I believe Elwyn Oliver Ellis was born circa 1910 in Whitford (Flintshire (Mold)WHIT/31/20), the son of William Evan & Ellen Ellis (nee Pritchard), who had married in a Civil Ceremony in Bangor in 1909 (Gwynedd (Caernarfon) BAN/51/E138).
The little family are seen living at Park View, Caerwys, Flintshire on the 1911 census. Head of the household was William Evan, 27, a Cement Works Manager, born in Holywell with his wife Ellen, 26, who had been born in Llanllechid, Carnarvonshire. They tell us that they had been married for 1 year and 1 child, still living, had been born to them, this of course was Elwyn Oliver 7 months old and been born in Caerwys. William Evan, as others in 1911, had written the census form himself and I have to mention that his handwriting is lovely.
The 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, shows that the family had moved to Shotton, living at Church Terrace, and William Evan Ellis is head of the household, he was now 38 years old and a Steel Works Clerk (Bar Mill Dept.) at John Summers & Sons Ltd., Steel & Iron Mfrs., Hawarden Bridge, Shotton. Again, his handwriting is lovely. His wife Nell Ellis (His mother Ellen now goes by the name Nell, as far as I can see, she and Ellen are one and the same.) Nell is now 37 years and 1 month old and this time William states that she was born in Rachub, Carnarvonshire. Their son, Elwyn Oliver Ellis was now 10 years and 10 months old. William Evan Ellis’s brother-in -Law was 22 years and 7 months old and single, he too had been born in Rachub, Carnarvonshire. He was a Builder & Contractor’s Clerk for William Flemmings & Co., Builder’s & Contractors, Neston. There was also a visitor staying that night, William Idris Griffith, who was 17 years and 1 month old, single, and born in Rachub, Carnarvonshire. He was working as an Apprentice Electrician at Johnson & Phillips, Electrical Engineers, Charlton, London SE7, contracting at Connah;s Quay, Flintshire.
We do know that Elwyn Oliver Ellis is remembered on the Hawarden Grammar School Roll of Honour in the Hall of the Hawarden High School as he is entered in the Admissions Register: –
Hawarden Grammar School Admissions Register E/GS/1/10
901/1315 ELLIS, Elwyn Oliver D. Of Birth – 1st September 1910, 89, Chester Road, Shotton, Father – Clerk, d. Of Entry – 17th September 1923, Shotton Cl, Sch. £6, D. Of Leaving 10th October 1927 – Chemist (Dead).
Because there have been no more published censuses after 1921, I have no knowledge of young Elwyn Oliver’s life, until on the 29th of September 1939 the government took a National Register, and the family are found living at 15 King George Street, Shotton. This document tells us the date of birth of William E Ellis as the 3rd of June 1883, who was a Steelworks Clerk and Nell E. Ellis’s birthday as the 8th of May 1884, who, as most women on the register with no job as doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” Elwyn Oliver’s date of birth was the 1st of September 1910 and was now a school master and single. His mother Ellen now goes by the name Nell, as far as I can see, she and Ellen are one and the same. There is one redacted record, so I don’t know if there was another child, but there was also in the household a boarder/visitor, a Glyn Jones, 35, and single, a Bank Clerk.
I have found no documents that tell me where/when Elwyn enlisted and no history of where he was definitively, but he was in the UK at the time of his death. However, Elwyn Oliver was in the Royal Corps of Signals and the Casualty List states he was with 12 A.A. Div. Sigs. as a Signalman but sadly I don’t know where he was in this country in the November of 1941 as the Casualty List 672, Page 5, of “Home & Stations Abroad” (Home) just lists the men who died at “Home,” which means in the UK, and the six men who died at “Home,” on the list were all buried in cemeteries local to their homes, as the Army allowed their bodies to be repatriated to their families around the UK.
What makes Elwyn Oliver’s death so sad, is because he was the only child of William Evan and Nell Ellis. When the death is described as such, it usually means that they have died of natural causes i.e. Flu, pneumonia etc., but I do not know where he died, and on the family Gravestone in Hawarden Cemetery, his death is described as “Who fell asleep.” If he had been “Killed in Action,” or ”Died of Wounds,” it would have said so. It is doubtful that he had been wounded abroad and then came home, as again, he would have “Died of Wounds.”
“In Loving Memory of Elwyn Oliver ELLIS, Royal Corps of Signals, son of Mr. & Mrs. W.E. ELLIS, Oak Lea, King George St., Shotton, who fell asleep Nov. 11th, 1941, aged 31 years. “He is P..t of the Loveliness which once he made Lovely.” Also, William E. ELLIS, father of the above who died 17th November 1945, age 62 years. Also, Ellen Beloved Wife and Mother who died June 7th, 1970, age 86 years.”
His Probate: –
ELLIS, Elwyn Oliver of Oak Lea, King George Street, Shotton, Flintshire died 11th November 1941 on War Service. Administration Bangor 30th March to William Evan ELLIS, Commercial Clerk. Effects
His father William Evan Ellis died on the 17th of November 1945, 4 years after Elwyn: –
William Evan ELLIS, 0f 19, Plymouth Street, Shotton, Flintshire died 17th November 1945. Administration Chester 5th March to Elle ELLIS, Widow.
Please click on this link to read about The Royal Corps of Signals.
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/the-royal-corps-of-signals.15335/
Also https://www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/corps-history/
Any help with adding to his story would be gratefully received. However, his name was put forward to be added to the War Memorial at Hawarden, so he was loved very much and his name will be there for perpetuity.
