William Docksey was born on the 17th March 1891 at 19 New Street, Burslem, Staffordshire, to parents John Docksey, born 1857, Bucknall, Staffordshire, and Mary née Lindop, born 1871 at Burslem, Staffordshire. John and Mary were married at Cobridge Christ Church on the 1st April 1888. They would have 7 children, George born Burslem 24.01.1889, John born and died 1890, William born Burslem 1891, Frederick born Burslem 1893, Maud born Burslem 10.11.1894, John Thomas born and died 1900 and Fanny born Burslem 20.03.1901.

The 1891 Census records John and Mary living at 19 New Street, Burslem. John is a 32-year-old Brewery Labourer, and Mary is a 19-year-old Pottery Teapot Spout Maker. They have 2 children, George, aged 2, and William, aged 1 month.

The 1901 Census records John and Mary living at 18 New Street, Burslem. John is now a 43 year old Brewery Labourer, Mary no occupation. They have 4 children, George aged 12, William aged 10, Frederick aged 8, and Maud aged 5. There is also a lodger, Charles Docksey, born in Hanley, a 20-year-old nephew working as a Potter's Presser.

The 1911 Census (1) records reveal that William is now living with his uncle and aunt, Frederick Malkin (42), working as a Batter Out Potter, Jane Malkin (42), working as a Pottery Sponger, and cousin May (12), a scholar at 63 Station Road, Longport. William (20), single, working as a Potter's Placer.

The 1911 Census (2) records John Docksey and wife Mary now living at 28 New Street, Burslem. John is a 54-year-old brewery labourer, and Mary has no occupation and is described as feeble-minded. They have 3 children living with them, Frederick (18), a Labourer in pipe works, Maud (15), and Fanny (9).

In 1912, William married Ellen Lowndes at St John Church, Burslem. They welcomed twins Ellen and William in 1915; sadly, baby Ellen died as an infant. There is further sadness when their surviving child died aged 3 of bronchopneumonia and meningitis on the 1st April 1918; he is buried in Burslem Cemetery. 

William was killed in action on the 3rd October 1918 whilst serving as Corporal 201698 of the 1/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment. He had previously held service number 5369 1/5th North Staffordshire Regiment as well as 2/6th N. Staffs Regt. It was most likely that he had been a territorial soldier. His medal index card indicates that he entered France on or after the 1st January 1916, as he was entitled only to the British War Medal and Victory Medal. The battalion war diary reveals that the battalion was involved in many actions during 1918. At the beginning of October, they went into the attack at the Battle of the Beaurevoir Line (Oct 3–5), during which they suffered 5 killed. 

WW1 Pension Cards provide an address of 59 Station Road, Longport, and his next of kin is his wife, Ellen Docksey. 

Reports in the Staffordshire Sentinel of the 7th January 1919:  Official news has reached Mrs. Ellen Docksey, 59, Station-Street, Longport, that her husband, Corpl. W. Docksey was killed in action on October 3rd. Before enlistment, he was employed by Messrs. Doulton, Burslem. A brother has been killed in action.

Sadly, Ellen Docksey is recorded as having died aged 25 in 1920 of Pulmonary Tuberculosis. On her death certificate, her deceased husband, William Docksey, is described as a Corporal North Staffordshire Regiment/Biscuit Placer, and Ellen a Tile Maker. Her address remains 59 Station Road, Burslem. Ellen is buried in Burslem Cemetery. 

William is buried in the Montbrehain British Cemetery, France, grave ref A.2.  He is also remembered on the Royal Doulton WW1 Memorial, Kilngate.

William's younger brother Frederick, also served in WWI and was also killed in action. He was Private GS/10599 of the 12th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was killed in action on the 15th April 1917 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial Bay 3. From his medal index card, we can see he entered France on the 1st September 1915 and was entitled to the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. His mother, Mrs Mary Docksey of 28 New Street, being his next of kin. 

There is a record with the Red Cross Grand Guerre of his dog tags being transferred, but there is no record of him being captured. It is possible his tags were found by German soldiers and eventually returned. 

“Nachstehend aufgeführte Kennungemarken wurden von 8.D. (Zentralstelle Beschlagnahmen) ohne nähere Angaben überwiesen, 10.7.17.”

