John was first recorded on a census in1891. He was living at Castle Street, Clun, Shropshire with his family. His father, Robert James Davies 35, was a Stonemason who had been born in Clun as had his wife Sarah, 39. There was a step-daughter Sarah Ann Jones who was 14. The rest of the listed children were Elizabeth 9, George 6, John 4 and Benjamin 1. All the children had been born in Clun. There were two other residents. Boarder, William Davies a 25 year old Grocer’s Assistant and Edward E. Ravenscroft, a Stonemason’s Apprentice.
The 1901 census possibly records John living as a Boarder at Lland Farm, Clunbury, Shropshire in the household of Ann Crowther, a widow age 68 and a Farmer. John Davies 16, was a servant, a Cowman on the farm. He had been born in Clun.
John married Ethel Maud at St. Ethelwold’s Church Shotton on 26th December 1910 (The records show that John Davies, 24 a Bachelor and Gardener of Bryn Cottage, Aston (whose father was James Davies a Stonemason), married Ethel Maud Davies, 20, a Spinster of 23 King Edward Street (whose father was William Davies a Fitter).
The 1911 census records that John and Ethel Maud had moved to Shotton. They were living with the Williams family at 23 King Edward St Shotton, Flintshire . Head of the household was Charles Edward Williams 41 a widower and a Master Mariner who had been born in Shotton. His children were listed as Charles 14 who was “Assisting in Business” and Ethel who was 12. In the household was a servant, a House Keeper and widow named Alice Davies 45. Alice was the mother of Ethel Maud Davies, the wife of John Davies, both of whom were boarders at 23, King Edward Street. John 24 was a Gardener (Domestic), and Ethel Maud was 20.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms the regimental details above left and tells us that he resided in Hawarden and enlisted in Queensferry. His medal card also on ‘ancestry’ details his medal entitlement.
There is an index card for John in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at the County Record office in Hawarden. It states that John’s service in the Army was 6 months. He enlisted in November 1916 and fell in action in May 1917. It gives the address South Terrace, Hawarden. The card was signed by Ethel M. Davies on October 13th 1919.
John and Ethel’s 3rd child named John was born 5 months after John died in France. Ethel Maud was left to bring up her children but tragically in 1921 at the age of 29, she too died. (HAW/13A/37). The orphaned children were Olive, Alan and John. All were baptized in St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden.
