William Joseph Minter

1880 - 1948  (67 years)

• Name	William Joseph Minter
  Birth	1 Aug 1880	Walmer, Kent   [1]
  Christening	19 Sep 1880	Walmer, St Mary, Kent   [2]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	601CEAB241F44B7D950385F51232455C0CBD
  Death	1 Jan 1948	Petersfield, Hants   [3]
  Notes	On 25 October 1900, William aged 21 years 2 months, a bricklayer, enlisted with the Dragoons of the Line. He was a tall man, 6ft 3in: in 1900 it was said 'this man is far too much above standard of height for Cavalry of the Line. If desirous he might be submitted .. for Household Cavalry tho' 2" above height for them' However, the O/C at Hyde Park Barracks said 'Too tall, we cannot accept him'. The result was that on 2 November 1900 William signed a request to be transferred to the Royal Engineers. Originally a sapper, service number 125047, he was eventually promoted to Sergeant. He spent time in Singapore (1906 - 08), was in France from 1914 to 1915, then was sent to work in the Cameroons (as Lance Corporal) where he was a railway worker. He was judged to be a 'very superior' platelayer. He was in France again at the end of the war. William left the army in after more than 19 years service and gave his intended future address as 21 Elm Terrace, Petersfield, Hants. William's army service left him partially disabled, suffering from malaria and TB. Next of kin originally noted as father, Joseph Minter, 5 Oakley Terrace, Court Rd, Walmer, later wife Emily, whom he married on 24 April 1905 at P.C. Petersfield, Hants. Two children listed, Emily Lilian born 15 Sep 1906 and Eleanor May born 19 Nov 1909, both at Petersfield. 1911 census: at 8 Reservoir Street, Petersfield, Hants (5 rooms), William Joseph (head, 30, married, bricklayer, L&SW Rly, worker, born Walmer, Kent), Emily (wife, 27, married 7 years, 2 children both living, born Petersfield, Hants), Emily Lillian (daughter, 4y 6m, born Petersfield, Hants) and Elena May (daughter, 1y 4m, born Petersfield, Hants). Form signed William Joseph Minter. The following information was provided by Geoff Knott in December 2012: On 11 March 1919 William was resident in Petersfield at 24 Swan Street. On 8 May 1922 he was awarded 'the British War Medal and the Victory Medal'. Ancestry.com.au - UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 shows that W J Minter, 36, sailor of 24 Swan St, Petersfield, Hants arrived at Plymouth from Duala, Cameroon on the 'Abinsi' on 26 April 1916. 1921 census: at 24 Swan Street, Petersfield, Hants (all MINTER), William Joseph (head, 40y 10m, married, born Walmer, Kent, bricklayer with Holder Builder of Petersfield), Emily (wife, 37y 10m, born Petersfield, Hants), Eleanor (daughter, 11y 11m, born Petersfield, Hants) and Betty* (daughter, 1y 10m, born Petersfield, Hants). Aso two boarders, James DABBS and Herbert WILKS. * Betty was adopted - see discussion below. I have now included her as William's daughter, 1939 Register: at 46 Swan Street, Petersfield U.D., Hampshire Minter, Wiliam J born 1 Aug 1880, married, bricklayer, retired Minter, Emily born 9 Oct 1883, married, unpaid domestic duties Minter, Eleanor M born 19 Nov 1909, single, cook EDWARDS, George born 22 Dec 1863, married, brush maker retired, old age pensioner EDWARDS, Jane born 23 Oct 1869, married, old age pensioner BUTLER, later CLAPSON then MOBEY, Peggy Mavis born 27 Apr 1930, at school January 2013: Email discussions with Geoff Knott indicate that William and Emily adopted a daughter called Betty. Geoff has the following personal recollections about her: The only time I ever saw Betty was once, when I was at school, my mother took Nellie to visit her, and I went along for the car ride. Bet was a resident at Coldeast Hospital near Fareham, which was basically a care home for those with learning difficulties. I stayed in the grounds, but Bet came out as we were preparing to leave, and my impression is that she was about Nell's age. More than that I can't tell you, but if you want to follow it up, it seems that Hampshire Record Office hold the patient records, though I don't know if they are open. [Geoff's mother] (born 1921) remembers that she pieced together Bet Minter's story from things she was told by her mum and others over the years: she was never actually told the full story in one go. It seems that Betty was the illegitimate daughter of a doctor's daughter, born probably between 1909 (Nell's birth) and 1921 (Mum's birth). I guess this must have been in or near Petersfield. The doctor paid William and