William Kitchen

Forename(s):
William

Surname:
Kitchen

Initial(s):
W

Service Number:
23886

Rank:
Private

Regiment:
East Lancashire Regiment, 8th (Service) Battalion

Died:
28/04/1917

Aged:
32

Buried:
Arras Memorial (Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery), Bay 6

Service History:
Enlisted at Consett, County Durham.

Formerly 11147, Northumberland Fusiliers.

Background:
Born in 1885 at Glanton, Northumberland, the son of William (b.1853 at Whittingham) & Isabella (née Siddle?; b.1825 at Shotley Bridge, County Durham) Kitchen.

William Snr. was a Saddle & Harness Maker, as was his father, John (b.1824).

In 1881 the family was living at Glanton with their two young children, John Albert (b.1879) & Joseph S. (b. 1881). They were still there in 1891 with the addition of Kitchen & Robert G. (b.1888). William SnrÂ’s. two brothers, Robert & John, both Saddle Makers, & Myra Siddle, possibly MaryÂ’s sister, were all living at the address.

By 1901 there were two more siblings, Lancelot (b.1892) & Mary W. (b.1897).

Kitchen by this time had moved to 25 Melbourne Street, Gateshead, boarding with a house painter & working as a Railway Clerk. Ten years later William himself was a House Painter lodging at 7, Station Terrace, Consett. Meanwhile, William Snr. was living at Prospect House, Glanton with his wife Mary, their son Robert, who worked in the family business, & daughter Mary W.. William Snr.Â’s two brothers were still both single & living with the family.

N.B. The family lived next door to the family of Andrew Dodds who was killed in action only 5 days before Kitchen, on 23 April 1917.

Local Memorial:
St. BartholomewÂ’s Church, Whittingham Whittingham & Callaly 1914-1918 Memorial Stone.