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Humphreys, Clwyd

There is a Birth Certificate for a Samuel Clwyd Humphreys, (March Qtr 1879, Denbighshire. Volume: 11b Page:  369), however on his Attestation Papers he states he was born in Hawarden, Flintshire.   The birth certificate would have to be purchased to confirm/deny.

I find a small child, Samuel Clwyd Humphreys*, Inmate, age 2, born in Denbigh, Denbighshire in the Broughton Workhouse in Hawarden, Flintshire on the 1881 census.   He was still in the Broughton Workhouse in 1891, but I lose him for 1 census (1901)   John Thomas & Susan Dodwell were the Governor and Matron, just as they had been in 1881, this time, Clwyd was age 12 and a scholar and this census states that he had been “born in the ‘Lunatic Asylum’, Denbighshire.

Clwyd enlisted into the Army in 1897, so he will be listed with them on the 1901 census, which I haven’t found up to now.

On the 1911 census Clwyd Humphrys is a Boarder at 25 Wellington St., Shotton,  Flintshire with the Jellicoe family, Head of their household was Joseph, 41, a Case Maker, born in Brimstage, Cheshire, his wife Jane, 32, and Nellie their daughter age 14 had both been born in Heswall.   Their other children,  Joseph, 9, Jessie, 7 and James 5 had all been born in Shotton, Flintshire.   Clwyd was a Galvanizer Packer, age 30, single and had been born in Denbigh as on the 1881 census. His was a sad tale,bless him.

*There is no sign of his older brother Samuel, who Clwyd listed as his next of kin on his Army documents, and curiously was also named Samuel.

It seems that the Jellicoes’ took him under their wing as Clwyd shares their grave, they must have loved him very much, looking at the inscription on the gravestone, however I cannot find any family connection.   Joseph Jellicoe himself was also in the Army, there is a Flintshire WW1 Index Card for him (Shotton L128), but he was discharged because of his deafness.   His address on the card was 25, Wellington Street, Shotton and he signed the card on the 25th January 1921.  Any help would be appreciated.

Clwyd Humphreys’s Army Pension Records exist and are accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk They tell us that he first enlisted in the  Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Wrexham on the 30th November 1897. He was 18 years and 10 months old and his occupation was ‘labourer’. His older brother Samuel Humphreys of Shotton was named as his next of kin. He served with the regiment in China from 30th November 1898 until the 19th August 1902. He was discharged as being medically unfit for army service on the 3rd December 1902, when he was 23 years old.

And yet, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers took him back again. He re-enlisted in Wrexham on the 2nd September 1914 when he was 36 years old. His trade at that time was a ‘Packer’. He was declared ‘fit’ for army service. He served in the Expeditionary Force in France from 23rd November 1914 to 2nd January 1915 and then approx. 6 months from the 21st April 1915 to the 4th October 1915 as part of the British Expeditionary Force. (His medal card accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms his regimental details and lists his medals. It adds that he first entered a Theatre of War (in WW1) on the 23rd November 1914. (France).

On the 8th February 1916 he was once again discharged for being physically unfit for war service. He was found to be suffering from an aortic aneurysm and had suffered from chest pains for some time. He was 36. The address  that he was discharged to was 25 Wellington Street, Shotton, the home of Joseph & Jane Jellicoe.

Clwyd Humphreys died on the 10th September 1916, just seven months after his discharge. He was buried in St Deiniol’s Churchyard in Hawarden.   He was buried on the 14th September 1916 age 37 years (Page 22 No. 169 – Taken from the Parish Registers), his address was given as 25, Wellington Street, Shotton.

Clwyd Humphreys in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that he died after Discharge and the sole Legatee was Mrs. Jane JELLICOE, who was paid his War Gratuity of £6. 0s 0d on the 10th February 1920.  (Was his older brother Samuel dead, for him to leave his effects to Mrs. Jane Jellicoe?)

 

St Deniol’s Churchyard, Hawarden. C.2. North Extension ( 1912)   West side. Stone Cross (detached and recumbent) on 3 stepped bases.

Jane Jellicoe died Dec. 15th 1952, aged 76 years.  “In Heavenly Love Abiding.”   Also Joseph Jellicoe, died June 18th 1959, aged 89 years.  “In God’s Keeping.”

North Bases – In Loving Memory of John Kitchener, beloved son of Joseph & Jane Jellicoe died Oct. 4th 1926 aged 11 years & 9?  “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.”.

East – In Loving memory of Clwyd Humphreys of Shotton, who gave his life for his King & Country and took his final Discharge Sept. 10. 1916, age 37 years.  “One less at Home, the charmed circle broken – a dear face. missed day by day from it’s usual place, but cleansed, saved, perfected by Grace, one more in Heaven.”

Ref (St. Deniol’s Churchyard -Monumental Inscriptions Volume 111 – Lovelock. – Page 23) and also on the Imperial War Museum’s -Memorial Project – http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/60280

Clwyd Humphreys is not included in The Commonwealth War Grave Commission database but he was included in the names on the Connah’s Quay/Shotton Cenotaph, the Memorial Screen at St. Ethelwold’s Church, Shotton and the Hawarden War Memorial.

Any help would be gratefully received.


Learn more about the other soldiers on the Connahs Quay and Shotton War Memorial

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