Em to bring up the child, and she grew up known as Betty Minter, and when the money ceased (possibly at the doctor's death) Betty was placed in a home, and in the 1950's/60's became a resident of Coldeast Colony, an affectionate name for the part of Coldeast Hospital for those who were merely 'backward'. The residents were allowed out, and sometimes walked into the village of Park Gate to go shopping. When Coldeast closed, Betty was transferred to another 'home', in Basingstoke, where Mum once took Nell (Nell couldn't drive, Mum could) - directions - go under the railway bridge and there's a fork in the road: near this fork there was a big house that had been converted into a hostel where Betty lived and looked after herself with ten or a dozen others of similar mental capacity. (Comment - I think this may put the house in the Chapel Hill/Vyne Road area). Mum never kept in touch with Betty, and only played chauffeur to Nell. John Minter added the following: Following up the clues in your email (thanks to your mum by the way!) I talked to someone this afternoon who works at Mayplace House Homeless Hostel in Basingstoke. She made a few suggestions but the one that sounded most hopeful was that until a few years ago there was, she thinks, a house in Vyne Road, possibly number 3, which was used to house a number of people with mental problems. The house is currently being renovated and is owned by the Basingstoke Community Mental Health Service (or something like that). I'll ring a number I've found and see if they can be any help *. I've tried to find the house on Google Streetview but have failed. My contact said it's after the railway bridge, on the left, nearly opposite a shop. * It might be possible to find out more about Betty by submitting an 'Access to Deceased Service User's Record' request to the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust in Southampton. There is a charge for this. One other piece of news is that I've found a Betina Minter, whose death was registered in Basingstoke in July 1992, born 5 October 1919. I can't find a marriage between a Minter and a Betina, or the birth registration of a Betina Minter, and I'm beginning to think that Betina may have been your Betty. February 2025: further to the above, I've now looked at the 1921 census and it includes Betty Minter as William and Emily's daughter, aged 1 year 10 months, born in Petersfield. A summary of the above is included in Betty's Notes. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 (at Ancestry.com): MINTER William Joseph of 46 Swan-street Petersfield Hampshire died 1 January 1948 Administration London 9 March to Emily Minter widow and Eleanor May Minter spinster. Effects £1152 8s 8d. March 2025: from Geoff Knott: "I've now received from probate dept. the records relating to William Joseph Minter, only to find that he died intestate at his home, 46 Swan Street, and that administration was granted to "Emily Minter of 46 Swan Street aforesaid lawful widow and relict of the said intestate and Eleanor May Minter of 46 Swan Street aforesaid spinster.""
  Person ID	I1201	Ickham, Kent
  Last Modified	5 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Joseph M. Minter,   b. Jun 1851, Walmer, Kent d. Sep 1915, Eastry RD (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Mary Jane DRURY,   b. Abt 1849, Deal, Kent d. Mar 1927, Eastry RD (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	Sep 1872	Eastry RD   [1]
  Family ID	F152	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Emily BUTLER,   b. 9 Oct 1883, Petersfield, Hants d. Dec 1956, Portsmouth RD (Age 73 years)
  Marriage	24 May 1905	St Peters, Petersfield, Hants   [1]
  	According to Geoff Knott (December 2012), the witnesses were William Rogers, Alice Stevens and William Butler.
  Children	1. Emily Lilian Minter,   b. 15 Sep 1906, Petersfield, Hants d. Mar 1928, Petersfield, Hants (Age 21 years)   2. Eleanor May Minter,   b. 19 Nov 1909, Petersfield, Hants d. 2 Sep 1981, Petersfield, Hants (Age 71 years)   3. Betty Minter,   b. 5 Oct 1919, Petersfield, Hants d. Jul 1992, Basingstoke RD (Age 72 years)
  Family ID	F173	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Dec 2012

  
  

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  Birth - 1 Aug 1880 - Walmer, Kent Death - 1 Jan 1948 - Petersfield, Hants  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] BMD index. [S44] Cliff Minter from Walmer PR, November 2006. [S3] BMD index, aged 67, Q1 1948 Petersfield 6b/363. (Reliability: 3).