William James Duke

William James Duke was Donald William Duke's Dad

Born 17 July 1895 to James William Duke and Esther Eleanor Duke (nee Holloway) and died  10 August 1953

(Picture taken 1950 William and Minnie on the path from The Buddle Inn down to St Catherine's lighthouse.)

On 22 June 1918 William Duke married Minnie Dorothy Walsh (1894 - 1986) at St Olaves London.

Two things of interest on this document.

1) It states that Williams father James William Duke is deceased and

2) William Duke is in the Royal Air Force.

This year 2018 the Royal Air Force is celebrating 100 years in existence which suggests that my Grandfather was in the RAF in the year of inception.

Significant 1918 dates 1st April 1918 RAF formed 22nd June 1918 Married and 11th November 1918 First World War ends.

On April 1, 1918 the Royal Air Force (RAF) is formed with the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British Navy and Army as a separate military service with its own ministry.

William started his military service on 17 June 1916 in the Royal Navy. He served at President 11 base which was an accounting base for London with locations at Crystal Palace, Withnoe and Cranwell.  This is consistent with his subsequent career as an accountant at Lloyds of London.  His last base was HMS Deadalus at Lee-on Solent . The base was opened in 1917 and transferred to the RAF in 1918. 

His service record number was F16853 and on transfer to the RAF all service numbers dropped the F and added the number 2 to the front. His RAF service number was 216853.  A search online of the national archive Kew says that he was in general administration.

The 1901 census records Esther Duke having 2 sons William age 5 and Sydney John Duke age 3. (Had James already died?)

In the 1911 census Esther had remarried and was now Ackerman with two further young children and the Duke boys shown as Step Children.

Sydney John Duke (26 March 1898 - December 1979) married Winfred Breden and had one son James T Duke.

Ian and Rosemary Duke repeating the picture in August 2018 on the road down from The Buddle Inn to St Catherine's Lighthouse