I found this soldier referred to in the Hawarden Parish Register 1918:-
I started to look for Mrs. Lloyd’s niece. Firstly I found Reginald John Henry Easthope and the proceeded to look for his bride of a few months, and I think I have found her.
I believe that Sarah Lloyd was the daughter of Edward & Mary Lloyd (nee Totty) who had married in the Church of St. Mary on the Hill, Chester on the 21st June 1889, Edward was 21 years old and Mary Totty, 20, Edward’s father was George Lloyd and Mary’s father was John Totty, a Fisherman.
I found a George Lloyd s/o Edward & Mary LLOYD, Broughton, Labourer, Born 22nd October 1889, Bapt. 24th November 1889. I also found Sarah LLOYD baptized on the 31st July 1892 – Sarah d/o Edward & Mary LLOYD, Broughton, Labourer. Both in Broughton Church Parish Registers.
I also believe that Sarah’s father died at the age of 24 years old and was buried on the 15th October 1892 age 24 years. That means that Sarah really did not know her father Edward and she is shown on the 1901 census, age 8 where the relationship was shown as “Niece,” living at Broughton with her father’s brother Samuel Lloyd, 44, a Superintendent Bricklayer , who had been born in Pulford, Cheshire and his wife Mary, 41, born in Liverpool, so I am assuming that she had been “adopted” by them. Also in the household was their daughter Elizabeth, 15 a Candidate for Pupil Teacher and their son Richard Reeves Lloyd, 4,born Broughton, Flintshire. (Address on the 1891 census was Sexton’s House, (Next to the Parsonage) Broughton, Flintshire)
The 1911 census shows Sarah still living in the same household at Broughton. Samuel Lloyd, 54 was still a Bricklayer and his wife Mary, 51 tells us that they had been married for 30 years and 2 children had been born to them (Richard & Elizabeth). Elizabeth, now 25 and single was a School Teacher, Richard, 14 was a School. Sarah is still shown as their niece, now 18 and a Domestic Servant.
I don’t know how Sarah met Reginald John Henry Easthope, but I believe that they married at Abbey Foregate Congregational Church, Shrewsbury in the District of Atchem on the 4th October 1917, Reginald was 23, a bachelor and a Private of the 1st 4ht King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, previously a Railway Clerk, the address for both he and Sarah was given as 9, Longner St., Mountfields, Shrewsbury, his father was John William Easthope, a Cashier. Sarah’s father was given as Samuel Lloyd, a Foreman Bricksetter, and I also believe that to Sarah he WAS her father, as she had known no other, and for all we know, perhaps that is what she had been told all her life, or it was in tribute to Samuel she regarded him as her father?
It seems that Sarah and George were separated and I think that I found young George in the Chester General Infirmary & Fever Hospital, St. Martin’s Fields, Chester, on the 1891 census, this was before his father Edward died in 1892. He was 18 months old and been born in Broughton. However he is also recorded on the same census with his mother and father Edward & Mary Lloyd, living at Johnson’s Drive, Broughton, Hawarden. Edward Lloyd was shown as age 25 a Railway Labourer born in Broughton and his wife Mary, 22, born in Handbridge. Young George was age 6 and born in Broughton. To be recorded twice was quite common, as the Enumerator had to travel from house to house.
By in 1901, I believe that George Lloyd, 11, her brother, was living with their Grandfather George Lloyd, 65, a widower and Road Man (labourer), born in Lavister, Denbighshire, at Broughton, Nr. Chester. His daughters Mary E. Reeves, 40, was a widow and was a Housekeeper and Kate, 33 made up the household.
The 1911 census sees Grandfather George Lloyd, 73, an Old Age Pensioner, was a widower but he entered that he had been married for 31 years, 8 children had been born to him, but 1 had died, this was crossed out by the Enumerator, as he was a widower. His daughter Mary Ellen Reeves, also a widow, age 51, also states that she had been married 7 years, this again was crossed out by the Enumerator. Another daughter Katherine Lloyd, 44 was an Assistant Housekeeper, young George Lloyd, 21 was a General Labourer. There was a Boarder living in the household as well, John Robinson, 78, an Army Pensioner, born in Haddington, Lincolnshire.
Reginald was born in the March Quarter of 1894, (Shropshire, Volume: 6a, Page: 658), the son of John William & Mary Anne Easthope (nee Leah) who married, I believe in the December quarter of 1892 (Atcham Vol 6a, Page 1359, the district Atcham spans the boundaries of the counties of Shropshire and Montgomeryshire.
Reginald appears on the 1901 census for the first time, the family were living at 4, Barker Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire and the head of the household was his father, John William, 42, a Traveller (Bicycle). Reginald J., 7 and Charles W., 3,made up the household, all had been born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
R J H Easthope in the UK, Railway Employment Records, 1833-1956 gives his date of birth as 9th February 1894 and his residence date as 18th October 1909, age 15, Chester Station, Booking Clerk.
The 1911 census shows that the family had moved to the address on the marriage certificate of Reginald and Sarah, 9, Longnor Street. John William Easthope, 51, was still head of the household, but now an Ironmonger’s Assistant, Mary Anne was now 50 and they tell us that they had been married for 18 years and 2 children had been born to them. Reginald John H. was 17 and a Railway Clerk, Charles William, 13 was still at school.
I do not know when Reginald enlisted, but Reginald John Henry Easthope in the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 tells us that he enlisted at Chester, but his birthplace was Shrewsbury.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission tells us he was 23 years old and the son of John William and Mary Anne Easthope, of 9, Longner St., Mountfields, Shrewsbury. Railway Booking Clerk at Chester.
Reginald J H Easthope in the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 does not tell us where his first Theatre of War was nor when he entered it.
I am glad that I have been able to solve the mystery of who Sarah and Reginald were and that he may be remembered more than the mention in the Hawarden Parish Magazine. They had been married nearly 3 months.
He is remembered on the Shrewsbury Railway War Memorial, http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Shropshire/ShrewsburyRailwayStation.html