Wilfred’s parent’s Charles Wilcock and Annie Jones married in St. Mathew’s Church, Buckley in 1889 (C103/01/E202) and they were living at Rat Trap, Hawarden, Burnt Wood, Cheshire. Charles Wicock, 25 and a Collier, his wife Annie, 23 and their first son Thomas E. Wicock had all been born in Buckley.
The 1901 census see the family living at Ewloe Place, Buckley, Hawarden, Head of the household was Charles 35, a Coal Miner. His wife Annie was 34. (Their son Thomas E. Wilcock was not listed and I found a death of a Thomas Wilcock on the North Wales Birth Marriage and Deaths website in 1891 (HAW/23/76) and wondered if this was him). Their listed children were Wilfred, 9, Walter, 8, William 6, Eliza M 4, Warlow H 2 and baby James W 2 months.
The family was still in Ewloe Place, Buckley, living at No. 8, on the 1911 census. Charles, 46, was an invalid. His wife of 22 years, Annie was 45. Nine children had been borne to them, 1 of whom had died. (See the above Death Cert.for Thomas E. Wilcock) Wilfred 19 and Walter 17 were both Coal Mine Labourers, Underground. Elsie, 14, Wallace, 9, Norman, 7 and Anne, 4, were all recorded on the census.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms Wilfred’s regimental details and also that he was born in Hawarden and enlisted in Buckley. His medal card, also on ‘Ancestry’ details his medals.
Wilfred married Mary E Parrish on the 20th December 1916.
Hawarden Parish Registers – Marriages – Page 241 No 482 20th December 1916,
The register tells us that Charles Wilfred Wilcock who was 25, a bachelor and a Soldier residing in Whitchurch, married Mary Elizabeth Parrish who was 28 and a spinster living in Hawarden.
His father was Father Charles Wilcock, (deceased) & and hers was George Parrish, Labourer.
Banns had been read . Their Witnesses were Thomas Edward Wilcock & Elsie Wilcock ( Wilfred’s brother & sister)
There is an index card for Wilfred in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record office in Hawarden. (Card Buckley F65) It gives the address 13, Ewloe Place. His period of Service was 2 years, 248 days. He was Killed in Action on the 31st July 1917 at Ypres, France. The card was signed by Mrs. Wilcock on the 8th September 1919.
In the County Herald dated 5th October 1917 a List of Casualties was published and Wilfred was among the men who were named as having been killed – Royal Welsh Fusiliers – Wilcock 17382 (Hawarden). There was no initial.
Wilfred is also remembered on the Buckley War Memorial.
Addendum :- 4 years after Wilfred was killed in Action in 1917, a Mary E. Wilcock married an Edward J. Bellis, (1921), again in St. Deniol’s Church in Hawarden. (C106/04/E134)
St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden, – Page 67 No 134 28th September 1921 Edward Joseph Bellis, 47, Widower, Stone Row, Hawarden, Father Thomas Bellis, Gardener & Mary Elizabeth Wilcock 33, Widow, Rose Cottage, Moor, Hawarden. Father George Parish, Smith’s Striker. After Banns. Witnesses:- M.E. Thomas& J.Bellis.
Wilfred’s Brother, Harry Warlow Wilcock, was also in the Army and survived the war. Here is a transcript of his Flintshire WW1 Index Card (Buckley L523) Wilcock,
Harry Warlow, 13, Ewloe Place, Buckley, 75802, 1/5 R. Fus. Pte. Period of Service 1 year and 308 days. Card signed by W.H.Wilcock on the 8th September 1919.
