Ralph Woodhall

Bank: Williams Deacon’s Bank

Place of work: Manchester Mosley Street branch

Died: 3 June 1915

Ralph Woodhall was born in Wigan on 5 July 1892, the first son of John Woodhall, a grocery assistant, and his wife Jane. He was educated at the National Bluecoat School and at Wigan Grammar School. He later went to work for Williams Deacon's Bank, and in 1913 passed the final examination of the Institute of Bankers.

In September 1914 Woodhall left his job at the bank's Manchester Mosley Street branch to go on military service as a Private in the Manchester Regiment. Almost immediately he went with his battalion to Egypt, where they remained until the following May, when they were moved to the Dardanelles. He was killed in action there on 3 June 1915. He was 22 years old.

The general manager of Williams Deacon's Bank wrote a letter of condolence to Woodhall's father, noting that the bank had foreseen a bright future for Woodhall, considering him 'capable of undertaking more and more responsible work, and rising to important positions in the service of his bank...our bank is poorer because of his untimely withdrawal from its active list.'

Ralph Woodhall is commemorated on a bank war memorial at Hardman Boulevard office, Manchester.