Philip Widgery

Bank: Williams Deacon’s Bank

Place of work: London Charing Cross branch

Died: 24 March 1918

Philip Henry Widgery was born in Charlton on 10 October 1885, the son of John Kingdon Widgery, a master mariner with the Cuban Steamship Company and secretary to the National Maritime Club, and his wife Mary Anna (née Closson). He was educated at the City of London School and King's College. He passed the civil service entrance examination, but was not accepted due to an earlier accident with a penknife in his left eye, which had caused a traumatic cataract which had to be operated on.

In May 1904 he went to work for Williams Deacon's Bank at its Charing Cross branch in London. In February 1905 he was placed top in the Commercial Law examination at Cornhill YMCA and in July 1905 passed the Institute of Bankers preliminary exam.

Outside work Widgery was a territorial soldier, a member of the City of London Rifles. When war broke out in 1914 he was mobilised and posted to France. In October 1915 he was promoted from Lance Corporal to Corporal, and transferred to the Middlesex Regiment. In January 1916 he was commissioned in the same regiment. In October 1916 he sustained gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh, but later recovered sufficiently to return to active duty.

Lieutenant Widgery was killed in action in France on 24 March 1918. He was 32 years old and left a widow, Lilian Rebecca.

Philip Widgery is commemorated on a bank war memorial at Hardman Boulevard office, Manchester.