This soldier is named on the memorial in Meliden Church as Charles Furber. He is also named as Charles Furber on his index card in the Flintshire Roll of Honour in the County Record Office in Hawarden. His Grandson, Mark Jones, however, informs us that his name was not Charles at all.

Elijah was born in 1884. He has been difficult to trace in census returns because the spelling of his name is a bit hit and miss. However, I believe that in the census of  1891 he was recorded living with his family in Garmelow in Staffordshire. Head of the household was William Furber an Agricultural Labourer who was 57. His wife was Ann who was 35. Their listed children were Elijah 7, Sarah J 4, and George 2. The census form says they had all been born in Gnosall Shropshire.

I have not yet traced Elijah in the census of 1901.

In 1904, however, he married Amy Probin in the District of Chester. (Qtr Dec 1914 Vol 89 page 694).

The family was recorded in the census of 1911 living at Moston Bank, Newport, Shropshire. Elijah was 27 and was a Farm Labourer. His birthplace on this form was Broxton. His wife of 6 years was Amy aged 27. She had given birth to 3 children each of whom had survived. Listed in the household were Violet aged 5 who had been born in Sealand (Flintshire?) Annie was 2 and William 2 months.(both born in Shropshire).

There is little information so far on Elijah’s military career. His medal Index card on www.ancestry.co.uk lists his two medals and tells us that he was originally in the Cheshire Regiment with the regimental number 3811. The card bears the word ‘Died’ which generally means that his death was the result of an accident or illness rather than ‘Killed in action’ or ‘Died of wounds’.

The Register of Soldiers’ Effects (on Ancestry) in which the army calculated what moneys were owed to deceased soldiers, includes an entry for Elijah. This confirms his military details and death date. It also tells us that he died in 7th Canadian General Hospital in France on the 16th November 1918. It names Amy Furber, his widow as his sole Legatee and she received the princely sum of 4 shillings and 11 pence. (This is the lowest figure that this researcher has ever seen on this source).