Northumberland, a joiner. Mary Jane gave birth to Henrietta in 1893 and by 1901 they had moved to Rose Cottage, Castleside. William (46), Thomas (23) and Alfred (20) were all joiners/carpenters by trade, William Jnr (18) a labourer at Consett Iron and Steel Company, Elizabeth (14) and Henrietta (8) remained at home with their mother. All of William and Sarah Ann’s surviving children had left home by 1911, John Joseph had died in 1906, aged 32 years, they still occupied 5 rooms at Rose Cottage.

William Jnr was married at Wolsingham Registry Office, Weardale, County Durham, February 28th 1903 to Lily Forster of Tow Law, County Durham, born January 3rd 1884. The couple settled in the district of Bishop Auckland where daughter Annie was born, September 20th 1903, John William, November 26th 1905, Alfred Gleason, March 10th 1907, Robert Maxwell, June 30th 1909. In 1911 they were living in 2 rooms at Thornley Road Ends, Tow Law, where William Snr was employed as a coal miner/hewer below ground. August 13th 1911 their son Thomas Joseph was born and Lily Milner, October 30th 1914 soon after the declaration of war with Germany.

Upon the declaration of war, almost immediately, William Milner now living at Chapel Street, Hunwick, employed as a coal miner, received notice to enlist, which he did, December 15th 1914, at Bishop Auckland and posted as Private Milner to the 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment at Richmond. During his service in England he moved between the 3rd Battalion and the 1st Garrison Battalion and frequently docked several days pay for absenting himself without permission including a 28-day detention period in 1915. December 20th 1916 as Private 18623 he was ordered to embark with his regiment bound for India, departing December 24th 1916. Having arrived in India he was posted February 21st 1917 to the 1st Garrison Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.

Repatriated to England he was admitted, December 29th 1917, to the 1st Southern General Hospital, initially the main hall of Birmingham University in Seily Oak, which in 1909 had been equipped with 520 beds in the event of war and by 1917 had been greatly extended within the building and various annexes. He was later transferred to the Military Hospital, Catterick Reserve Camp, Yorkshire. The hospital requested the Records Office in York as a matter of urgency to confirm the identity and address of Private William Milner as he was seriously ill and his relatives needed to be informed. Thankfully William recovered and was discharged, Silver Badge No, 376976, issued April 4th 1918, under King’s Regulations 392 (xvi), ‘no longer physically fit for War Service,’ and not to be compulsorily posted under the Military Service (Review Exceptions) Act 1917. Awards British War Medal and Victory Medal.

He returned to his home at 3, Wear Street, Tow Law, although he was able to work William also received an Army pension as of April 6th 1918, to be periodically reviewed. William’s wife gave birth to their youngest child, a son named James, January 14th 1920.

His elder brother Alfred was killed in 1917

In 1939 William, Lily and James were living at 16, Dene Bank, urban district of Consett, County Durham where he and his son were coal miners below ground employed as a shifter and putter respectively.

William Milner died in 1958 listed as aged 78, he was 76 years old, registered at Durham W, Lily Milner nee Forster aged 79 years died in 1963, registered at Durham N.W.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

William is not remembered on a local War Memorial.