Pte 59347 William Eves

William was born in the December quarter of 1881 in Liverpool and he was baptised on the 08th January 1882 at St John the Baptist Church, Liverpool. He was the eldest child of William Eves and his wife Mary Jane (née Porter), who were both born in Liverpool and married on the 05th June 1881 at St Michael in the Hamlet Church, Toxteth. William snr was a 24 year old pianoforte maker of Vine Street, father Peter a shipwright, whilst Mary was aged 21 of Elaine Street, father Robert Clark a sawyer. They had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. William’s siblings were Albert Ernest, born in 1884, Edith Maud 1885, Charles 1887, Florence 1890, Herbert Porter 1891, and Annie 1900. 

 

He was baptised in St. John the Baptist on 08th January 1882, his parents’ residence given as 89 Woodruff Street, and his father’s occupation listed as pianoforte maker (this occupation also given on his parents’ marriage certificate).

 

In 1891 the family, listed as Enes, is living at 50 High Park Street, Toxteth Park, (house successive to 89 Woodruff Street).  His father is 33, a general labourer (there is no mention of pianoforte maker on any census), his mother is 31, they have five children, William is 9. Also in the household are his maternal grandparents Robert Clark Porter and Elizabeth Porter, as well as his aunt Sarah Ann Porter. 

 

In 1901 the family, with seven children, is living at 107 Upper Essex Street, Toxteth Park.  His father is a general porter, William is 19, a coal porter, Albert, 16, is a railway messenger, Edith is 14, an upholsterer’s apprentice. Charles 13, Florence 11, and Herbert 9 are at school. Annie is 1.  His widowed grandmother Elizabeth Porter is living with them, as well as his aunt Sarah Ann.  His sister Florence died the following year at the age of 12.

 

William married Florence Ellis on 1st April 1907 in All Saints Church, Princes Park. He gives his age as 27, his occupation as dock porter, and his address as 49 Mozart Street, Toxteth Park. He gives his father as William Eves, dock porter. Florence was aged 23, a laundress, with same address, father George a bricksetter. 

 

Their daughter Edith May was born on 03rd May 1907, followed by William George on 27th July 1908, and Florence Mary on 03rd February 1911.

 

The 1911 census finds them at 54 South Street, Toxteth Park. William is 30, a dock labourer, Florence is 26, Edith is 4, George 3, and Florence one month old. They have a visitor, 30-year old Francis Booth, married.  His parents, with four of his siblings, are living at 8 Alfred Place, Toxteth Park.  His father is 55, working as a dock labourer, his mother is 51.  

 

Three more children were born: Josephine Irene on 23rd October 1912, Annie Ada 30th March 1914, and Frederick Verdun on 31st January 1916.

 

William enlisted, or was likely conscripted in late 1916 or early 1917. 

 

He originally served in the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 59347.

 

His name appeared in the list of K.L.R. Wounded published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 15th September 1917, but showing Eves 59347 A.  No records for an A. Eves in the K.L.R. have been found.

 

At some point he was transferred to the 18th Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment, most likely in February 1918, when the 20th Battalion was disbanded.

 

He was killed in action on the 18^th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.

 

18th Btn War Diary - 18th April 1918 

 

FRONT LINE

 

Opposite BAILLEUL.

 

4.50 a.m. - 4 Officers and 24 O.R.’s of TANK CORPS with Lewis guns reported for duty and attached to frontline Coy’s.

 

Patrols were pushed out during the night towards BAILLEUL but no enemy encountered.

 

10 a.m. Front lines shelled, 77’s, causing casualties, then artillery action throughout the morning.

 

Slight enemy movements, individuals seen at S.8.b.

 

4 p.m. - C.O. met Brigadier at H.Q. 17th K.L.R. and analysed details for change of position. 

 

5 p.m. - Enemy continued to shell sector. 

William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His children were 10, 9, 7, 5, 4, and 2 years old when William was killed. Florence, living at 45 Aberdeen Street, Dingle, was awarded a pension of £2-2s-1d a week from October 1918.  Soldiers’ Effects (written as Eaves and transcribed as Daves), shows that Florence received his Army effects, Army Pay of £4 5d and a War Gratuity of £4-10s.

 

Florence remarried to widow John Ewing in Toxteth in 1920 and had one more child Norman in 1922.

 

On the 1921 Census at 45 Aberdeen Street, Florence is aged 35, John Ewing is aged 39, a ships plater born in Dumbarton. The Eves children are Edith 14, Florence 12, George 10, Josephine 8, Annie 7, and Fred 5. John’s children are Walter 2 and John 2 months. 

 

His father William died in 1935, aged 78.

 

Florence lost her husband in 1935, and daughter Josephine in August 1939, aged 26.

 

On the 1939 Register, Florence is living at 45 Joliffe Street with children William and Florence Eves, and sons Walter, John, and Norman Ewing.  Florence’s age is listed as 42, whereas she would have been 54.  Son William is 31, a motor lorry driver, and daughter Florence, 28, is a café waitress.  

 

His widow Florence died in 1952, aged 67.

 

His nephew Herbert, the son of his brother Herbert, was killed in World War Two, on 08th August 1944, serving in the Royal Artillery. He rests in Bari War Cemetery, Italy. He was 24.

 

William is commemorated on the Men of Coopers Memorial.

We currently have no further information on William Eves. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.