McLeod, William
Private
No. SS/1328, 69th Field Bakery, Army Service Corps
Died in service on Sunday 3 June 1917 (aged 56)
Buried:
Kempston Cemetery, Bedfordshire, England (Grave M. 32)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
BIOGRAPHY
In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Debt of Honour Website, the next-of-kin details for Private William McLeod are Isaac and Mary McLeod of Holywood, Co Down.
In other CWGC records there is another next-of-kin mentioned: W.J. Macleod, 2 Balmoral Place, Low Road, Hunslet, Leeds.
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Private William McLeod was born in Liverpool, lived in Liverpool and enlisted in Chester. Private William McLeod (No. SS/1328) served with 69th Field Bakery in the Army Service Corps and he was 56 when he died in Bedford on 3 June 1917. He was buried in Kempston Cemetery, Bedfordshire.
In 1901 William McLeod was a journeyman baker boarding with Thomas and Mary J. Pickup at 5 Baxter Street, Liverpool.
In 1911 William McLeod (aged 49) was living at 67 Canterbury Street, Liverpool with the Harding family (siblings John, Ellen, Isaac, Norah, Jane Alexandra, Joseph, and Margaret). Also living there were Jane, Isaac, Maud, and Ellen Coulter. William McLeod stated that he was born in Holywood, Co Down.
Entry 502522 in the military record of financial disbursements after his death contains a list of those to whom payments were authorised:
- His Sister, Mrs Janet (Jane) Coulter
- His Nephew, James
- His Niece, Miss Fanny McGranaghan
William McLeod was born around 1862 in Holywood, Co Down. At that time the family was using the surname McClurg, and it was only after they moved to England that they adopted the surname McLeod. William’s parents’ forenames were Isaac and Mary.
Some of the following details have been provided by a family member.
Isaac McClurg and Mary Thompson were married on 7 December 1854 in Bangor Abbey Church of Ireland Church. Isaac McClurg, a labourer from Carnalea, Bangor was a son of Robert McClurg, a farmer. Mary Thompson from Carnalea, Bangor was a daughter of Alex Thompson, a farmer.
Isaac and Mary McClurg (nee Thompson) had at least nine children:
Eliza Ann (born 12 October 1855, baptised 17 October 1855 in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church)
Mary (born 1 July 1857, baptised 15 September 1857 in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church)
Robert (born around 1858 at Holywood, Co Down; died 1898 in Liverpool)
James Thompson (born around 1859 at Holywood, Co Down; died May 1889 at Liverpool)
Ellen Mary (born 7 August 1861 at Holywood, Co Down
William (born around 1862 at Holywood, Co Down)
Jane (born around 1863 at Holywood, Co Down)
Isaac Alexander (born 17 January 1868 at Holywood)
Margaret (born 14 May 1871 at High Street, Holywood; died 1889 Liverpool)
Their father, Isaac McLeod died on 19 February 1888 in Liverpool.
Their mother Mary died in 1902 in Liverpool.
William McLeod’s sister, Ellen Mary McClurg, married Joseph McGranaghan on 16 December 1880 in Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church, Belfast. Their daughter, Fanny McGranaghan, was born on 4 October 1881 at 38 Cable Street, Belfast). Joseph McGranaghan died of heart disease on 27 February 1883 (aged 32). The widowed Ellen McGranaghan married George William Harding on 27 July 1890 in St Michael’s Church, West Derby, Liverpool. Her father was named as Isaac McLeod, a baker (deceased). George and Ellen Harding had at least seven children – John, Ellen, Isaac, Norah, Joseph, Jane, and Margaret.
George William Harding died on 8 January 1908 in Liverpool.
The widowed Ellen Harding (formerly McGranaghan, nee McClurg/McLeod) died on 4 June 1916 (aged 58) in Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary.
William McLeod’s sister, Jane McClurg (aged 18), married John Coulter (aged 18), a soldier from Newry, on 4 September 1881 in St Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church, Belfast. John and Jane Coulter had at least three children including Isaac and Maud.
In 1901 and 1911 Fanny McGranaghan was living with the Scott family in Hartington Street, Belfast. Henry Scott and Elizabeth (Bessie) McClurg were married on 3 July 1862 in Magheradroll Parish Church of Ireland Church, Ballynahinch. Elizabeth McClurg was a daughter of Robert McClurg. Fanny was a great niece of Bessie Scott.