(The identification marks listed below were received from 8.D. (Central Office. Bschlsennchen) without further details, 10 July 1917.)

A report in the Staffordshire Sentinel dated 10th May 1917 

Mr. and Mrs. J. Docksey, 28, New Street, Burslem, have received news that their son, L.Corpl. Fred Docksey, Royal Fusiliers, has been killed in action. Before his enlistment, he was employed at the Bycon Pipe Works. He has two brothers and a brother-in-law in the Army.

There is mention in this Sentinel Newspaper report that another Brother was serving, but we have not found any records for George Docksey. George Docksey (22), a Labourer Pipe Works, can be found on the 1911 census married to Eliza nee Foster (25), a Basin Sponger living at 37 New Street, Burslem, with baby Annie and boarder Arthur Shepherd (18), single, Earthenware Kilnman. George and Eliza married in 1907 and by the 1911 census had 4 children, 3 of whom had died. 

The 1921 census shows George (32) working as a Marl Works Labourer, Eliza (35), Annie (11), George (8), Frederick John (7), William (6), and Eliza (5) living at 35 New Street, Burslem. 

William's brother-in-law, Leonard Kelsall, was born in 1894 at Hanley. He married Maud Docksey at St Paul's Church, Burslem, on 14th March 1915. He served as Pte 55311 of the 1/8th Battalion Scottish Rifles. He had enlisted on the 7th July 1915, was mobilised on the 5th January 1917, and transferred to reserve on the 18th November 1919.

He was wounded by a gunshot wound to the face, not serious, on the 3rd April 1918. He had entered France on the 2nd May 1917 and earned the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Leonard and Maud had 3 children during his time of service: Leonard, born in Burslem on 5th August 1915, Ethel, born in Burslem on 22nd April 1917, and Frederick William, born in Burslem on 24th January 1919. 

The 1921 census shows Leonard Kelsall (25) a Potters Placer for Doultons and Maud (24) their three children Leonard (5), Ethel (4) and Frederick William (2) living with John Docksey (63) a Marl Work Labourer and Mary Docksey (50), Fanny Docksey (19) a Potters Sponger for Wood and son Burslem, at 28 New Street Burslem. 

In 1932, John Docksey died, and by 1933, Williams' sister Annie Docksey had married Joseph Dixon. The following year, in 1934, Mary Docksey died.

The 1939 register shows George Docksey living at 152 Moorland Road, Burslem, still working as a Marl Work Labourer with his wife Eliza, sons Frederick and William, both Coal Miners, daughter Brenda born 26.09.1924, a Tile Fettler, and son John born 24.12.1928 at school. 

The 1939 register shows Leonard Kelsall (5.09.1894) a Potter Placer and wife Maud Kelsall living at 111 Sherwin Road with daughter Maud (24.12.1924) single, working in a Pottery Warehouse, son Arthur (30.03.1926) at school, also living with them Fanny Docksey, single, a Potter Cup Maker and Joan Docksey (30.09.1937). 

SOURCES.

• Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014
• FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 2162; Folio: 4; Page: 1; GSU roll: 6097272
• 1901 census Class: RG13; Piece: 2593; Folio: 131; Page: 15
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
• The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12619, ED 5, Sch 539; Book: 12619
• The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5281F
• Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
• Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 062/0267/Dob-Dod
• https://www.fold3.com/image/324252410/docksey-william-page-2-uk-wwi-british-army-medal-roll-index-cards-1914-1920?terms=docksey%2C201698
• NATIONAL ARCHIVES WAR DIARY WO95-2685-2-03
• COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH JOHN DOCKSEY HAN/019/039
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD DEATH JOHN DOCKSEY FEN/7A/084
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH MARY LINDOP BUR/056/048
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD DEATH MARY LINDOP STO/35A/015
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH GEORGE DOCKSEY BUR/099/026
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH WILLIAM DOCKSEY BUR/104/059
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH FREDERICK DOCKSEY BUR/110/050
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH MAUD DOCKSEY BUR/116/044
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD BIRTH FANNY DOCKSEY BUR/135/033
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD MARRIAGE JOHN+MARY 06/05/105
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD MARRIAGE WILLIAM+ELLEN 3/12/143
• STAFFORDSHIRE BMD DEATH ELLEN DOCKSEY BUR/108/078
• THE WAR GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECT.