William John Cash 1894 – 1983
William, twin of John William, was born on 19th July 1894, to Edward Henry or Edwin Henry (found both of these as versions in records but definitely the same man) and his wife Ada Alice Annie (née Underdown). He was baptised at St Peter and St Paul in River at the same time as John, on 9th September that year. There were five other siblings and they lived together in Minnis Lane with their maternal grandmother until somewhere between 1911 and 1915, when Edward relocated the family to Shepherdswell.
It is not certain which service William joined in the War but likely either that he served as a driver in the Royal Army Service Corps, or joined the Royal Field Artillery, as did his twin, as men with the same name have been found, although there are no details to be sure which one is the correct man.
Following the War, William married Kate Bean in the Spring of 1922, following Banns, at St Andrew’s in the village.
By 1937, they were living at ‘Wilbeth’ in Westcourt Lane, and the 1939 Register showed that William was a charge-hand at the colliery, where he worked as a stoker. He was also a part-timer in the ARP.
Both of his parents died in 1943, within 3 days of each other, and are buried in the village churchyard.
William died on 10th January 1983, when his address was given as 48/50 Lower Road, River, which was very close to where he had lived as a child.