Like the Leatherbarrow boys, whose story is on Hawarden , this is a similar sad story, this time the father had to sign 3 Flintshire WW1 Index Cards for his boys who had died in the war. His sons George H., Joseph E. and James H Lewis are all recorded on their own pages, but I will tell the family story as it is the same for them all.
George H. Lewis first appeared on the 1891 census, living with his parents, Henry & Caroline Lewis (nee Jones) who had married in Wrexham, in a Civil Ceremony in 1888.( WM/031/19 ). In 1891 they were living at Pentrobin, Hawarden, Flintshire.but no Road or street was mentioned. Head of the household was Henry Lewis, 27 a Bricklayer, born in Hawarden. Wife Caroline was 24 and had been born in Penyffordd, Flintshire. Their son George H. Lewis was a 7 month old baby, born in Penyffordd, like his mother.
The 1901 census shows the family had increased in size with the addition of more siblings for George. Now they were living at The Warren, Broughton, Hawarden, Flintshire ( 4 rooms). Henry was still head of the household and 37, still a Bricklayer, and employer at home. Wife Caroline was now 34 and states she was born in Hope, Flintshire. Son George Henry was 10. George’s new siblings were sister Miria (sic) was 8, sister Caroline was 6, brother James was 4 and Joseph was 2. All the children were said to have been born in Hawarden, Flintshire.
In 1911 the family had moved again, to Hope Station, Penyffordd, which is very close to Pentrobin, so they were returning to the area where they had started out married life. Henry was now 47, still a Bricklayer, Wife Caroline was 44 and they had been married 20 years, 6 children had been born to them, all were still living. Daughter Maria E. was single and 18. Son James Harold was 14 and his job was “Brushing up at Ironworks”, son Joseph Edward was 12 and son Charles was 7, both at school. George Henry had moved to live in the Nine Houses and was a Boarder there, he was 20, single and working in the Steelworks in the Steel Bars Rolling Mill, born Penyffordd, Flintshire. He was in the household of Robt. Jones, his wife and 4 children, also 2 other Boarders, one a brother of Robt. Jones. There were 4 rooms.
George is named twice on the Hawarden Cenotaph, once in the main and once on the front of the Cenotaph, I wonder if it is the same man, if it is, why?
A George Lewis is named on the Memorial Plaque in St.Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay. I do not know if George had moved to Connah’s Quay or what the connection is, if this George Lewis is the same man as “our” George. He is also named on the St. Ethelwold’s Church Screen, so I think he must have been extremely popular or is it a different G. Lewis on there? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
According to the Flintshire WW1 Index Card, his address was Pottery Cottages, Ewloe Green, but all 3 boys had that address on their Index cards. George’s period of Service was 3 years so he must have enlisted when War was declared in 1914.
Bless Henry Lewis, he had to sign 3 cards, for his 3 boys, George Henry, James Harold and Joseph Edward, they all were lost in the War. Please read their stories, He put the date of George’s death where he should have put the date he wrote and signed the Flintshire WW1 Index Card, but it must have been awful for him.
Henry & Caroline had 1 son left out of their 4 boys. They had lost them from 3rd November 1917 – 20th July 1918 – in just over 8 months.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about George Henry Lewis confirms the regimental information above and tells us that he was born in Shotton and enlisted in Chester. He died of wounds in Palestine.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about G H Lewis confirms his name as George Henry and tells us that his first Theatre of War was in France and he entered therein on 22nd November 1915.
George Henry Lewis in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the The Regimental Paymaster was to take £3 12s 0 d in total to rectify his a/c and over consecutive days starting with 1st Feb, 2nd Feb, 4th and 5th Feb. 1918 he took small amounts. Then his father was named as the sole Legatee and was paid £14. 7s 10d on the 16th November 1918 then his War Gratuity of £13 on the 24th November 1919.
George Henry was the elder brother of James Harold Lewis who also lost his life and is named on the Connah’s Quay Memorial. He too has a page on this website. Their brother Joseph Edward’s name does not seem to have been put forward to be included on the Connah’s Quay Memorial. The three brothers are all remembered on the Hawarden War Memorial