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.
