Samuel Verdi Williams was one of a very musical family, hence his name. Descendents have information about the family ” including old promenade programmes that are still lovingly treasured. At a St David’s day concert in 1895 at the Pier Pavilion Llandudno the programme announces as top of the bill ‘Mr Daniel Williams and family of Northop Hall. The well known musical family.’ ” (Taken from Samuel’s page in the excellent book ‘Northop Hall Village Heroes’ which was produced by residents from Northop Hall as a Centenary project).
Samuel Verdi Williams’s card in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at the Archive Office in Hawarden gives the address Rose Hill, Northop Hall, the regimental details above left and tells us that he served 1 year in the army.
Samuel first appeared on a census in 1891. The family lived in Buckley, Flintshire at 21 Foreign Parts. (We need to learn more about this strange address). The family comprised Daniel Williams, head of household. He was 44 and a coal miner who had been born in Northop Parish. His wife was Sarah 40 and their children at that time were listed as Frank 16 a brick runner, John 14 a tile dresser, Harriet Ada 12, Phoebe Frances 9, Daniel E 6, William T 4, Elizabeth 1 and Samuel 4 months.
The next census of 1901 finds the family at 45 Beach Cottages, Buckley. Daniel was still a coal miner aged 57, Sarah was 49, Hannah A 22 ( she was named Harriet on previous census), John 24 was a terracotta brick maker, Daniel 16 was a brick runner, William T 14 was a tile runner, Elizabeth A 10,Samuel 8, Ernest was 6 and Sarah M was 4.
In the census of 1911 the family lived at Rose Hill, Northop Hall. Still living at home with Daniel (64 and still hewing coal) and his wife of 37 years were John 33, Daniel 26, William T 21, Elizabeth 21, Ernest 18 and Sarah 14. Samuel was no longer living with his parents.
In 1911 in fact Samuel was living at 53 Clifford Road Seacombe, Cheshire which was the home of his elder brother Frank. Frank was by then aged 36 and was the manager of a brickworks. He was married to Sally and they had one daughter Maggie who was 7. Samuel was 20 and was a ‘brickworks wheeler’
UK soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 -19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk gives us all the regimental details as above and also tells us that he enlisted in Liscard, Cheshire.
His medal card (also accessible on ancestry.co.uk) lists his medals and has the words ‘death accepted 15.8 15’ which we presume means that they were not really sure.
There is a family grave in Northop Parish churchyard which carries the inscription below.
“In
Loving Memory
of
Sarah Jane daughter of
Daniel and Sarah Williams
of Northop Hall village
Died Nov 9th 1882 aged 15 months
Also
Pte Samuel Verdi Williams son
who was killed in Gallipoli
Aug 15 1915 aged 25“
Samuel is also listed on the Hawarden Memorial
