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Latham, Thomas

There is a card for Thomas in the Flintshire Roll of Honour in the County Archive Office in Hawarden. It gives the address as New Brighton Row, Northop Hall and says he served for 2 years and 3 months. He was killed at Ypres.

The census of 1901 places him with his family in a cottage on Wepre Lane Connah’s Quay. The family comprised of Sarah E Latham 40, the mother of James 13, Margaret 11, John 9 and Thomas E 6. (the father, head of the household was not recorded).

The 1911 census finds the family in Northop Hall. This form was completed by Joseph Latham 55, the head of the household and father. He was a collier hewer.  His wife of 27 years, Sarah was 48 and the mother of Daniel 23 a collier filler, Margaret 20, John 18 a bricksetter’s labourer and Thomas 15 a pit boy on top of colliery. Harold Stokes a grandson aged 3 was also present.

UK soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 -19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk gives us the regimental details as above and tells us that he enlisted in Mold Flintshire and was Killed in action. His medal card, also on Ancestry lists his medals and adds that his first Theatre of war was France and he entered it on the 3rd of December 1915.

The Register of Soldiers’ Effects in which the army calculated what monies were owed to deceased soldiers, includes an entry for Thomas. It states that Thomas’s father Joseph received two payments. The first was £5..3sh ..10d and the second – his War Gratuity was £9 ..10sh

Many thanks to Sandi Callaway (nee Latham) for sharing the images of the medals, plaque, news cutting and portrait. He was her Great Uncle Tommy.

NH Latham Thomas 007

Thomas Latham

  • The envelope that contained Thomas’s Commemorative Plaque (‘The Death Penny’) addressed to his father.

  • The plaque and the original packaging.

  • Thomas’s medals. from left to right The Victory Medal (front & back) The British War medal (front and back) and the 1914 -15 Star. This set of three were referred to as ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’.

  • Poignant news cutting announcing Thomas’s death. He sounds like a lovely man.

  • The family grave in Northop churchyard bears another sad story as the inscription says that Thomas died just a few weeks after his mother.

    "In Loving Memory of
    Sarah E Latham
    Northop Hall
    Died March 7 1917
    Aged 62

    Also Joseph Latham
    Husband of the above
    died 3 Feb 1921
    Age 64
    Also
    L Cpl Thomas Latham RWF
    son of the above
    Killed and buried in France
    May 12th 1919 aged 22yrs
    Also Thomas Latham
    Son of D & M Latham
    Died July 7 1922 age 1 year

    Peace perfect Peace"

  • Thomas Latham’s grave photographed on 12th October 2013 by E & V Williams. The inscription at the foot of the grave reads ‘A beautiful memory left behind’. There was a wreath placed on the grave but frustratingly the writing on the card had faded. Is there someone out there who laid this wreath? We would love to hear from you and to ask you if you can tell us more of Thomas’s story.

  • In the next grave but one to Thomas, lies Flintshire soldier John Turner of Connah’s Quay. Thomas and John were both RWF and both died on the same day. John has his own page on this website.

  • The cemetery in the small town of Vlamertinghe near Ypres. 12th October 2013

  • Sandi Callaway visits Thomas's grave.


Learn more about the other soldiers on the Northop Hall Memorial

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