Trafford

Born during the June quarter 1891 in the Bolton R.D. - ref: 8c/472, the
eldest son of James & Elizabeth Brown (nee Isherwood).

1901 Census - 791 Chorley Old Road, Bolton.    Son - aged: 9 - born:
Bolton, Lancashire.   Head of household - James Brown - Married - aged: 40
- occ: Drapers Manager - born: Oldham, Lancashire.    Also - Elizabeth
Brown - Wife - aged: 40 - born: Bolton.     Plus 2 younger siblings,
including his brother - Kingsley Brown who was also killed during WW1.

1911 Census - 45 George Street, Altrincham.    Son - aged: 19 - occ:
Warehouse Salesman - born: Turton, Lancashire.    Head of household - James
Brown - Married - aged: 51 - occ: Drapers Shopkeeper - born: Liverpool.
Lancashire.     Also - Elizabeth Brown - Wife - aged: 50 - born: Turton,
Lancashire.   Plus 1 his younger brother - Kingsley Brown who was also
killed during WW1..

Employed by S & J. Watts & Co, Manchester.

Trained at Heaton Park, Grantham & Salisbury.

Letter received from 2nd Lt. Sidney R. Allen of his Bn stated that he (Cpl
Brown) was one of the remainder of 2 sections of their platoon who were
sleeping in a dug-out when at about 12.20 am the roof fell in burying most
of them.  Three men were killed in this incident.    The cause of the
collapse was the severe frost and thaw in the chalk above.

In a long letter, he states that when he arived at the scene, the South
Lancashires were digging furiously trying to locate the buried men.

I am grateful to Gary Fisher for the following batallion circumstances at
the time of William Isherwood Brown's death:-  William was in 'D' company,
16th batallion, Manchester Regiment.   He and 12 others were in a dugout at
North Street - this dugout had not been completed and was not safe. At
13.30 hrs it collapsed & William was killed in his sleep along with Pte
6977 John Cowell, 3 Claran St, Oldham Rd, aged 21 and Lance Corporal 6563
Edward Baldwin Thomas, 21 Carroll Drive, Fallowfield, aged 29.  They were
all buried at 17.00 hrs by the Reverend I.M. Clarke. 

His obituary and photograph of him appears in the 10th March 1916 edition
of the Manchester Evening News.

He was killed a short distance from where his brother, Kingsley was killed
a few months later.  Commemorated on the S & J Watts Ltd Memorial in the
foyer of what is now the Britannia Hotel, Portland Street, Manchester.

M.I. - "Peace perfect peace".

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1917.