William Edward Arbuckle

William Edward Arbuckle 1898 – 1979

William was born on 18th September 1898, in Prescot, Lancashire, to parents Archibald and Emma (maiden name unknown). Archibald was a miner, and most of his children were born in Lanarkshire in Scotland, around the Bothwell area. No baptism has been found to date.

In 1901, the family were back in Bothwell, in Douglas Place, but it has proved impossible to find the family in the 1911 Census.

By 1915, Archibald had moved the family to Shepherdswell, living initially at Stanmore Cottage and then from around 1917 in Church Hill.

When searching for William’s War records, there proved to be several William Arbuckle entries in the Medal Rolls, but nothing that gave enough information to tie into this man. Most of the entries showed that the surname Arbuckle was common in Scottish regiments. 

After the War, it is probable that William moved to Eythorne, as this is the parish named as his in his marriage banns. He married Rose Elizabeth Stone on 7th December 1924, but records are contradictory; the marriage either took place in Shepherdswell or Eythorne. They had at least two children.

In 1930, William was living at 4 Hillside but moved to Moon Hill the following year, where he remained until around 1937 when they moved to Millfield Bungalow on the Eythorne Road. The 1939 Register showed that he was employed as a colliery hewer.

Archibald, a widower, and by then working as a gardener, was living with them. William died in the 3rd quarter of 1979 in the Dover district.