Northumberland Fusiliers Badge
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
William Douglass was born at Sleekburn, a village near Bedlington Station, Northumberland in 1895. His parents were George Douglas, a milk cow keeper from Rothbury in Northumberland and Mary Ann Douglas who was born in Cramlington in the same county.
The 1901 Census shows his family living at Sleekburn Vale. William at this time was seven years old and his father was 75 years old, 30 years older than his wife. His father died in 1904 and the Probate documents show his sons James and George were benefactors to the sum of two hundred and sixteen shillings.
In 1907, William’s mother married Henry Schofield, a coal miner.
Census records in 1911 show William to be 17 years old, single, working as a domestic gardener and living with his family at Bedlington. Military records show William Douglas enlisted at Bedlington and his mother lived at 1, Walker Terrace, East Sleekburn about the time her son died.
Morpeth Herald 26/10/1917 carries a brief obituary:
Corporal William Douglas, N.F., East Sleekburn, killed in action on September 20th.
William Douglas is remembered at West Sleekburn as Douglass, W. on W34.01 and in Cambois on C6.02
