William was first seen on a census in 1881 living with his family at Crompton Hall, Higher Kinnerton, where father, David Ellis 34, was an Agricutural Labourer who had been had been born in Montgomery. His wife, Hannah 32 came from Pulford in Denbighshire. Their listed children were Charles 8, Catherine 7, William 4 had been born in Chester, Cheshire.Anne was 2.
The 1891 census sees that the family had moved once more, this time to Ince in Chshire, living on Chester Road. David 42, was still a Farm Lbourer. Hannah, his wife was 42. Daughter Catherine was 16 and a Housemaid. William 14 was a ‘Foreman M.S.C’, ( I don’t know what this is but the Enumerator wrote it at the end of each man’s occupation) Annie was 11. There were 5 Lodgers in the household, all workers of different sorts.
William Ellis married Charlotte Jones in a Civil ceremony in Chester in 1899, (Cheshire West, ROC/39/18) and on the 1901 census they were living at 21, Trinity Street, Chester. William was 23 and working as a Labourer in the Gas Works. Charlotte was 23 and had been born in the Cottenera Hospital, Malta (British Subject).
By the 1911 census they were living at 18, Butler Street, Shotton, Flintshire and they had been married 12 years. Three children had been born, but sadly two had died. William 33, was a Crane Driver in the Steel Works, Charlotte was also 33. Their one remaining child Edith May was 3 and had been born in that very house.
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 was born in Chester and enlisted in Wrexham.
William’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 28thJune 1915 – William was dead less than 2 months later.
William Ellis in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 tells us that the sole Legatee was William’s widow Charlotte who was paid his War Gratuity of £3.0s.0d on the 14th August 1919.
William’s Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate states that he was the Husband of the late Charlotte R. Ellis. In fact Charlotte died in 1923, (Registration Hawarden – HAW/14A/91). She would therefore not have seen William’s name on the Connah’s Quay/Shotton Memorial as it wasn’t unveiled until 1927. Neither would she have seen his name on the St Ethelwold’s Church Memorial Screen which was dedicated in 1924. Hopefully, however she did see his name on the Hawarden Memorial on which he is also named. That was unveiled by Henry Gladstone on 19th November 1920.
Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make sure he was remembered.
I have details from the War Diary of the 8th Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Please contact via the website if you would like information.