William Evans was first recorded on a census in 1891.  The family was living at Park Farm Cottage, Warren Road, Broughton, Flintshire.   The head of the household was Richard Evans, 35, a farm labourer who had been born in Hawarden (as had all the family according to the enumerator)   His wife Mary was 35. Their listed children were Richard 10, William  8,  Mary  5 and  John  2.

(On the previous census of 1881, there was another child, Ellis Evans.   The family were living then at Chester Road, Broughton, Flintshire.  Father Richard and Mary Evans were both 26.  Ellis was 5 and  Richard was 7 months. This time it was stated that they had all been born in Broughton, Flintshire.  Ellis was not named on any other census after the 1881 census).

The 1901 census records that Mary Jane, was a widow and still living at Broughton. On this census it says she had been born in  Oldham, Lancashire. Richard 20 was a Waggoner on the farm ( Ag. Horse).William 18 was an Agricultural Labourer.  Mary was 15 and John Hy 12 ,Catherine 9 and  Annie was 3.   The father, Richard had died in 1898 and his death  registered at Hawarden (HAW/27/49). Mary was left to bring up a young family.

The 1911 census shows an Evans family still living in Broughton in 4 rooms.  Mary Evans, a widow, stated that she had been married for 37 years, had given birth to 7 children, one of whom had died  (presumably Ellis).  ( All this information was crossed out by the Enumerator, as Mary being a widow was no longer married)   Mary stated on this census that her birthplace had been  Brymbo, which makes this the 4th place of her birth listed on the censuses.   William Evans 28, was now classed as the head of the household  and he was a Farm Labourer (General Servant). Kitty, was single, 20, and a Waitress. Annie, 14 was at school.

William’s Commonwealth War Graves Commission Certificate confirms  that his mother married again to a Mr Jones.  This 2nd marriage may have been to an Edward Archer Jones in the March Qtr of 1911 ( Chester, Vol. 8a Page 545).

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk  confirms William’s  regimental  number as 4118. It  tells us he was born in Broughton and enlisted  in Buckley. William’s Medal Card also on ‘Ancestry’  tells us that he entered his Theatre of War (France) on Christmas Eve. 24th December 1915

There is an index card for William in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden.  WW1 (Index Cards F12 Hawarden)  which confirms the regimental number 4118 and  tells us his period of service was 3 years and 6 months and that he was killed in France after 3 years service there.   The address on the card was Bank Lane Cottage, Buckley Junction. The card was signed by his sister Mary Griffiths on the 25th January 1920.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission states that his Regimental Number was 54118 and not 4118 as on other documentation.   I have contacted CWGC about this.

William is also remembered on the Broughton War Memorial and the Buckley Memorial