• Born: 2 Apr 1884, St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, England
• Christened: 4 May 1884, St. Matthew Silverhill, St. Leonard, Sussex, England ¹
• Married: 1 Apr 1907, Penshurst, Kent, England ²
• Died: 21 Dec 1949, St. Helen's Hospital, Hastings, Sussex, England
• Buried: 24 Dec 1949, St. Leonard, Hollington, Sussex, England ³

  Research Notes:

At the time of the 1911 England Census William Gregory Wenham, age 27, born in St. Leonards Sussex, grocer's porter, and wife of 4 years Kate, age 24, born in Penshurst Kent (mother of 3 children, 1 deceased), were living at 191 Bexhill Road, St. Leonards Sussex. With them were children: Kathleen Hilda (3) of St. Leonards, Henry Gregory (2) of St. Leonards, and step-son William Stephen Newick (5) of Hastings Sussex.

In the 1939 Register William G Wenham (b. 2 Apr 1884), retired electrician's labourer, and wife Kate Wenham (b. 15 Sep 1886), unpaid domestic duties, were living at 95 Willingdon Avenue, Hastings. With them were [children], all single: Kathleen H Wenham (b. 9 Feb 1908), domestic servant, Francis C Wenham (b. 30 Aug 1911), wholesale grocer's assistant manager, Reginald O Wenham (b. 20 May 1913), wholesale grocer's vanman.

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William Gregory Wenham of 95 Willingdon Ave. died aged 65 years (burial record).

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Loss to Labour Party
MR. W. G. WENHAM

The death occurred on Wednesday last week of Mr. William Gregory Wenham, aged 65, of 95, Willingdon-avenue, a well-known figure at Hollington, where he was for many years secretary of the Labour Party for the ward. He was employed by the former Electricity Department of the Corporation until he had to retire owing to ill health.
The funeral took place on Saturday at Hollington Church-in-the-Wood, where a large congregation gathered....
The Rev. J. P. Hart, rector officiated, and the immediate mourners were Miss K. H. Wenham, Mr. R. O. Wenham, Mr. F. C. Wenham, Mr. and Mrs. G. Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Wenham, Mr. J. Newick, Mr. W. Coussens, Mr. and Mrs. Ely, Mrs. Coussens....

AN APPRECIATION.

A Labour Party correspondent writes:—
Just before Christmas, in St. Helen's Hospital, Bill Wenham, of Willingdon-avenue, passed away, mourned by all who were privileged to know him.
Brought up as a Conservative, and at one time active in that cause, Bill Wenham, a manual worker, found himself in the wrong camp. Thereupon actively associating himself with the St. Leonards ward, he succeeded Mr. Phillips as the secretary of the Hastings Labour Party and acted as agent to Miss Isobel Goddard at the General Election.
Unstinting in his efforts to build up the Hastings Labour Party (meetings sometimes finished at 1 a.m.), walking to Hollington with others, Bill was afflicted by a stroke. He survived this misfortune, and totally incapacitated for further work, faced the future. Thus handicapped, he helped revive the then nearly defunct Hollington Ward, where he was living. He brought social life to the Hollington residents by organising the first dances at St. John's Hall, and was agent to the official Labour candidates at every municipal election.
His efforts were crowned with victory by the return of F. G. Philcox to the Council, and subsequently Councillor D. Sargent. Bill had achieved his one purpose in life, to get Labour representation for Hollington, where by now he was a well loved figure, respected and admired by friend and foe.
Fearless in debate, despite his disability, he was for years a member of the Executive and General Committees of the Hastings Labour Party. Those who are now at the helm of the Hastings Labour Party know that it was the devoted work of this old comrade which kept the Party alive in the dark days of political defeat and of war, and made possible the strongest Labour Party in Sussex.
Bill often attended meetings against advice ; never a slacker himself, he demanded action from his mates. He inspired them and he achieved victory. The Labour Party salutes their old comrade. His work lives on. We will not fail him.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 31 Dec 1949, p. 2