Barnbrook family background.
There are 3 Barnbrook men named on the Hawarden memorial, Isaiah, Joseph & John. I believe that they were brothers. The connection to Flintshire is through the brother Joseph who enlisted in Shotton. It seems the other two had no obvious connection with the County.
Margaret McGinty of the Lanarkshire Heritage Centre provided helpful information for a Barnbrook family.
A Barnbrook(s) family was on the 1891 Scottish census living at 51 Milton Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire. Head of the household was Albert Ed. Barnbrook aged 49. He was a Puddler in the ironworks. His wife Ann was 44. Their listed children were Albert, 17 who was a labourer in the Ironworks, Joseph, 14 was a Furnaceman. Isaiah was 7, all three eldest had been born in England. The two younger sons William, 4 and John, 2, were born in Motherwell, Scotland. There were 4 male boarders who all worked in the Iron industry.
This census of 1891 therefore confirms that Isaiah, Joseph and John Barnbrook were brothers. Another brother, Albert features in Isaiah’s army story as his named next of kin. Albert was in the Royal Regiment Artillery.
This family which was together as a unit in 1891 in Scotland splintered during the 1890s. Albert, Isaiah and John were all professional soldiers before WW1. Albert died before the war began. Isaiah and John both died in WW1. Joseph enlisted to serve in WW1 and he also lost his life.
Joseph Barnbrook
The 1901 Scottish census records Joseph Barnbrook, 24 then living at 1c Weir Street, Civil parish: Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. Joseph was head of the household and was a Bongier (Puddler). His wife Agnes was 24. They had a daughter Lillian who was 4. Also in the household were brothers William 15 and John, 13 and a Liza Jones Barnbrook, 56, ( Joseph’s Mother in law).
On the 13th July 1906 Joseph Barnbrook and his wife Agnes were witnesses at the wedding of his brother Albert to Agnes McCleary (which took place in Coatbridge).
It has not yet proved possible to find Joseph or his family in the 1911 census.
UK Soldiers who Died in The Great War 1914 -19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk states that he was born in Brierly Hill in Staffordshire. His place of residence when he enlisted in Shotton was Queensferry It confirms the regimental details above and adds that he died of wounds in Malta having served in ‘other areas’. (Gallipoli)
Joseph’s medal card also accessible on ‘ancestry’ records his medal details and tells us that his first theatre of war was the Balkans and that he entered it on 30th June 1915. Less than 2 months later Josephwas dead, having been wounded and taken to Malta where he died 29th August 1915.
Joseph an Ironworker must have come to Queensferry along with thousands of other men from the Midlands to find work at John Summers & Sons, Steelworks. It seems probable that whoever nominated him for inclusion on the memorial in Hawarden, also named Isaiah and John – his brothers.
Joseph’s brothers.
Isaiah Barnbrook has his own page on this website. Follow the link to read his story.
John Barnbrook was born in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. He has his own page on this website. please click on the link to read his story.
Albert Barnbrook the eldest brother did not serve in WW1 and is not named on any Flintshire Memorial. He was , however, a serving soldier before WW1. He signed Attestation Papers on the 2nd March 1899 in Hamilton, Scotland. He gave his place of birth as Horborne Smethwick, Staffordshire. He was 20 years 3 months.He stated that he was already serving in the Highland Light Infantry. His trade was ‘Ironworker’. He was considered fit for service in the Royal Regiment Artillery. He became Gunner 32931. He served at home for 305 days. He served in South Africa for 4 years 315 days. Then he served at home for a further 6 years 189 days which included a spell in the Army Reserves. He was still serving in March 1911 but he died in Coatbridge on the 18th May 1911 from Gastric hepatic disease. The records show that he had married Agnes McLeary on the 13th July 1906 in Coatbridge. The witnesses at the wedding were Joseph Barnbrook and Agnes Barnbrook. Albert and his wife had three children. Albert jnr was born on 5th February 1907. Hugh McCleary 16th September 1908 and Joseph on the 16th September 1910. (All these details about Albert come from the UK Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Records on Ancestry)
William Barnbrook. No information so far.
Isaiah, John and Joseph Barnbrook are named on the Hawarden Cenotaph, and at St. Ethelwold’s Church in Shotton and on the War Memorial Plaque at St. Andrew’s Church, Garden City.