William, the first child of Isaac and Annie Turner Beardsley, was born in Tupton, Derbyshire on 8th November 1882 and baptised at St Lawrence’s Church, North Wingfield, on 8th July 1883. His father was a police constable at Tupton, although the family moved to Handley Wood near Belper between 1883 and 1891 where Isaac became a farmer. Between 1891 and 1901 the family moved to Whitewells Farm between Belper and Ambergate.
After leaving school, William initially worked on his father’s farm but on 8th November 1901, his 19th birthday, he joined the Derbyshire Police Force at Belper. His record shows that his age was given as 21, he was 5 ft. 10½ in. tall, fresh faced, with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
PC 175 William Beardsley, circa 1901
Soon after his appointment, PC 175 William Beardsley was transferred to Gresley Common, near Woodville and Swadlincote in South Derbyshire.
In May 1904, William was ill and off work for 13 days, and on 9th October he took 6 days off work with diarrhoea. William was on duty on Friday 25th November 1904, but was taken ill with influenza over the weekend, and didn’t return to work. On the following Wednesday, a wire was sent to his parents informing them of his illness, and they immediately travelled to Woodville, where they found him seriously ill. At 2.30 a.m. on Thursday 1st December, William succumbed to an attack of pneumonia and died: he was 22 years old.
William’s body was taken back to the family home in Alderwasley, and his funeral was held on Sunday 4th December at Duffield Cemetery, where he was buried. Said to have been highly respected by a large circle of friends, it was reported that William’s funeral procession ‘was very large, and the journey of five miles was through Belper, where most of the members of the local police force met it and preceded the cortege to the cemetery’. William was said to be ‘of fine physique and a very smart intelligent officer’.
‘In memory of WILLIAM BEARDSLEY, of White Wells, at rest December 1st 1904, Aged 22 Years. Also of ANNIE BEARDSLEY, at rest January 9th 1921, Aged 56 Years. And of ISAAC BEARDSLEY, Husband of the above, at rest February 17th 1933, Aged 72 Years.’
William Beardsley was my first cousin three times removed.