The 1901 census finds Leonard Leffley living with his family in Cambridgeshire, at Grange Hill Road, Tydd St Giles (Isle Of Ely). William Leffley 40 was an ‘Ordinary Agricultural Labourer’. His wife Eliza was 29. Their children were Ann 12, John W 9, Ernest 8, Lenard 6, Ada 4 and Herbert 1 month.
By the 1911 census the family had moved to Flintshire. They were living at Kirby Grove Shotton. William 52 and Eliza 40, had been married for 23 years and had produced seven children all of whom had survived. William was a ‘labourer in the steelworks’. The children were listed as follows: William 19 was a Labourer at the Golf Links; Ernest 18 and Leonard 16 were both ‘Carriers at the Golf Links’; Ada was 14, Herbert 10, Edith 8 and Edward was 10 months old.
Leonard married Ethel M.R. Robins at St. Philip’s Church, Litherland, South Sephton in 1916 (Ref. A15/3/439). They were only married 2 years.
Commonwealth War Grave additional Information: Husband of Mrs. E. M. R. Lefley, of 38, Holmes Lane, Litherland, Liverpool.
UK soldiers who died in the Great War 1914 -19, accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms the regimental information above and adds that he enlisted in Wrexham.
Leonard’s medal card also accessible on ancestry, records his medal details and also tells us that his first theatre of war was the Balkans and that he entered it on 19th July 1915.
Leonard Lefley in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the Sole Legatee was his widow Ethel M. who was paid £25. 4s 3d on the 27th January 1920, which includes this War Gratuity of £22.
There is an index card for Leonard Leffley in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden. (Flintshire WW1 Index Cards Shotton F21) It confirms the regimental details above and adds the address 13, Kirby Grove, Shotton, Flintshire. It says he was awarded the 1914 Mons Star. Poignantly the card says that Leonard had been ‘Missing 12 months now’ and that he had been ‘Reported killed, May 1918’. The card was signed 24th Jan (no year- probably 1919) by Eliza Lefley (His mother).
There is a Flintshire index card for Ernest Lefley, Leonard’s brother who survived the war. (Flintshire WW1 Index Card Shotton L155)13, Kirby Grove, Shotton.
Leonard was named on The memorial screen at St Ethelwold’s Church. Somebody made an effort to ensure he was remembered
