Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Arthur Chawner a grocer, born 1840 in Hinckley, Leics., and his wife Henrietta, born 1844 in Cookley, Worcs. William Henry was born in 1881 in Hinckley, Leics., his siblings were, Alfred P., born 1873, Ethel W., born 1874, Phoebe Caroline, born 1876, Elsie M., born 1879 and Alice G., born 1885, all his siblings were born in Hinckley, Leics., also residing with the family was his cousin Alice A. Dawes, born 1863 in Staffordshire, in April 1891 the family home was at 12, Market Place, Hinckley, Leics. In March 1901 William was employed as a printer’s assistant and was residing in the family home at Station Road, Hinckley, Leics., together with his widowed mother and siblings, Alfred, Ethel, Caroline and Alice.