Noah was born in 1878 in Dudley Staffordshire. He appears on the 1881 census, the youngest child living with his family at 27 Cross Street, Brierly Sedgley Wolverampton Staffs. The family consisted of the head and father Samuel Bromley aged 58 a general labourer who hailed from North Wales. Ann his wife aged 42 who was from Bilston Staffordshire. All the listed children had been born there too. William 22 and Samuel 19 were both labourers, Elizabeth 18, Mary 16, Daniel 14, Sarah 10 and
Noah 3.
Noah appears in the 1891 census at 4 Bridge Street, Bilston Staffordshire. Living at home then were father, Samuel 58, Ann 52, Benjamen 21 and Noah 13.
We have been unable to find Noah on either of the next two censuses. We have however found in military records on www.ancestry.co.uk a ‘Roll of individuals entitled to the King’s South Africa Medal and Clasps 1902’.N Bromley 6380 of the 2nd South Wales Borderers is listed as being entitled to medals and clasps for 1901 and 1902. So we know that Noah was a professional soldier who fought in the Boer War. This explains why he was called up so early in the 1st World War and why so far he has been impossible to trace in the 1901 census. Where was he in 1911?
In 1906 he married Lily Brooke in the district of Hawarden in Flintshire.
There is a card for Noah in the Flintshire Roll of Honour in the County Archive Office at Hawarden (see below). It gives two addresses 207 High Street, Connah’s Quay and 2 King Street Dukinfield. It says his period of service began on 5th August 1914. There is a letter attached to the card which says,
A copy of a letter from mhis wife is shown below. It says:-
Dear Sir,
just a line in answer to your letter regards my husband, he was called up on 5th August 1914 and reported missing now killed November 17th 1914 Rank private in the South Wales Borderers number 6380 and his name was Noah Bromley. Trusting this is quite correct,
Yours truly
Mrs Lily Davies 2 Henry Street Dukinfield.
Lily his wife had obviously remarried some time after Noah’s death and was then Lily Davies.
UK soldiers who died in the Great War 1914-19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk gives us all the regimental details as above, confirms that he was born in Stafford and that he was killed in action. It also says that he enlisted in Leeds.
Noah Bromley in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tell us his death was on or since 17th November 1914, not known, the sole Legatee was his widow, Lily Bromley who was paid £5. 4s 5d on the 10th April 1916 with her receiving his War Gratuity of £5. 0s 0d. on the 31st July 1919.
His medal card (see below) tells us that he first entered a theatre of war on 6th September 1914 at Ypres. On the reverse of the card is written Mrs L Davies 1 Langham Street Waterloo Ashton under Lyne.
The medal card has a number of army codes written on it which seem to suggest that the medals were issued and returned. My friends from the Invision 1914 – 1918 Army Forum gave a little insight. – “The medals were originally issued but were returned and then re-issued on 19/2/1924 – I believe KR 1743 was an order that the medal be destroyed if not claimed within 10 years of being returned KR 1764 I presume was a regulation governing re-issuing the medals”
Thanks to Bill Tyrell, who allowed me access to the Minutes of the the Conservative Club Shotton where in a meeting on the 9th October 1916 the committee voted to give financial help to sixteen widows of the area. Mrs. Bromley Albert Place, was one of those widows, they were each given 5/-. Please click on the link to read the names of the others who were mentioned in the minutes.