The Armistice, signed on November 11, 1918, would have been received with mixed emotions. Some would have undoubtedly celebrated the war’s end and looked to the future with hope and optimism. For the families of the millions who perished, the Armistice was merely another signpost on their long road of grief and sorrow. The same can be said for the families of Spanish flu victims like William Nicoll Foote.
William died of pneumonia following influenza in the hamlet of Castleton, north Auchterarder, at midnight on November 11, at eighteen. He rests in a familial grave in Auchterarder Muirs Cemetery.
William Nicol Foote was born at 22 West Mill Street, Perth, on October 22 1900, the youngest child of James, a cellarman, and Lillias (nee Nicoll). Five months after his birth, the Footes left Perth and relocated south to Abernethy. By 1911, they had moved to Blackford and resided at Comely Bank. The family had grown further with the arrival of five more daughters. William, then aged ten, was attending school.
At his death, William was working as a forester. His obituary, published in the Strathearn Herald on November 23, stated that he was “much missed” by his family.
Sources: Scotland’s People
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