Passenger killed in the Handley Page V/1500 air-crash.
Walter Henry Hathaway was born on 16 November 1884 in Alderminster, Worcestershire (now Warwickshire), the fifth of the six children of John Henry Hathaway (1847-1901) and Elizabeth Clarke (1845-1933). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1884 in the Stratford-on-Avon Registration District, Warwickshire. His five siblings were: James Edward Hathaway (1873-1957); Arthur John Hathaway (1875-1937); Emily Mary Hathaway (1876-1965); Bryan Hathaway (1879-1932) and Frank Hathaway (1885-1978).
In the 1891 census he is shown as a 9-year-old scholar, living in a four roomed property at 74 Broomfield, Alderminster, Stratford-on-Avon, with his parents, his sister Emily Mary Hathaway and his brother Bryan Hathaway. His father was described as a brickmaker.
When the 1891 census was undertaken he was listed as aged 19 years and a railway porter, boarding at the home of Obed and Mary Walter at 5 Midland Cottages, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire (now South Yorkshire).
On 29 April 1907 he married Minnie Clark (b.1876) at St Mark's Church, North Audley Street, Mayfair, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 25 years, a bachelor and a railwayman, living at 10 Milton Road, West Hendon, Middlesex (now Greater London), whilst his wife was described as aged 31 years, a spinster residing at 112 Park Street, Mayfair, London, the daughter of William Clark.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as a licenced victualler living in a 6 roomed property called the Three Horse Shoes, Limbury, Leagrave, Luton, Bedfordshire, with his wife who was shown as assisting in the business, together with his unmarried niece, Ethel Green, who was a machinist for a straw hat manufacturer.
Our photograph is taken from the Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate that he obtained on 2 May 1916 when he passed his aviation examination on a Grahame-White Biplane at the Grahame-White School, Hendon, Middlesex (now Greater London). He gave his address at the time as the Three Horse Shoes Hotel, Leagrave, Luton.
He died, aged 36 years, on 8 June 1918 whilst as a passenger aboard a Handley Page V/1500 aeroplane, Serial Number B9462, that crashed shortly after taking off from Cricklewood Aerodrome. His death was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1918 in the Hendon Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). Probate records confirm that his address had been 2 Bailey Street, Luton, and that when administration of his estate was granted on 30 August 1918 to his widow, his effects totalled £335-0s-0d.
He is shown as WALTER HATHAWAY on the tablet that is recessed into the pavement outside 21 Garrick Avenue, London, NW11.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
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