Dorothy Hall has submitted the following:-
William Thirkell, born 1890 at Lanchester, was the second son of John and Sarah A. Pratt. He was baptised at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in the village 23rd October 1890. John had died July 1890 and Sarah a widow, born at Durham City, was living at Sacriston in 1891 with sons Cuthbert Ralph (1886 born Glasgow) and William. She was a dressmaker.
The family moved to Woodside, Sacriston and were there in 1901 and 1911. By 1911 both Cuthbert and William were Grocer's Assistants.
William enlisted at Durham and joined the Durham Light Infantry as 4530 Private Pratt. He was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He was killed 20th November 1917. His mother added this inscription to his headstone "It is a Far, Far Better Thing That I Do Than I Have Ever Done."
CWGC has William's death as 1915 all other records give 1917.
Awards: British War Medal; Victory Medal.
Christopher Ralph served in WW1. He is remembered in Sacriston on S113.05
Sarah died 22nd November 1925 and was buried at Sacriston Cemetery.
William Thirkell Pratt is remembered at Lanchester on L62.01 at Sacriston on S113.04 S113.07 and S113.11.
