Thomas was born in Buckley according to the 1901 census when he was living with his father James age 40 and mother Sidney age 39, his sister Jane age 12, brother James age 9, John age 7 and 2 more sisters, Isabella age 3 also Hannah age 1. Their address was Pentrie (sic) Bridge, Ewloe Wood, Hawarden and they all lived in 2 rooms.
By the 1911 census they were living at Fern Bank in Northop Hall, but the place of birth listed for them all was Connah’s Quay with the exception of Isabella, where no place of birth was entered, probably an enumerator’s error. There was an extra brother on this census, Samuel age 8. Thomas’s brother, James filled in the census form and his mother was referred to as Mrs Wilcock. Thomas had no occupation on this census.
I cannot find him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database. However if any of the family of Thomas can produce evidence and if his Death Certificate shows that, then he could be “Brought in from the cold”, as it is termed and he could in added to their database.
*Parts of his Service Records (accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk) are transcribed here and they could be used as evidence that he contracted TB through his War Service.
Thomas’s Attestation Papers were signed on 7th December 1915 at Queensferry and below is an extract of one of his papers. He spent some time at the Chelsea Hospital, London.
Next Paper:- Pension Form No. 36 Central Army Pension Issue Office, Baker Street, London. Dated 3rd March 1917. Date stamped by the Royal Hospital Chelsea 5th March 1917.
Name:- Thomas Wilcock, Regt. R. Welsh Fus. Admd.:- 5th October 1916 at 25/-. I am to acquaint you that it has been notified to this Office that the Pensioner named in the margin died on the 6th February 1917. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant R.J. Coles, Superintendent.The Secretary, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, S.W.
Thomas’s Service Records, are quite revealing to how he suffered during his time in the army, which was only 10 months.
Thomas was named on the Memorial Plaque in St.Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay and Memorial St Matthews Church Cemetery, Buckley, Flintshire and the Northop Hall War Memorial.
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 Queensferry.
Thomas’s medal card also accessible on ancestry, records his medal details.
According to his Flintshire Index Card, Connah’s Quay 66, he was in Egypt June 1916. The Card was signed by his brother John ( who survived the war) on the 25th September 1919.
Thomas Wilcock is named on the Northop Hall War memorial and also has a page on the Northop Hall chapter of this website. Follow the link to that page where there are some family photographs