Hunt steps up to find VC hero's Shropshire relatives
Organisers of a centenary tribute to a Victoria Cross hero of the Great War who died in Wellington are following up leads from Shropshire Star readers in their bid to trace living relatives so that they can be invited to the event.
Captain William Allison White, who died at the age of 79 at the Priory nursing home in Wellington on September 13, 1974, had won the VC for epic feats of bravery in battle on September 18, 1918.
A commemorative stone is being laid in his London birthplace on the exact centenary of his VC award, and the team from the London Borough of Merton which is arranging the event made an appeal through the Shropshire Star to find living family members in the county after drawing a blank themselves.
Sarah Gould, the borough's heritage officer, said: "I have already had three separate emails from Star readers who also enjoy genealogical research and they have been extremely helpful in providing additional information.
"We now know that William had a daughter, Daphne James, and a son, Geoffrey. As both of these family members would now be in their 90s, we are not sure if they will still be alive, or in sufficiently good health to travel, but we are trying to track them down and are also looking to see if they have children or grandchildren who might like to attend our commemorative event.
"We also had a lovely email from the Mayor of Wellington, Councillor Cindy Mason-Morris, who has expressed an interest in attending our commemorative service and is also encouraging any Wellington residents with further information about the White family to contact me.
"Some of your local residents have done an amazing amount of genealogical research and I am so grateful. Fingers crossed we will locate some family members to attend our ceremony in September."
Among those who have been on the case has been Mary Rogers of Wellington, who has liaised through the Ancestry website with Gwen Myers, who lives in Australia.
Mary said: "She said: 'Hi Mary, William Allison White was the brother of my husband's mother. Sam, my husband, died just over three years ago and was the last of a family of five sons.
"'Many years ago Sam and I visited William White's daughter Daphne James. She and her husband Royston James lived in Shrewsbury. Unfortunately I don't know if they're still alive.'"
Further research points to a James couple of those names living at Plealey, near Pontesbury. And Captain White's son, Geoffrey, was a senior colonial police officer in Kenya.
Mary said Gwen was hoping that a granddaughter of hers who lived in England would be able to attend to represent the Australian part of the family.
An unresolved mystery is why Captain White was in a nursing home in Wellington. His death certificate gave his occupation as a retired Captain in the Royal Artillery and his "usual address" as 8 St Georges Bungalows, Hildenborough, Kent. After his death his ashes were buried in his wife's grave in Kent.
One theory is that he might have come from Kent to Wellington in the very last period of his life to be nearer his daughter - but if that was the case, why was he not in a nursing home in Shrewsbury, which is much nearer to Plealey?
Anyone who can help with more information about Captain White's Shropshire relatives can contact either us and we'll pass the information on, or Sarah direct at Merton Heritage Centre on 020 8545 3239 or local.studies@merton.gov.uk by email.
