Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Holmes, a frame work knitter, born 1855 in London and his wife Harriett Holmes (nee Buncher, married 1874), a hosiery trade seamer, born 1856 in Wigston, Leics., William was born in 1880 in Wigston, Leics., his siblings were, Mary, a schoolgirl, born 1875, Edward, a schoolboy, born 1876 and Lizzie, born 1879, all his siblings were born in Wigston, Leics., in April 1881 the family home was at Moat Street, Wigston Magna, Leics. In April 1891 William was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Moat Street, Wigston Magna, Leics., together with his parents and siblings, Mary, a hosiery machinist, Edward, a shoe trade riveter, Lizzie a hosiery trade seamer, Lily, a schoolgirl, born 1884, John H., a schoolboy, born 1886, Albert, born 1889 and Edith, born 1891, the latter four siblings were all born in Wigston, Leics., also residing with the family was his widowed maternal grandmother, Mary Buncher, born 1818 in Wigston, Leics. In March 1901 William was employed as a stocking machinist and was residing in the family home at 46, Bell Street, Wigston Magna, Leics., together with his father, now a hosiery manufacturer, his mother and siblings, Lily, a stocking machinist, John a stocking machinist, Edith and Sarah A., born 1894 in Wigston Magna, Leics. In April 1911 William was employed as a hosiery machinist and was residing in the family home at Fleckney Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leics., together with his wife Sarah Jane Holmes (nee Woods, married 1906), born 1882 in Wigston, Leics., and their son William, born 1908 in Kibworth, Leics. In 1913 a daughter Hilda was born in Kibworth, Leics. William was the son of William Holmes, the founder of W. H. Holmes and Son, the Hosiery Factory in Newton Lane, Wigston, Leicestershire, his brother John Henry became an Alderman and Holmes House, a residential home for the elderly in South Wigston was named in his honour. On Friday December 28th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS.” – KIBWORTH. – DEATH FROM WOUNDS. Mrs. W. Holmes, High Street, Kibworth Beauchamp, is officially notified that her husband Private. W. Holmes (37), Grenadier Guards, was wounded in action on December 1st and passed away in hospital on the 7th. He leaves a widow and two children.