Story
William was a baker just two months short of his 41st birthday when he volunteered to serve on 9 December 1915. He joined an Army bakery company. Lord Kitchener's 'Your Country Needs You' campaign to encourage enlistment had not managed to keep pace with the number of voluntary recruits needed and the following month conscription was introduced for single men between 18 and 41. William attested just before he would have been called up. William, being married, however, would have been exempt at the time, although in May conscription was extended to married men. He was mobilised on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1916. He served in the Army Service Corps (regimental number 158602) and was posted to France on 24 September 1917. He served in the 6th Field Bakery Company. (An ASC Bakery company was reported to be able to produce enough bread for more than 20,000 men. Because of the nature of their work they did not set up these bakeries near the front and many were based in locations like Rouen and Abbeville. Some were a little nearer the front at, for example, in St Omer and Hazebrouck.) Pte Bishop remained with the Army before being demobbed on 14 March 1920. Private Bishop, who was of stocky build being 5ft 6ins tall and with a 39.5ins chest, lived at 3 Seaview Villas in Upper Parkstone. Born in Chard, Somerset and baptised on 30 March 1875, he was one of five children of Nancy and James Bishop, who, by 1881, was working as a dairyman at Membury, near Axminster, Devon. By 1901, aged 26, he had moved to Broadstone, in Poole, and was a boarder at the Post Office in Wimborne Road. Although a lodger, he was registered as an elector at that address. He worked as a journeyman baker and confectioner. On 28 September 1903 he married Eva Martha Hardy (born in Southampton) in Broadstone. They had two children, both born in Blandford. First-born was Gertrude Miriam Mary, who was born on 20 June 1905 and her brother William Victor John came along on 13 January 1907. In 1911, William was working as a journeyman baker, an employee, living with his family in a five-roomed property in Wimborne Road, Broadstone. (He was registered as an elector at this address in 1909.) By the time he enlisted, as a master baker, he evidently owned his own business. After the war, both William James and Eva Martha Bishop were on the Dorset register of electors at both 3 Sea Villas, Ashley Road, Poole and, in another year, at Talbot Village, which is today in Bournemouth. By the time of the 1939 Register of England and Wales, however, William and Eva were living at The Links, Blandford Road, Poole. Their occupations were listed as 'Hotel proprietor' and 'Proprietess'. Son William, a butcher, was living with them. Also at the property were three ladies of private means and a 'Retired Clerk in Holy Orders'. Note: The death of a William J. Bishop was registered in Bournemouth in September 1946. He was 71. An Eva M. Bishop's death was registered in Bournemouth in December 1963. She was 89. Were they the same William and Eva? * Please contact us if there are any additions or amendments you wish to make