Feather,+Willie

Willie Feather

Born 1900 and survived the war. Only child of Alfred ( born 1871 )and Lois nee Staley, ( born 1878 in Newhall Derbyshire ) who married in 1898. Alfred was, in 1881, listed as the youngest son of widow Betty Feather of Marsh. He was a woolsorter and a pianist of great skill. Lois came to work in service locally and became a cook at Gledhow House, the home of John Henry Beaver. She was the daughter of coalminer William and Emma Staley who in 1881 lived in Gresley, Burton on Trent.

Willie was called up just after his 18th birthday in 1918. He served in France as a Private in- -West Yorkshire Regiment. Service number 62314. -Labour Corps. Service number 631433. -Northumberland Fusilliers. Service number 80328. He trained as a motorcycle rider and was on Dispatches and served in the 30th Prisoner of War Detachment In a letter to his friend Dewhirst Heaton ( whose sister Clara he later married ),Willie writes about Armistice Day, 11th November ,when he tells of all the ships in the harbour at Le Havre sounding their fog horns and that for an hour or so " there was'nt half a racket ". Then he tells of a brass band marching down the street followed by streams soldiers of all Allied nations. Willie also had a chance meeting there with another "Oxnoper" Clifford Daley of Uppertown who he hadn't seen for a long time but who hadn't changed a bit.

Willie initially worked in various mills then worked in insurance.

Willie and Clara Sutcliffe Heaton married in 1931 and their only child, Alfred was born in 1940. The family lived at Marsh in the end house on the top row at the Chapel end. They worshipped at Marsh Chapel and served the local community through the Chapel.