Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of the late Captain Archibald Campbell Steuart Blackett (Royal Navy), and his wife Clara Blanche Harriett, living on her own means, born 1847 in Pimlico, London. William Stewart Burdett Blackett was born in 1873 in South Kensington, London, his siblings were Catherine M. S., born 1879 in Dover, Kent and May B., born 1883 in Bath, Somerset, also residing with the family were his maternal aunt, Edith J. Burdett, born 1861 in Oxted, Surrey, in April 1891 the family home was at The Cottage, Park Avenue, Charlton, Dover, Kent, in the Ecclesiastical Parish of SS. Peter and Paul. In April 1911 William was Living on his own means and was residing in the family home at Manton, Rutland together with his wife of three years Prudence, born 1887 in Staplestown, Carlow, Ireland and their son Christopher, born 1909 in Morcott, Rutland. The family background is as follows:- William was the eldest son of the late Captain Archibald Campbell Steuart Blackett (Royal Navy), and his wife Clara Blanche Harriet, who was the eldest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Sedley Burdett, Coldsteam Guards, and nephew and heir of Christopher Edward Blackett of Arbigland, Dumfries, J.P., Lieutenant Colonel 26th and 93rd Regiment’s and Coldstream Guards (a cadet of the family of Blackett of Wylam, Northumberland. He was educated at Wellington and Sandhurst, and joined the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards on the 8th May 1895, becoming Lieutenant on the 12th February 1898 and Captain in 1901. He served through the South African War 1899 – 1902, in the 8th Division under General Rundle, and was present at the Battle of Biddulphsberg, and received the Queen’s Medal with two clasps. He retired in 1903, but on the outbreak of war joined the Leicestershire Yeomanry, and was gazetted on the 15th August 1914. He went to France with the Expeditionary Force, and was wounded in action near Ypres on the 20th November 1914 and died in a French Hospital in Poperinghe on the 24th November. He married at Staplestown Church, Co. Carlow on the 6th April 1907 Kathleen Prudence Eirene of Arbigland, Dumfries. She was the daughter of Beauchamp Frederick Bagenal of Brackberry House, Co. Carlow, D.L. and had a son born on the 27th April 1908, Christopher William Stewart Blackett, now of Arbigland, Dumfries.
The War Diary records: 19/20 Nov-14 - IN TRENCHES. Trenches taken over about 7.00pm 19th November. Light night, snow on the ground, hard frost. 1st LIFE GUARDS on right flank. No night attack. German shelling began in the morning. YEOMANRY trenches escaped, but two trenches on the right flank occupied by the 1st LIFE GUARDS blown out. 5 Yeomen in our extreme right dug out driven out and retired with some of the 1st LIFE GUARDS. No YEOMANRY casualties in advanced trenches all day. Party relieved by FRENCH troops at 9.00pm and marched back to billets. Support trench occupied by machine gun section, heavily shelled, regret to report Captain BLACKETT dangerously wounded, both guns put out of action, gun teams escaped.
The War Diary records: 24 Nov-14 - ST. SYLVESTRE. Captain W. S. B. BLACKHETT died in hospital in POPERINGHE. Horse’s lines exercised under Squadron Leaders.
On Friday December 4th 1914 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – LEICESTERSHIRE YEOMANRY OFFICER KILLED.- The list of casualties announced by the official Press Bureau on Monday, included the name of Lieutenant W. S. B. Blackett, Leicestershire Yeomanry. Lieutenant William Stewart Burdett Blackett, of Aroigland, Dumfries, who died of wounds at Poperinghe on November 24th, was formerly captain in the Grenadier Guards, but had retired from the active list. On the outbreak of the war he joined the Leicestershire Yeomanry, being gazetted at the end of August. He was the son of the late Commander Archibald Campbell Stewart Blackett, R.N., and was born in 1873. He married in 1907, the youngest daughter of Mr. B. F. Bagenal, of Benekerry House, Co. Carlow. Earlier members of the family were William Blackett, of Hoppyland, who was British Envoy at the Court of Sweden in the 17th century, and Christopher Blackett, an officer in the army of Charles I.
On Friday December 4th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL CASUALTIES.” -THE ROLL OF HONOUR. – Lieutenant W. S. B. Blackett, Leicestershire, died of wounds, joined the Yeomanry on the outbreak of war, being gazetted at the end of August.
On Friday May 28th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” - CAPT. BLACKETT’S WILL. – Capt. William Stewart Burdett Blackett, Grenadier Guards, of Manton Grange, Oakham, Rutland, and Arbigland, Dumfries, who died of wounds at Poperinghe, Belgium, on Nov. 24th last, aged 41 years, left unsettled estate of the gross value of £188,611 18s. 2d., with net personality £187, 430 15s. 9d. Probate of his will and codicil, both dated Aug. 7th 1914, is granted to Arthur Edward Blackett, of Lockburn Hall, Warlington, Durham. The testator left to his wife, Kathleen Prudence Eirene Blackett, £1000, wines and stores, the use of his furniture and household effects, and his annuity of £1,500, in addition to the provision already made for her by settlement. To his younger children he left £5,000 to be equally divided amongst them, and to his stud groom Paddison £200. The residue of his property is to be held in trust for his wife until his eldest son attains the age of 21 years, when £500 per annum is to be paid to such son till he reaches the age of 25, and then for him absolutely. Should he leave no son who live to attain that age, the property is to be held in trust for his wife for life and then for his other children, and, on failure of issue, the eldest son of his cousin, Col. Edward U. Blackett, of Wylam Hall, Northumberland.