Trevor Venables Price was born on the 2nd January 1921 , according to the UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 for Trevor Venables Price. Place of birth stated to be Holywell, but I believe that he was born in Brynford.
Trevor Venables was the son of John Venables & Hannah Mary Price (nee Simon) who had his Banns read at Bagillt at St. Mary’s Church. Hannah Mary Simon probably had her Banns read at her church at Dodleston, Cheshire. Their Banns were read between the 10th July and the 1st August 1920, but I cannot find a copy of their marriage certificate, so I don’t know the exact date.
John Venables Price is seen on the 1911 census living at 1,k Mariners Terrace, Bagillt, with his family. Head of the household was his father, also John Venables Price, was 47 years of age and a Boot Maker, working on his own account at home. His mother, Sarah Price, 43 tell us that they had been married for 18 years and 3 children had been born to them, all still living. The three children were John Venables Price, 17, single and “Assisting at Business,” Hannah Jane May Price, 15, single and working at the Silk Factory and Louisa Evelyn Price, 12, at School. The whole family had been born in Bagillt, Flintshire. The family were bilingual.
Hannah Mary Simon is also seen on the 1911 census living at Penllongley Cottages, Dolphin, Milwr, Nr. Holywell. Head of the household was her father John Simon, 55 and a Coal Miner Timberman. His wife Mary Jane Simon, 50 tells us that they had been married for 21 years and nine children had been born to them, but sadly 3 children had died. Five of those children were in the household on census night, the 2nd of April. They were John Robert Simon, 20, single and a Bricklayer’s Labourer, Francis Simon 16, single and a Farmer’s Labourer, Hannah Mary Simon, 10,Henry Simon, 8 and Elizabeth Simon, 3 years old. They were all born in Holywell, Flintshire. The family were mostly bilingual.
Trevor Venables Price is seen for the first time on the 1921 census which was taken on the night of the 19th June 1921. They are living at Penllongley Cottages, Holywell, Flintshire. John V. Price was 27 and 10 months old, Married and had been employed by John Wilson’s Contractors but was noe “Out of Work.” He had been born in the Parish of Bagillt. Hannah Mary Price, was 20 years and 9 months old, and had been born in Milwr, Parish of Brynford. Trevor Venables Price was 6 months old and had also been born in the Parish of Brynford, County of Flintshire.
The next time we see Trevor is on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th September 1939, this shows the family living at Maes Lygan Council Houses, Pentre Halkyn. This source gives us dates of birth as well as other information. John V. Price had been born on the 28th August 1893 and he was an Unemployed General Labourer. His wife Hannah M. Price had been born on the 16th September 1900 and was a married woman, but as she had no job, was described as doing “Unpaid Domestic Duties.” Trevor V. Price, who was single, had been born on the 1st January 1921 and was an Artificial Silk Chemist. John F.N. Price had been born on the 22nd December 1927 and was “At School.” Annie L. Price* had been born on the 24th April 1922 and was sadly “Incapacitated (Fits).” Clifford H. Price had been born on the 18th May 1932 and was “At School.” There were two other entries but they had been redacted or were officially closed, so I do think they may have been other siblings**.
*Annie, I believe, was to go on to marry John Evans at St, Mary’s Church, Halkyn in 1944 (Flintshire (Mold) C11/1/E401)
** For individual people, records remain closed for a century after their birth (the 100-year rule), unless it can be proven that they passed away before this milestone.
According to the Flintshire County Herald, dated 20th November 1942, he must have enlisted circa 1940, and he did find himself in the Royal Navy on board the Minesweeper H.M.S. “Cromer.” It was on H.M.S. “Cromer” that he was to lose his life on the 9th November 1942. Also according to the above newspaper, Trevor was employed by Messrs Courtaulds Limited at their Greenfield laboratories as a chemist for four years, before his enlistment. He had also been a pupil at Holywell County School for four years after winning a scholarship at the Halkyn N.P. School and was a member of the Parish Church and Choir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cromer_(J128)
HMS Cromer (J128)
HMS Cromer was a Bangor-class minesweepers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
Design and description
The Bangor class was designed as a small minesweeper that could be easily built in large numbers by civilian shipyards; as steam turbines were difficult to manufacture, the ships were designed to accept a wide variety of engines. Cromer displaced 673 long tons (684 t) at standard load and 860 long tons (870 t) at deep load. The ship had an overall length of 189 feet (57.6 m), a beam of 28 feet 6 inches (8.7 m) and a draught of 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 m).[1] The ship’s complement consisted of 60 officers and ratings.[2]
She was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines (VTE), each driving one shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines produced a total of 2,400 shaft horsepower (1,800 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The ship carried a maximum of 160 long tons (163 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[3]
The VTE-powered Bangors were armed with a 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun and a single QF 2-pounder (4 cm) AA gun or a quadruple mount for the Vickers .50 machine gun. In some ships the 2-pounder was replaced a single or twin 20 mm Oerlikon AA gun, while most ships were fitted with four additional single Oerlikon mounts over the course of the war.[3] For escort work, their minesweeping gear could be exchanged for around 40 depth charges.[2]
Construction and career
She was named after the North Norfolk seaside town of the same name. The ship was mentioned in the first broadcast episode of “An American in England”.[4] She was lost on 9 November 1942, mined and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Mersa Matruh, Egypt, in position 31°26′N 027°16′E.[5] Her commanding officer, Robert Stephenson, went down with the ship.[6]
https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14152
- PRICE, TREVOR VENABLES (21), Able Seaman (no. D/JX 239826), HMS Cromer, Royal Navy, †09/11/1942, Son of John Venables Price and Hannah Mary Price, of Pentre Halkyn, Flintshire, Memorial: Plymouth Naval Memorial Read more at wrecksite.
HMS Cromer (J-128) [+1942] Read more at wrecksite – people on board: –https://wrecksite.eu/peopleView.aspx?PLUS7PLUSVSCr4PLUSkV4Zwhbt/zjDQ==
There is a newspaper cutting from the Flintshire County Herald dated the 14th May 1943 when the County School lowered the Flag to half-mast in memory of three old boys who had been killed or died of wounds or reported missing, it also mentioned others, who may have suffered the same fate, including Trevor.
Tragedy was to hit the family again, when on possible Sunday the 29th April, 1945, the youngest member of the Price family, Clifford Hayden Price, was to succumb to an illness of 16 months and died in Holywell Cottage Hospital just 2 weeks short of his 13th birthday, below are some newspaper cuttings of his funeral and his Memorial Service. (Dated the 4th May and the 25th May 1945, both Flintshire County Herald). Clifford had gained a scholarship to Holywell County School and his Headmaster made reference to his death and to his very cheerful nature. He had found him cheerful and full of courage and was well liked by the Staff and pupils alike. The school flag was flown at half-mast. Widespread sympathy was expressed for his parents.
John Venables and Hannah Mary Price were alive to participate in a Memorial Service for the men from Halkyn who gave their lives in the second world war, including of course their son Trevor, but they made sure that Trevor would be remembered for perpetuity by adding his name to the others who had fallen from the village. The newspaper cutting, Flintshire County Herald, dated the 4th January 1946, below, gives more details, but remember that they had only just buried their youngest son 7 months before, so this must have been very hard .
We must never forget the men and women who died, nor must we forget the families that were to bear the grief all their lives.
