John Thomas, was another of the men I accidently found while looking through Ancestry and who are not remembered on the Cenotaph.   John was the son of Price Bithell Thomas and Esther Cathrall (sic), who married in St. John’s Church, Chester in 1881.

Price Bithell Thomas was a Shipwright on the 1891 census when we see John Thomas, 5 for the first time, they were living on Primrose Hill, Connah’s Quay.   Price B. Thomas, 32 had been born in Northop, Flintshire, his wife Esther, 30 had been born in Hawarden as had daughter Elizabeth A., 8 and son William, 7.   Son John, 5 and son Joseph had been born in Wepre*, Flintshire.

* Wepre was part of Connah’s Quay, which was under Northop Parish.

The 1901 census sees the family still living on Primrose Hill, Connah’s Quay, Price Bithell Thomas, 41 was still a Shipwright, Esther was 39, daughter Elizabeth A. was single and age 18.    Sons Joseph, 11 and son Price, 9 had been born in Northop, while son Ralph, 1, had been born in Connah’s Quay.

The missing sons, William and JohnThomas were living and working at Pen Gladys Farm, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, (before Wepre Villa), where they were in the household of Oliver & Ellen Ellwood, Farmer and their 2 daughters, 2 sons and 1 grandson.    William Thomas, 17 and John Thomas, 15, both Cattle Boys, born Northop, Flintshire.  There were 2 other servants, a William Jones, 20 a Carter on the Farm, born Halkyn and Harriet Parry, single, 46 a General Servant, born Connah’s Quay.

The 1911 census sees the whole family moving and Price Bithell Thomas, now 51, the head of the household, taking a different course in his career, he was now a Farmer working on his own account, at home, at Waen Isa, Babell, Holywell, in the Civil Parish of Ysceifiog.    Esther, 49 tells us that they had been married for 30 years and 12 children had been born, bu very sadly they had suffered the loss of 5 of those children.   Their sons William, 27, John, 25, Joseph, 21, Price, 19, were all single and “workers on the Farm”.   Son , 11 was at school and their new family members were Elsie Maud, 9 and Albert Edward, 7, he was the only child not born in Connah’s Quay, he had been born in Holywell.

Thomas, John  in the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 confirms the regimental information above and tells us that he was born in Connah’s Quay and his residence was Denbigh, although he enlisted in Flint.  I do not know precisely where he was living when he enlisted.

John Thomas in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the sole Legatee was his father Price B. who was paid £2. 19s 5d on the 20th December 1917 and his War Gratuity of £9 was paid to his executors Mrs Esther Thomas, Price Thomas and Ralph Thomas on the 21st January 1920

John Thomas in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920, tells us that he had another regimental number – 3428, and it may be that his medals may have been returned at some point. Also written on was some reference numbers – Retd. (1743 K.R. 1912).   I enquired to the Army Forum on http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=232233&view=getnewpost and Craig told me “It means the medals had not been successfully issued and were to be stored for ten years before destruction. Usually it was because the medals had been returned undelivered” – Craig

 I think he should be remembered as John and his father was born in Connah’s Quay as was most of his siblings and they only moved out of the district between 1901 and 1911.