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Howells, Joseph

I found this man in the book ” Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1918 Royal Welsh Fusiliers   Volume 28″, a copy of which is in the Flintshire Record Office in Hawarden. – 3/5th Bn HOWELLS, Joseph, born Wellington, Salop, enlisted Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, Residence Shotton, Flintshire. 1578, Pte. Died Home*. 16th September 1916.

*Free BMD – Deaths Sep 1916 Howells, Joseph, age 28 District – Oswestry – Vol 6a, Page 690

There probably wouldn’t be a Flintshire WW1 Index Card as Joseph wasn’t from Flintshire but he could have died in Shotton and be taken by his family to be buried in Nantwich, but the only death of a Joseph Howells in North Wales and Cheshire is the one below*, but that states the registration district of Oswestry, would need to get the death certificate to confirm/deny it is “our” Joseph, also his age is given on that as 28, which is within the realms of credibility as he is shown as being age 14 on the 1901 census, therefore 29 in 1916.   If he was lodging in Shotton there would be no one in the district to give the family a Flintshire WW1 Index Card to fill in and return to T.I. WILLIAMS, Ironmonger, Shotton, which we know was the custom in Shotton.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission additional information: Son of Thomas and Esther Howells, of 84, London Rd., Nantwich.

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about Joseph Howells confirms his Regimental Information and tell us that he was born in Wellington, Salop, resided in Shotton and enlisted in Connah’s Quay. His Theatre of War was “Home.”

I believe that “Home” could have meant UK, not necessarily his “home”.   When the men were in the UK they were said to be “Home”, as far as I can tell.

Joseph Howells was the son of Thomas & Esther Howells, and on the 1891 census they were living at 14, Talbot Street, Whitchurch, Shropshire.   Thomas, 33 was head of the household and a Railway Clerk, his wife Esther, 34 and all their children bar Joseph, 4, had been born in St. Georges, Shropshire, Joseph’s birthplace was Wellington, Shropshire as stated on his Army information above. His siblings were Percy B., 10, Hilda M. 8, William J., 7 and Amy E. 5.

By 1901 the family had moved to Station Road, Madeley, Shropshire, Thomas, 43 now a Station Master for the L & N W Railway.   Esther, 45 now states she was born in Whitchurch, Salop. Sons Percy B., 20 was a Encaustic Tile Sorter and William T., 17, had no occupation, and daughter Amy E., 15 had all been born in Whitchurch as well.   Son Joseph, 14 was a Roofing Tile Worker and son James 8 had been born in Hadley, Salop.

The 1911 census shows that the family had moved again to 84 London Road, Nantwich, Cheshire with 6 rooms. Thomas, 53, was still a Station Master, and Esther, 55, had been married 31 years, 8 Children born, but sadly 2 had died. Daughter Hilda Mary, 28, William Thomas, 27 a Manager of a Boot Shop and Daughter Amy Elizabeth, 25 were all single.  Son James, 18 was a Draper’s Assistant, born in Radley, Shropshire.

Joseph was missing as he had moved to Shotton, Kirby Grove in the county of Flintshire. He was a boarder in the household of Richard & Emily Allman and their 3 sons.   Richard was a Fireman, as was Joseph, now 26 and single.   There was another boarder, a Mabel Alice Lawson, 18, single and in Domestic work., born in Shotton.

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about Joseph Howells tells us his first Theatre of War was the Balkans and his entry therein was the 8th August 1915*   He died on the 16th September 1916

* This day was a terrible day for the 8th Bn of the R.W.F.’s, they lost a lot of men including the 2 Roger’s brothers from Salisbury Street, Shotton.

Joseph Howells in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 – Regiment: The Royal Welsh (Welch) Fusiliers, Regimental Number: 1578. This also confirms he died in Oswestry. Father Thomas was the sole Legatee.

I cannot find any Attestation Papers for Joseph, so cannot say for certain when he enlisted or any other information to tell his story.


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