William James O'Neill was born in Widnes in 1887. He was the eldest of nine children of William O'Neill, from Hale Bank, and his wife Elizabeth Cunningham from Widnes who married the previous year. Two more children were born before the 1891 Census was taken: Catherine in 1889 and John Henry in 1890. The O'Neill family of five lived at 10 Bridge Street, Widnes. William senior was a steam engine fitter.
By the time the next Census was taken on 31 March 1901, the O'Neill family had moved to 45 Wellington Street, Widnes. Four more children had been born: Annie (1892), Mary Ellen (1894), Julia (1897) and Hugh (1900). Another two children were born soon after: Thomas (1902) and Agnes (1904). Whilst the rest of the family remained in Widnes, young William moved to Thornton some time before the next Census on 2 April 1911. He was recorded in Bleasdale Terrace (now number 35), Trunnah Road, boarding with the family of Joseph Feeney, a locomotive fireman. William had followed his father's trade and was employed as an engine fitter at the Alkali Works.
Before the end of June, William had married Margaret Crahan probably at the Sacred Heart Church on Heys Street. Margaret was the sister of John Crahan, another of the soldiers commemorated on Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial. Margaret's family had also lived in Bridge Street, Widnes before they moved to Thornton in the 1890s. Margaret's father and brother John also worked at United Alkali. After their marriage William and Margaret lived at 24 Ormerod Street. They had two children born in Thornton: Mary Agnes was born on 28 October 1911 and William was born on 12 January 1915.
William's war service record has not survived but we know that he enlisted soon after the outbreak of war. He joined the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and was sent to France with the British Expedition Force. On 8 August 1917, Margaret received official news that he had been killed in action near Ypres on 14 July. He was aged 29. Lance Corporal William James O'Neill, 201672, 1st/4th Battalion, Kings's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment is buried in Plot 3, Row F, Grave 20 at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in West Flanders, Belgium.
In 1920 Margaret remarried to James McGuirk, a chemical labourer at United Alkali. Margaret and James had two children and lived at 8 Edward Street, Burn Naze. She died in 1964 aged 74.
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