Sydney Wilkinson was born in Bartington, near Little Leigh, on 3rd March 1895 and baptised Samuel Sydney on 21st April of that year at Little Leigh. He was the son of Frederick Stephen Wilkinson (born Little Leigh) and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Price) who was born at Eastham on Wirral. The father was a canal lock keeper.
The Census of 1901 showed the family living at Tunnel End in the parish of Aston, near Preston Brook. Sydney’s father was the tunnel keeper on the canal. Sydney had an eight-year-old sister called May.
Ten years later the Wilkinsons were still living in Aston and the father was the canal lock keeper. Sydney was employed as a butcher’s apprentice and May was working as a dressmaker.
It is not known when he enlisted to serve in the Great War, but he became a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps. He was given the service number S4/161760. He was serving in France with the 6th Motor Ambulance Company in 1918 when he fell ill and died of disease (influenza) on 12th November 1918, the day after the Armistice was announced. He was buried in the Grevillers British Cemetery, Grevillers, Pas de Calais, France. He is commemorated on the Aston Memorial.
Sydney Wilkinson was 23 years old when he died.