Cecil Williams was born on 2 February 1890 in Paddington, one of the six children of Frederick George Williams (1859-1954) and Mary Williams née Troughton (1861-1948). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1890 in the Paddington registration district, London. On 27 April 1890 he was baptised in St John's Church, Paddington, where in the baptismal register his family is shown as living at 13 Connaught Mews, Paddington and that his father was recorded as a coachman.
In the 1891 census he is shown as aged 1 year, still residing at 13 Connaught Mews, Paddington, with his parents, three sisters: Ethel Elizabeth Agnes Williams (1883-1965); Helen Williams (b.1885) and Jessie Williams (1887-1943), together with a male boarder. His father was still shown as a coachman.
He was shown as at school, aged 11 years, in the 1901 census, still living at 13 Connaught Mews, with his parents, his three sisters: Ethel; Helen and Jessie, together with his younger brother Edward Troughton Williams (b.1897).
He was described as a 'salesman in hosiery warehouse', living in a 6 roomed property at 15 Connaught Mews, Marble Arch, London, with his mother, his brother Edward and his sister Winifred Elsie Williams (b.1902).
When World War One was declared on 4 August 1914 he enlisted as a Private in the 6th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (City of London Rifles), service number 1800 and was a Corporal by the time he entered France on 18 March 1915. He was serving as a Serjeant when he died of wounds, aged 25 years, on 4 January 1916 at No.58 (West Riding) Casualty Clearing Station, a tented hospital behind the lines, in Lillers, France and his body was buried in Plot 4, Row E, Grave 6, in the Lillers Communal Cemetery, Rue de Saint-Venant, 62190 Lillers, France.
On 14 April 1916 his army effects totalling £13-12s-7d were sent to his father who was also sent his £8-10s-0d war gratuity on 19 September 1919. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, The British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'WILLIAMS. C. SERGT. 6TH.C.LON.RIFLS.' on the Quebec Chapel war memorial at the Church of The Annunciation, Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AH, as 'SERJ. C. WILLIAMS' on the St John's Hyde Park WW1 Memorial outside St John's Church, 18 Hyde Park Crescent, London W2 2QD and as' CECIL WILLIAMS SRJ CITY OF LONDON REGT.' on a brass plaque within the church. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Live of the First World War website. and on the A Street Near You website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
