William Glover was born on 23 June 1880 in Sheerness, Kent, one of the thirteen children of James Jenkins Glover (1841-1926) and Sarah Jane Glover née Hooper (1844-1913). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1880 in the Sheppey registration district, Kent.
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 9 months, living at 62 Russell Street, Sheerness, with his family. His father was described as a ship's carpenter. His maternal grandmother, Ann Hooper (1816-1895) was shown as a domestic servant, whilst his siblings were listed as: Alexander John Hooper Glover (1863-1920) a mason's clerk; Ann Catherine Glover (1865-1956) a general domestic servant; James Glover (1867-1944) a general servant; Richard Hooper Glover (1869-1919) a scholar; Sarah Ann Glover (1871-1917) a scholar and Mary Ann Glover (1873-1908) was also a scholar.
The 1891 census shows him residing at 2 James Street, Gillingham, Kent with his parents, his maternal grandmother and seven siblings: Ann Catherine Glover; Sarah Ann Glover; Mary Ann Glover; twins Ada Mary Glover (1883-1899) & Ruth Glover (1883-1969); Nellie Glover (1885-1904) and David Hooper Glover (1887-1959). His father was described as a shipwright.
He is shown as a marine engine fitter in the 1901 census living at 22 Paget Street, Gillingham, with his parents, five of his siblings: Ann Catherine Glover; Mary Ann Austin née Glover; Ruth Glover who was described as a general domestic servant; Nellie Glover a confectioner's assistant and David Hooper Glover, together with Mary Ann Austin's husband Alfred Charles Austin (1871-1939) a ship's stoker. His father was still listed as a shipwright.
On 10 October 1904 he married Alice Emma Lewis (1881-1906) in St Mark's Church, 75 High St, Gillingham and they had one child, Nellie Mary A. Glover (1906-1985). His wife died, aged 25 years, her death being registered in the 2nd quarter of 1906 in the Greenwich registration district, London.
In the 1911 census he is described as a widower and a fitter a government dockyard, boarding at 9 Etta Street, Deptford, London, the home of a William and Annie Clark. William Clark was recorded as a blacksmith at a government dockyard.
On 1 January 1916 he married Edith Grace Lawrence at St Nicholas Church, Deptford Green, London, SE8, where the marriage register shows him as aged 35 years, a widower and an engineer residing at 136 Creek Road, Deptford, whilst his wife was shown as aged 35 years, a spinster also living at the same address. She was the daughter of the late William Henry Lawrence, a traveller.
He and his wife were living at 29 Arbuthnot Road, Deptford, when he was killed, aged 64 years, on 16 August 1944 as result of enemy action when a German V1 Flying Bomb fell on the Royal Victoria Yard killing seven and injuring 74 people. He is shown as Glover W on the Royal Victoria Yard war memorial that is located at The Colonnade, Grove Street, London, SE8 and as Glover, William on the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey He is also commemorated on the and on the .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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