12/44785 Rifleman William Hawthorne
12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
7th June 1917
Born in Spitalfields,London,Middlesex in 1889.
His parents were John Hawthorn(born in 1853) and Margaret(1853-1912). They married in 1880.
William had 4 brothers,Frank(born in 1882),Henry
(born in 1884),Joseph(born in 1886) and Charles
(born in 1895).
He also had 2 sisters,Elizabeth(born in 1891) and Katie
(also born in 1891).
In the 1891 census, the family were living at
1 Benits Place,Hanbury Street,London.
Williams father was employed as a bricklayers labourer.
In the 1911 Census, Margaret is now a widow ,with her husband John possibly passing away in 1899. The family were living at 8 Waterloo Terrace,Bethnal Green, London.
William was employed as a bookbinder in an education stationers.
He enlisted in Fulham,Middlesex as Private 516 into the
19th Battalion London Regiment,before later being transferred as Rifleman 12/44785 into the
12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
He was killed in action on 07/06/1917.
At the time of his death,he was living with his sister,Elizabeth at 36 Albert Dwellings,Mile End London and it was Elizabeth that he left £112 14s 3d(worth today £7,181.03) in his will to.