Percival Hurlbutt is the brother of Charles Hurlbutt who is remembered on the Connah’s Quay and Shotton Cenotaph, but unlike Charles, Percival did fight in the War, yet he is not remembered on the Hawarden Memorial, but I have now found a Plaque in St. Deniol’s Church, but the question is why was he not added to Hawarden War Memorial as there are numerous stained glass windows etc dedicated or presented by the Hurlbutt family in St. Deniol’s Church.
Imperial War Museum – Memorial Project – http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/13447
Located in St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden.
Description
Bronze Plaque Regimental Crest And Unknown Crest In Relief At The Top Of The Plaque. Foliate Border With Greek Cross At Each Corner Within A Square. Four Small Bands Of Foliate Design Within The Inscription
Inscription
TO THE / GLORY OF GOD / AND / IN LOVING MEMORY OF / PERCIVAL HURLBUTT / CAPTAIN, MONTGOMERYSHIRE YEOMANRY / WHO DIED 8TH JUNE 1918, / FROM THE EFFECTS OF FEVER CONTRACTED / WHILE ON ACTIVE SERVICE IN PALESTINE / WHERE HE WON THE MILITARY CROSS / “FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY” / THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY / HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. / “MAKE HIM TO BE NUMBERED / WITH THY SERVANTS.”
Photo thanks to Mike McQuaid
County Herald 6th July 1917
Percival lived in Leighton in Montgomeryshire and he fought in the war and was killed. He is not named on the Connah’s Quay cenotaph or the Hawarden one. He was, however, buried in Hawarden Churchyard whereas Charles was buried in Connah’s Quay Cemetery. Percival no longer lived in Flintshire and thought he might perhaps be named on the memorial in Leighton, however I have not found him on the Leighton, Montgomery War Memorial, (Leighton / Tre’r-Llai;).
Percival was born 1st January 1878 to Henry & Mary J. Hurlbutt (nee Davison) who on the 1881 census was living at Dee Cottage, Hawarden. Please click on the link to read the family history through to 1901 and the connection to Charles.
Percival was at Harrow by 1892 as the HARROW School Registry, January 1892 tells us:- Page 632 – Hurlbutt, Percival, son of H. Hurlbutt, Esq. Dee Cottage, Queen’s Ferry, Flint. (Mr. Griffiths).
HURLBUTT, Percival – Harrow
Great Britain Army War List, January 1893 – Volunteer Battalions’ tells us that on the Index to Officers on the Active List, among the Captains was HURLBUTT, H. , p. 23 June 01 and among the 2nd Lieutenants was HURLBUTT C.p.27 June 01. These, I believe to be his brothers.
Many thanks to the Invision 1914-1918 website, Forum members, who have been enormously helpful with lots of my research – http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php
Wisdens have an Obituary entry:-
HURLBUTT, CAPT. PERCIVAL, M.C. (Montgomeryshire Yeomanry) died in a private nursing-home at Chester of illness contracted on active service on June 8, 1918, aged 40. Played for Montgomeryshire.
Educated at Harrow, on the school memorial of those dying between 10 April 1918 and the end of the War.
The London Gazette notes his commissioning as a Second Lieutenant:
7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers; the undermentioned to be Second Lieutenants: — Percival Hurlbutt. Dated 9th August, 1914.
and then on 29 September 1914 :-
Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. The undermentioned to be Second Lieutenants : —
Percival Hurlbutt. Dated 14th September, 1914.
He’s next mentioned
Montgomeryshire: Lieutenant Hubert F. Cornabe to be temporary Captain. Dated 10tlh March,.1915.
The undermentioned Second Lieutenants to be temporary Lieutenants: — Dated- 10th March, 1915.
Percival Hurlbutt; and again
4th October 1915. Montgomeryshire.
Lieutenant Percival Hurlbutt to be temporary Captain. Dated 11th September,1915.
The London Gazette carries his award of the Military Cross 1st January 1918, but whether that was for a specific act of bravery isn’t detailed.
Officers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 – Percival Hurlbutt is named in the book on page 223 – HURLBUTT, Percival, M.C., Hon. Capt., Died 6/8/18 (www.naval-military-press.com)
The London Gazette 13 March 1918 might refer to a relative with the Manchester Regiment…
Manchester Regt.—2nd Lt. G. A. Davies Colley to be Lt., next below Lt. R. A. Thornton. 18th July 1917.
Lt. G. H. A. Hawkins to be Capt., with precedence as from 12th Feb. 1917, next above Capt. E. S. Hurlbutt, M.C., and to remain seconded. 4th Aug. 1917.
Some references show him as Edgar Simon Hurlbutt, perhaps not related after all…… (Edgar Simon Hurlbatt died 27 March 1918 in France as A/Lt Col. 6th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers)
Percival Hurlbutt Flints. Obs. 13th June 1918
National Probate Calendar: Hurlbutt, Percival of Whitehouse, Leighton in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire. M. C. died 8 June 1918 at 26 Nicholas Street, Chester. Probate London 12 November to Frances Hurlbutt and Ethel Hurlbutt spinsters. Effects £11,981 18s 6d.
I find it a mystery why the family of Percy didn’t have his name added to the list of casualties on the Connah’s Quay Cenotaph or Hawarden War Memorial as he was buried in St. Deniol’s Churchyard, not a million miles away from his one time home in Hawarden, Wold House.
The family had gone to great pains to have a stained glass window erected at St. Mark’s Church for Charles, but didn’t do anything for Percy. Getting special permission from the Bishop of the time. However, they did have a Plaque put in St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden for Percy.
Ironically, the HURLBUTT Family were living in “Wold House”, in Hawarden on the 1871 census, and he was born in Hawarden, I believe. The War Memorial is set to the right of the house on a corner, possibly on part of their land at one time, yet Percival wasn’t put on the Hawarden War Memorial either. Another mystery.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 about Percival Hurlbutt – Probate Date: 12 Nov 1918 -Death Date: 8 Jun 1918Death Place: Montgomeryshire, Wales (This is not correct as he died in Chester., see Death Certificate details below) – Registry: London, England
HURLBUTT, Percival of Whitehouse Leighton in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire M.C. died 8th June 1918 at 26, Nicholas Street, Chester. Probate, London 12th November to Frances Hurlbutt and Ethel Hurlbutt Spinsters. Effect £11,981 18s 6d.
England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 about Percival Hurlbutt – Birth Date: abt 1878 -Date of Registration: Jun 1918. Age at Death: 40. Registration district: Chester, Cheshire. Volume: 8a, Page: 404.
Percival’s Grave – Hawarden
Photographs taken by Mavis Williams
Monumental Inscriptions Volume 11 – Lovelock. In North-West corner of old ground.
On his Monumental Inscription was “Percival HURLBUTT, M.C. Captain Montgomery Yeomanry, born 1st January 1878, died 8th June 1918 from an illness contracted while on active service in Palestine.”
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