Thomas William was recorded on the 1891 census. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Jones and the family were living at Penllan Cottages, Llanasa, Flintshire. Head of the household was Thomas, 34, a Farmer and Sarah his wife, who was 34. Their listed children were Mary Elizabeth 11, Charles E, 10, Thomas W.C. 9 and Robert J 6. The other adults in the house were Thomas (the father)’s sister Mary who was 40 and his mother Elizabeth Jones, a widow age 74.
There is no sign of Thomas William on the 1911 or 1901 censuses with his family and he was undoubtedly in the Army.
There is, an index card in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at The County Record Office in Hawarden which is filed with the Llanasa cards. This Flintshire card gives his name and the address Penllan Farm Llanasa Nr Holywell. It states his regiment and number which I have been able to put at the top of this page. The card tells us that he served for 19 years in the army and he had been awarded Long Service and Good Conduct medals. It says that he served on the Salonika Front and was invalided home with malaria. He was drafted to Italy in January 1918. He was buried in Genoa. The card was signed on 13th September 1919 by Thomas Jones (His father).
Although he is not named on the Ffynongroyw memorial there is a second Flintshire WW1 Index Card for Thomas William Jones and it is filed with the Ffynongroyw cards (Ffynnongroyw F8). The card states that Thomas Williams’ s Period of Service was 17 years, which tells us he had been a professional soldier before the war. Mary, his wife had written “Long Service and Good Conduct.” The card tells us that his address was Picton and was signed Mary Noel – Jones , (Widow) on 17th January 1920.
This was therefore a professional soldier who had enlisted around 1899.
The marriage of Thomas and Mary was recorded in the Llanasa Parish Registers on the 23rd January 1918. Thomas William Jones who was, 36 and a bachelor and a soldier of Penllan, Llanasa. (His father was Thomas Jones, a Farmer), married Mary Parry who was 35 and a Spinster and Hospital Nurse, who lived in Picton Llanasa, (Her father was father Thomas Parry (deceased). By Licence. Witnesses:- Robt. John Jones, Thomas Blythin , Annie Olsyn Philip Blythin
They were married only months when Thomas John died. However, it seems that Mary Noel-Jones carried on her works as a nurse. They had such a short time together.
UK Soldiers who Died in The Great War 1914-19 also on ‘ancestry’ confirms all the information at the top of this page and it adds that he enlisted in Manchester. It says that he was born in Holywell.
His medal index card accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk lists his three service medals and says that his first theatre of war (in WW1) was France and he entered it on 26th October 1915. The card bears the word ‘Died’.
Thomas William Jones left a will. The England and Wales National Probate Calendar includes an entry under his name. Thomas William Jones of Penllan Farm Llanasa, Flintshire a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers died 6th November 1918 in Italy on active military service. Administration (with will) St Asaph 22nd May to Mary Noel Jones widow. Effects £367..19sh..3d
The Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects in which the Army calculated what monies were owed to deceased soldiers includes two entries for Thomas William Jones. His sole Legatee was his widow and Administratrix Mary N. Jones who was paid £23 2s 10d on the 3rd July 1919 and £28 War Gratuity on the 15th December 1919. This source states that he died of illness. She was also paid £5 on the 1st February 1921.
He is remembered on the Picton War Memorial and is listed on the ‘Soldiers not on the memorial’ at Ffynongroyw
Mary Noel Jones (Nee Parry)
Mary Parry was recorded on the 1891 census living at Picton Yard, Llanasa, Flintshire, with her family, Thomas, 52 was a Stonemason, Margaret his wife was 47 and was a Dressmaker. Their listed children were Dorothy, 17, Lilly, 11 and Mary, 8.
In the census of 1901, a Mary Parry was recorded living at “Ardlair.” The Serpentine South, Great Crosby, Lancashire. Mary Parry was, single, 18 and a Nurse (Domestic) who had been born in Llanasa, Flintshire.
On the 1911 census Mary Parry was a Nurse at the Trimmer’s Cottage Hospital,East Street, Farnham, Surrey. (Edith E. Potter, Matron) (11 rooms) – Mary Parry, Servant 26 Single Hospital Nurse, born Mold , Flintshire.
Mary was one of the witnesses at her brother in law’s wedding on 27th June 1918. Robert John Jones married Alice Jones of Llanasa.
It seems that she became a Nursing sister at Wern Auxilliary Military Hospital, Portmadoc, Carnarvonshire (I found Citation Information from the Family Tree of davidandkaren_fisher on www. ancestry.co.uk)
“Wern was given over by Richard (Richard Methuen Greaves) to be used as an auxiliary hospital during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. Auxiliary hospitals were connected to central military hospitals and cared for patients who remained under military control. Patients were normally less seriously wounded and convalescing and patients generally much preferred being cared for in auxiliary hospitals as they were more relaxed, homely and much less crowded. There is a plaque of commemoration from the British Red Cross, just inside the main entrance of Wern, marking the gift of the house as an Auxiliary Hospital during the Great War by R. M. Greaves from December 13th 1915 to January 24th 1919.”
(Ref Date 11th April 1919 Title – Edinburgh Gazette -Issue:13431Page:1441 Taken from the website http://www.wernmanor.co.uk/index.php/actvities-attractions/2-uncategorised)