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William Donald was born in 1908 to parents William (2) Woodhurst and his wife Sarah Ann. His birth certificate [Birth Index: Hackney 1b 416, 1908 (Dec)] states that he was born on November 18th 1908 at his parents' address 41, Clifden Road in Clapton. His father, occupied as a commercial traveller, was the informant.
The site author possesses a photograph of William Donald as a small boy with his father, probably taken around 1912-13.
He married Edna Clara Gibbons in 1937 [Marriage Index: Edmonton 3a 2642, 1937 (Sept)]. She was born on December 26th 1911 [Birth Index: W. Ham 4a 740, 1912 (March)]. Her mother's maiden name was O'Connell. For some period her father was a pig farmer.
His father bought for him a shop, with two flats above it, in Homerton High Street.
He did not possess a very strong constitution, and upon becoming ill with kidney problems it was discovered that he had only one kidney, contributing to his relatively early death.
He died in 1969. The death certificate [Death Index: Hackney 5b 545, 1969 (March)] states that he died aged 60 on February 6th 1969 at Hackney Hospital, and describes him as a general stores proprietor of 139, Homerton High Street, E9. The informant was his sister-in-law Doris E. Shewry of 13, Cantley Gardens in Barkinside, presumably a sister of Edna Clara. The cause of death was certified as 1(a) cardiac arrest, (b) respiratory failure and (c) chronic bronchitis. Barkinside is a subdistrict of Redbridge Borough to the east of Hackney. The 1969 Electoral Register for that area [LMA: Piece GLC / PER / B / 3450] shows the occupants of 13, Cantley Gardens (Polling District L(N), Aldborough Ward) as Doris E. Shewry and Charles G. Shewry (presumably her husband).
Subsequently Edna Clara, who did not remarry, moved to Canvey Island where she had relatives and bought a bungalow there. She died at Southend in August 1995 and was buried in Chingford Cemetery in Essex.