Griffith Thomas Lewis first appears on a census form in 1901. He was living with his  (bilingual)  family at 56 Chemical Road Swansea, Glamorgan. William Lewis (head) was a 33 year old ‘Roller in Tin works’ who had been born in Morriston Glam. His wife Mary Ann Lewis was 33 and a native of Camarthenshire. Their children,  Griffith Thomas 4  and Annie C had both been born in Morriston.

There is a possible marriage of William Lewis & Mary Ann Evans in 1896 in Swansea ( Volume 11a, Page 1409).

By the 1911 census they had made the move north to Hawarden for work at John Summers, Hawarden Bridge Steelworks, living at Deeside Crescent, Queensferry, in the district of  Hawarden, Flintshire.    William was head of the household age 42, a Sheet Roller.    Wife Mary Ann was 42, they had been married 14 years, 3 children had been born to them , all were still living.  Son Griffith Thomas was then 13 and a scholar. Annie Caroline was 11, also a scholar and daughter Catherine Mildred was 6,. All the children had been born in Swansea, Glamorganshire.

UK Soldiers who died in the Great War 1914-19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk  confirms the regimental information above left and tells us he was born in Morriston,  Glamorganshire and that his residence was Queensferry. It adds that he enlisted in Shotton and that he ‘died of wounds’. This source tells us he was formerly 63022 R.A.M.C. His medal card, also on ‘Ancestry’ details his medal entitlement.

There is an index card for Lewis Thomas Griffiths in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden (Flintshire WW1 Index Card F16 Queensferry) It confirms the regimental details above and adds the address 50, Station Road, Queensferry.   Griffith was one of the first to enlist as his Flintshire WW1 Index card states his period of service as being 3 years, so he enlisted in 1914 and died of wounds in 1917.  He was 20 years old and the only son.     The card was signed by M.A. Lewis on the  25th September 1919.

Griffith Thomas Lewis is commemorated on a family gravestone in  St. Deniol’s Churchyard, Hawarden.

In Lovely Memory of Mary Ann, the Beloved Wife of William Lewis of Queensferry who died March 15th 1920 aged 52 years. 

Also Samuel James Bunnell dear Husband of Annie who died March 15th 1971 aged 72 years.

Also their Son Pte. Griffith T. Lewis, M.C.C. WHO WAS KILLED IN THE Great War  April 12 1918. Aged 21 years

also Annie Caroline Bunnell* Wife of Samuel James who died February 20 19??  aged ?? years.

* Sister to Griffith Thomas

Griffith Thomas was named on 3 other memorials – the Connah’s Quay War Memorial and the  Queensferry Roll of Honour in The Queensferry War Memorial Institute and on the Memorial Plaque in St.Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay.   Somebody made an effort to ensure he was remembered