The 1901 census shows James Henry Norbury 39, a Sheet Iron Shearer and his wife Lucy 34 living in Shotton Lane, Shotton, Flintshire. All the family, apart from George had been born in Warrington, Lancashire. Their children were Caroline 14, William 12, James 8, Thomas 6, Elizabeth 3 and baby George Ll. was 1 and had been born in Shotton.
By the 1911 census circumstances had changed. The family was living at 58 Trilby Terrace Shotton Lane. James Norbury 50 was a widower. and still a ‘shearer. Living at home were children William 22 and James 19 both ‘Shearer Doublers’. Thomas was 16 and a Scrap Cutter. George Llewellyn, 11, Percy 9 and May 13 were all at school. Daughter Caroline Victoria Wild 24, her husband David Wild and their children Ernest and Ethel were living in the household. There was a servant, Hester Raskery 55, a widow.
George’s mother Lucy died in 1909 and his father James Henry remarried in 1912 to Mary Elizabeth Fellows, (nee Lewis):-
St. Deniol’s Church Parish Registers, Marriages. – Page 177 No 354 19th October 1912 James Henry NORBURY, 51, Widower, Steelworker, Shotton Lane, Father John Henry NORBURY, Cabinet Maker & Mary Elizabeth FELLOWS, 46, Widow, Ash Grove, Shotton, Father Horatio LEWIS, Roller. After Banns. – Witnesses:- Isaac MILLINGTON & Emma EVANS?
George’s medal card also accessible on ancestry, records his medal details.
George’s Army service Records have survived and are accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk.
They tell us that he attested on the 28th November 1917 in Wrexham. His Regiment :- Young Soldiers Battn Welch Regt., he was 18 years and 1 month old and his trade or calling was a ‘loader’. George was 5 feet 8 inches tall. His chest measurements were Fully expanded 33 and 1/2 inches with a range of expansion of 3 inches. His Next-of-kin was his father James Henry Norbury of 34, Ash Grove, Shotton.
There is correspondence between the army and Mr Norbury regarding George’s medals, scroll and plaque and also about his personal possessions (letters, photos 2 x ID discs and a metal plate stamped GWR).
There are internal army forms reporting his death ‘killed in action in the field’.
George Llewellyn Norbury in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the sole Legatee was his father James H. who was paid £4. 5s 11d on the 12th November 1918 and his War Gratuity of £3 on the 4th December 1919.
George Llewelyn was named on 2 other memorials – the Hawarden War Memorial and the memorial screen at St Ethelwold’s Church. Somebody made an effort to ensure he was remembered.
Post script George’s brother Jim was also in the Army, there is a Flintshire WW1 Index Card for him in the Hawarden Record Office (Shotton L298). He was discharged from the army after becoming unfit for service, due to a gunshot wound to his chest. When he signed the card in 1919 his address was Gwynfa, King George Street, Shotton. The photos on the website were kindly loaned by Mrs. Sheila Norbury, Jim was her Father-in-Law, and he survived.
