3599 Private William Reader
6th(Perthshire)Battalion(Territorial)
The Black Watch(Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916
Born in 1883 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was baptised on 19/09/1883. His parents were George Reader (1853-1905) and Mary Ann Ledger (1856-1913). They were married in 1877.
William had 1 brother, Nathaniel (29/12/1880-04/04/1892).
In the 1891 census, recorded the family living at the South Steel Battery, Scarborough, Yorkshire, George was serving as a gunner in the Royal Artillery.
By the time of the 1901 census, George had left the army and the family had moved to Barnsley and were living at 9 Sherwood Street.
George was now employed as a clay ring maker at a glass bottle works. William was also working as a bottle packer.
On 26/12/1904 William married Elizabeth Ann Barrett ( born on 02/06/1884). They had 3 children, Nathaniel (04/10/1905-1960), Mary Ellen (19/09/1911-1981) and John (26/02/1914-1976).
I cannot find an entry in the 1911 census for William and his family, they may have possibly have been living at 11 Sackville Street in Barnsley, though I have no positive proof of this, though they were definitely still in Barnsley at this time as their daughters birth later the same year was registered in the town.
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William enlisted in Barnsley and was killed in action on 13/11/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1918 British War and allied Victory medals.
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Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Saturday 25 November 1916
Barnsley War Victims
Private William Reader (34), Black Watch of 7 Crookes Street Barnsley, was killed in action on the 14th inst. in the course of a successful attack on the German trenches. He leaves a widow and three children.
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His wife Elizabeth was awarded a pension of 26/3 a week on 24/05/1917 to start from 28/05/1917.
Elizabeth remarried in 1924 to George Copley (15/12/1883-1950).
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