Name
William John Golding
17 December 1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
60504
Royal Fusiliers *2
9th (County of London) (Service) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Post Office Memorial (*1), Langleybury Village Memorial, Hunton Bridge, Family grave, St Paul's Churchyard, Langleybury
Pre War
William John Golding was born on 17 December 1882 at Gallows Hill, Langleybury, Hertfordshire, the son of William and Fanny Golding (nee Croft) and was baptised at St Paul's Church, Langleybury on 25 February 1883.
His parents had married on 2 November 1872 at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth, Herts and on the 1881 Census were living at Rose Hill Cottage, Gallows Hill, Langleybury, Abbots Langley, Herts where his father was working as a coal merchant's labourer. By 1891 the family were living at Upper Highway, Abbots Langley, where his father was working as a labourer.
He was appointed as a temporary postman on 27 May 1906, serving the Hunton Bridge community and being paid 16 shillings a week. His appointment was confirmed in August 1906 and on the 1911 Census, he was listed, aged 28, as living in Hunton Bridge with his parents and brother Edward and working as a postman. (His pay had increased to 25 shillings a week by 1914. Both Edward and William remained living with their parents in Langleybury on the 1911 Census.
He married Isabella Mary Walker in 1912 and they lived at Hunton Bridge, Kings Langley. They had two children, Lester William born in 1913 and Joyce Mary born in 1915.
His mother Fanny died 1916 in Hunton Bridge aged 68, and was buried 24 February at St Paul’s, Langleybury, Herts. His father William died 1924 in Hunton Bridge aged 74, and was buried 28 June, also at St Paul’s.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford, and initially joined the Middlesex Regiment, serving with the 5th Battalion as Private 23901, later transferring to the 9th Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers).
William was killed in action during the Battle of Arras and death was presumed on 3 May 1917. He has no known grave and his named is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow Isabella received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 3s 10d. She also received a pension of £1 2s 11d a week for herself and her two children. As William had served 10 years 11 months as a postman with Royal Mail Isabella also received a gratuity from them of £72 15s 11d.
William and his brother Edward are also commemorated on the headstone of their parents' grave in Langleybury (St. Paul) Churchyard. Their inscription reads:
ALSO OF THE SONS OF THE ABOVE
WILLIAM, KILLED NEAR ARRAS MAY 3. 1917.
EDWARD. WHO DIED AT BEVERLEY MILITARY HOSPITAL NOVEMBER 13 1918 INTERRED AT FLETTON
THY WILL BE DONE
*1 He appears under the Hunton Bridge section of the Watford Post Office memorial.
*2 Probably more correctly (County of London) Bn.
London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
