Harry Williams

Leading Stoker - Service No. K/9109 - Royal Navy

Harry Williams, the son of James Williams and his wife Harriet (Harris), was born 8th August 1891 in Mulbarton, Norfolk. He was the sixth of eleven children born to the couple, all in Mulbarton, Arthur (1881), Walter (1883), Clifford (1885), Frank (1887), Eva (1889), George (1893), Anna (1895), Alice (1898), Sybil (1901) and John (1904). James and Harriet had married in Norwich, Norfolk in 1880 and settled in Mulbarton, on Norwich Road, just around the corner from James' parents who were living by Mulbarton pond, although in those days it was simply referred to as "the pit".

In early 1924 Harry married a widow, Sarah Elizabeth Bedingfield (Prest) in or around North Walsham, Norfolk. Sarah was born on 9th March 1888 in Stalham, Norfolk, the daughter of Walter Prest and his wife Anna (Mileham) and had married John Bedingfield on 17th July 1907 in North Walsham and they lived in Stalham where they had three children between 1907 and 1912. John joined the Royal Engineers in February 1915 and was sent to France where he was unwell and eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis. He was sent back to England and, after six months of treatment, was discharged from the army in September 1916. Despite lengthy treatment, in Kelling and various other hospitals, John never recovered and died in 1919 leaving Sarah to raise their three children, Walter, Henry and Rosa.

Exactly how Harry and Sarah met is unclear but, after their marriage in 1924 they had three more children of their own, Sylvia (1924), George (1927) and Roy (1929), all born in the North Walsham - Stalham area. Harry died in 1957 and Sarah in 1975, both still living in the same area of Norfolk.

Harry William joined the Royal Navy as a stoker, second class, on 28th September 1910, just after his 19th birthday. He signed on for 12 years service. He was promoted to stoker - first class in 1911 and eventually to leading stoker, during the war years, in May 1916. He was eventually discharged on 22nd September 1922 having survived the war, apparently, physically unscathed. Harry's naval service records and medal rolls survive and we know he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

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