3599 Private William Reader
6th(Perthshire)Battalion(Territorial)
The Black Watch(Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916
Born in 1883 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was baptised on 19/09/1883. His parents were George Reader (1853-1905) and Mary Ann Ledger (1856-1913). They were married in 1877.
William had 1 brother, Nathaniel (29/12/1880-04/04/1892).
In the 1891 census, recorded the family living at the South Steel Battery, Scarborough, Yorkshire, George was serving as a gunner in the Royal Artillery.
By the time of the 1901 census, George had left the army and the family had moved to Barnsley and were living at 9 Sherwood Street.
George was now employed as a clay ring maker at a glass bottle works. William was also working as a bottle packer.
On 26/12/1904 William married Elizabeth Ann Barrett ( born on 02/06/1884). They had 3 children, Nathaniel (04/10/1905-1960), Mary Ellen (19/09/1911-1981) and John (26/02/1914-1976).
I cannot find an entry in the 1911 census for William and his family, they may have possibly have been living at 11 Sackville Street in Barnsley, though I have no positive proof of this, though they were definitely still in Barnsley at this time as their daughters birth later the same year was registered in the town.
William enlisted in Barnsley and was killed in action on 13/11/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1918 British War and allied Victory medals.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Saturday 25 November 1916
Barnsley War Victims
Private William Reader (34), Black Watch of 7 Crookes Street Barnsley, was killed in action on the 14th inst. in the course of a successful attack on the German trenches. He leaves a widow and three children.
His wife Elizabeth was awarded a pension of 26/3 a week on 24/05/1917 to start from 28/05/1917.
Elizabeth remarried in 1924 to George Copley (15/12/1883-1950).