James Thomas Harbridge was born in Duddon, Cheshire and baptised on the 27th May 1894 in Tarvin, Cheshire, he was the son of James Thomas Harbridge and Annie (nee Shallcross). They had married in a Civil Ceremony in Chester in 1893 (ROC/31/119)
The 1901 census shows the family living at Broom Hill, Barrow, Cheshire. Head of the household was James Thomas Harbridge, 27, a Farm Labourer, who was born in Barrow. His wife was Annie, 25 who had been born in Duddon. Their listed children were Jas. T., 6. Edwin was 2, and Joyce age 1.
Close by was James Harbridge’s brother, Joseph Henry Harbridge, 29, a farmer in his own account, with the same address of Broom Hill. His wife also Annie, 25 was born in Dunham Hill, Cheshire and son Ernest, 2 was born in Barrow.
At the “Headless Woman” pub, perhaps, in error, was a Thomas Harbridge, 6 and a grandson of the Publican, George Shallcross and his wife Betsy and their 4 children. I have seen this on a few censuses before, where people are on 2 censuses.
The 1911 census records a Thomas Harbridge, then a widower aged 37. He was a Hay Trusser at Bowling Green Mills. His son, Edwin, 12, daughter Joyce, 11 and son Henry, 8 were all at school, with another daughter Annie, 4, all had been born in Barrow. James Thomas (Jnr.) was not listed. Thomas Harbridge, above, gave information on the census, i.e. that he had been married 17 years and 8 children had been born to them, but 2 died, this was crossed out by the Enumerator. I believe that Annie died in 1909, and her death was registered in Tattenhall (TAT/24/87)
I believe that James Thomas (Snr.) died in the September Qtr. of 1938 (Volume: 8a, Page: 431), registered in West Cheshire.
There is a Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Hawarden F 16) for James Thomas, giving his address as The Warren, Broughton, Nr. Chester. It said that he served for 3 years and that he was missing on the 3rd December 1917. The Card signed 15th January 1920 by B. Shallcross.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about James Thomas Harbridge tells us that he was born in Barrow and resided in Broughton. He enlisted in Flint.
James Thomas Harbridge in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that he died on the 3rd December 1917 “or since death presumed” and the sole Legatee was his Grandmother Betsy Shallcross.
James Thomas Harbridge was listed on the Bangor Civic Society Website under the Hawarden Parish, however he is NOT on Hawarden War Memorial but James is also remembered on the Penymynydd Memorial click here to read more.
