Person    | Male  Born 1900  Died 4/8/1912

William Beckham

William Beckham

William Beckham is the boy lying on his side on the left at the front in the photograph of the scout troop. 

He was one of the ten children of William John Beckham (1870-1917) and Harriett Beckham née Fletcher (b.1872). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1900 in the St Saviour registration district, Southwark. On 25 February 1900 he was baptised in St Mark's Church, Walworth, where the baptismal register shows the family living at 20 Wooler Street, Walworth and that his father's occupation was a carman. 

In the 1901 census he is shown as living in three rooms at 3 Victory Cottages, Newington, Walworth, with his parents and three sisters: Martha Beckham (1892-1913), Jane Beckham (1894-1913) and Mary Beckham (b.1897). His father was listed as a vestry carman.

When his father completed his 1911 census return he is shown as a school boy living in 6 rooms at 37 Eltham Street, Walworth, with his parents, six siblings: Martha, Mary, John Beckham (b.1898), Edward Charles Beckham (1901-1974), Bertha Harriet Beckham (1904-1981), James Beckham (b.1906), together with his paternal grandparents, John Beckham (1847-1911) and Sarah Beckham née Chandler (b.1851). His father described himself as a borough council carman. 

He was a Patrol Leader in the 2nd Walworth Scout Troop and drowned, aged 12 years, on 4 August 1912 in the tragedy at Leysdown. His brother Edward, who was also on the ship's cutter, was rescued and lived to become the great-grandfather of footballer David Beckham.

He was buried on 10 August 1912 in the War Graves Plot, Square 52, in Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, London, SE15 3LP. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1912 in the Sheppey registration district, Kent.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Beckham

Commemorated ati

Walworth Boy Scouts Tragedy - new memorial

{Left hand page of an open book:} To commemorate the scouts of the 2nd Walwor...

Read More

Walworth Boy Scouts Tragedy - original plaque

The plaque is actually a resin copy of the one that was attached to the origi...

Read More

Other Subjects

Frances Mary Yeates

Frances Mary Yeates

Baptised in Horton 17 December 1833 daughter of William Wlllson Yeates. See there for information about her family. Buried in St Michaels churchyard Horton,2 January 1835.

Person, Children, Friend / family

1 memorial
Sir John Kirk

Sir John Kirk

J.P., Christian philanthropist, the children's friend.  Not to be confused with Sir John Kirk (1832-1922), the African explorer.  Sir John's great great grandson, Peter Mitchell, contacted us to sa...

Person, Children, Education, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Eddy Renton

Eddy Renton

Co-founder of the charity 'Kith and Kids' (with Doreen Collins) and 'Disability Law'.

Person, Children, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Abbot Laurence Soper

Abbot Laurence Soper

Searching for a picture we were shocked to find the picture source website where we learn that Soper was, in September 2012, wanted by the police " in connection with allegations of {historic} sexu...

Person, Children, Religion, Tragedy

1 memorial