William Glover was born on 23 June 1880 in Sheerness, Kent, one of the thirteen children of James Jenkins Glover (1841-1926) and Sarah Jane Glover née Hooper (1844-1913). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1880 in the Sheppey registration district, Kent.
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 9 months, living at 62 Russell Street, Sheerness, with his family. His father was described as a ship's carpenter. His maternal grandmother, Ann Hooper (1816-1895) was shown as a domestic servant, whilst his siblings were listed as: Alexander John Hooper Glover (1863-1920) a mason's clerk; Ann Catherine Glover (1865-1956) a general domestic servant; James Glover (1867-1944) a general servant; Richard Hooper Glover (1869-1919) a scholar; Sarah Ann Glover (1871-1917) a scholar and Mary Ann Glover (1873-1908) was also a scholar.
The 1891 census shows him residing at 2 James Street, Gillingham, Kent with his parents, his maternal grandmother and seven siblings: Ann Catherine Glover; Sarah Ann Glover; Mary Ann Glover; twins Ada Mary Glover (1883-1899) & Ruth Glover (1883-1969); Nellie Glover (1885-1904) and David Hooper Glover (1887-1959). His father was described as a shipwright.
He is shown as a marine engine fitter in the 1901 census living at 22 Paget Street, Gillingham, with his parents, five of his siblings: Ann Catherine Glover; Mary Ann Austin née Glover; Ruth Glover who was described as a general domestic servant; Nellie Glover a confectioner's assistant and David Hooper Glover, together with Mary Ann Austin's husband Alfred Charles Austin (1871-1939) a ship's stoker. His father was still listed as a shipwright.
On 10 October 1904 he married Alice Emma Lewis (1881-1906) in St Mark's Church, 75 High St, Gillingham and they had one child, Nellie Mary A. Glover (1906-1985). His wife died, aged 25 years, her death being registered in the 2nd quarter of 1906 in the Greenwich registration district, London.
In the 1911 census he is described as a widower and a fitter a government dockyard, boarding at 9 Etta Street, Deptford, London, the home of a William and Annie Clark. William Clark was recorded as a blacksmith at a government dockyard.
On 1 January 1916 he married Edith Grace Lawrence at St Nicholas Church, Deptford Green, London, SE8, where the marriage register shows him as aged 35 years, a widower and an engineer residing at 136 Creek Road, Deptford, whilst his wife was shown as aged 35 years, a spinster also living at the same address. She was the daughter of the late William Henry Lawrence, a traveller.
He and his wife were living at 29 Arbuthnot Road, Deptford, when he was killed, aged 64 years, on 16 August 1944 as result of enemy action when a German V1 Flying Bomb fell on the Royal Victoria Yard killing seven and injuring 74 people. He is shown as Glover W on the Royal Victoria Yard war memorial that is located at The Colonnade, Grove Street, London, SE8 and as Glover, William on 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 He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Lewisham War Memorials website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
