John Edward Kerfoot was born in Greenfield, Holywell in 1887 and baptised on 30th August, 1887 in St James’s Parish Church, Holywell. He was the second of 14 children to John Warburton Kerfoot and Elizabeth (Evans). Six of their children died in infancy.
John Snr was born in Abergele and Elizabeth in Ysceifiog. They were married in Llanddoget Parish Church, Denbighshire on 5th July, 1882 and first lived at Jessimine Cottage, Greenfield then Garth y Foel, Holywell. John Snr had been employed as a miller, a farm bailiff and a coachman.
In October, 1909 their son, William James, was summoned for riding a bicycle without a light at 10.15 pm on Saturday the 25th September. PC R J Hughes proved the case, and said that the defendant was proceeding along Church Street, Connah’s Quay.
It is not known where John Snr was in the 1911 census but Elizabeth and three of her children were living at 34, Duke Street, Flint.
In the 1911 census John Edward was a lodger at the home of Mrs Alice Coldwell and her daughter Emily Parkin at 18, Grasscroft Road, Marsh, Huddersfield. He was employed as traveller connected with the woollen trade.
In late 1911 John and Emily married in Huddersfield and had a daughter named Alice in November, 1915.
He had already served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Territorial Force when he enlisted in Huddersfield on 2nd September, 1914. His residence was given as, Woodland Vale, Big Valley, Berrybrow, Yorkshire.
His Medical Inspection Report stated: He was 5ft 6ins, chest 32ins, vision good, and physical development good.
He was at a Home base until 12th April, 1915, then his regiment sailed from Folkestone to France the following day on the SS Victoria.
He received a gunshot wound to the upper jaw while in action at Etaples, France on 9th November, 1915 and died at St John’s Hospital there on the 18th November. He was buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France (Plot III, Row G, Grave 1).
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and is remembered on the war memorial in St Mary’s Parish Church, Flint (as G E Kerfoot).
His belongings were sent home and were: cigarette case and lighter, 2 discs, photos and a bag. Emily was now living at 4, Daisy Royd, Newsome, Huddersfield
Flintshire Observer 2nd December 1915
John’s father and three brothers, Joseph, Richard and Thomas all served in the war and returned home safely, although Thomas was reported wounded in the head in April, 1918.
Emily didn’t remarry and died in Huddersfield in 1932 aged 43.
Their daughter Alice married William Peter Bray in Huddersfield in 1949 and died in 2003.
John Edward’s mother, Elizabeth, died in Flint on 17th January, 1932, aged 70, and was buried in the Northop Road Cemetery.
His father died at 24, Kinmel Street, Rhyl on 12th September, 1943 and was buried with his father in St Mary’s Churchyard, Towyn, Abergele. He was well known to many in Rhyl, where he had resided for many years.