William James Jenks Preston was born on 5 September 1875 in Newport, Shropshire, the eldest of the seven children of John Preston and Mary Preston née Jenks.
In the 1881 census he is shown as a scholar, living at Holly Grove, Pitchcroft Lane, Chetwynd Aston, Newport, with his parents, two siblings: Elizabeth Emma Preston and John Thomas Preston (b.1880), his paternal grandfather William Preston and his widowed paternal aunt Annie Hope née Preston. His father's occupation was given as a hay dealer.
The 1891 census continued to describe him as a scholar, living at Wrottesley Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, with his parents, five siblings: Elizabeth Emma, John Thomas, Maria Violet Preston (1883-1961), Charles Henry Preston and Harry Preston, his widowed maternal grandmother Elizabeth Jenks, his paternal aunt Annie Hope and his cousin James Hope. His father's occupation was shown as a hay trusser.
By the time of the 1901 census he was listed as a carter for a hay merchant having been born in Church Eaton, Shropshire, but still residing at Wrottesley Road, Tettenhall, with his parents and four siblings, John, Maria, Charles & Harry. His two elder brothers were also listed as carmen for a hay merchant and his father was described as a hay merchant.
In the 1911 census he is shown as living at 19 Tettenhall Wood, Wolverhampton, with his widowed father and four siblings: Elizabeth, John, Charles & Harry. His sister was described as house keeper whilst all the men were listed as hay trussers.
On 6 September 1919 he married Violet May Peters (1899-1940) at St Peter's Church, Southwark. In the marriage register he is recorded as William Preston and described as a bachelor, aged 43 years (he was in fact aged 44 years), a paper manufacturer of 73 Park Street, SE, whose father was John Preston, a hay dealer. His wife is shown as a spinster, aged 20 years, a booking clerk, giving the same 73 Park Street as her address.
Electoral registers from 1929 to 1939 show him and his wife listed at 140A Union Street, London, SE1 and this address was confirmed in the 1939 England and Wales Register where his occupation is shown as a newspaper packer.
He died, aged 65 years, on 10 September 1940, as a result of enemy action when a bomb fell on the Ewer Street air raid shelter. His wife was also killed in the air raid. His name can be found on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and it is also recorded as such in The Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour 1939-1945 that is kept just outside the entrance to St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey. These incorrectly show that he was living at 140 Union Street as we know this was the home of Joyce and Lottie Helen Hackett.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
