William Donnelly

WILLIAM DONNELLY

Private 11659, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)

Died 3rd May 1915 aged 43

Buried Heckmonwike Cemetery

Husband of Ellen Donnelly

Lived 55, Croft Street, Heckmondwike

William Donnelly was born in Crowle, Lincolnshire in 1870, he was the son of John Donnelly an Irish immigrant and his wife Mary who was born in Crowle. By the time William was a year old the family had moved to Elland and from there they moved to Huddersfield. William was a Labourer and had a troubled life as a teenager, he joined the army and was in the East Lancashire Regiment for eight years prior to his marriage to Ellen Cosgrove on January 28th 1907 in Heckmondwike. William and Ellen had two children – Catherine born in 1907 and John born in 1912. In 1911 the Donnelly’s were living in 55, Back Croft Street and William was working as a Mason’s Labourer.

At the outbreak of war William enlisted in the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) – he was 43 years old. He was discharged on 7th November 1914 because of his rheumatism, he died on the 3rd May 1915 and was interred at Heckmondwike Cemetery by the Rev Malcolm Martin on May 5th.{PL-036}

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