Thomas Henry Jones’s parents Mary Ann Evans and Francis Henry Jones, married in the December quarter of 1890 at Atchem, which is on the border of Montgomeryshire and Shropshire (Atcham Vol. 6a, Page1321). They were recorded on the 1891 census living in Willow Street, Overton, Flintshire with Francis Henry’s parents. Head of the household was Charles Jones, 60, a Fruiterer & Fisherman who had been born in Overton, Flintshire. His wife Sarah, 58, had been born in Llandyrnog, Denbighshire. Their son Francis H. Jones, 25 was a Fisherman who had been born in Llangollen, Denbighshire. His wife, their daughter-in-Law, Mary Ann Jones, 25 had been born in Bayston Hill, Salop.
Thomas Francis Henry Jones was born in 1897. His father Francis Henry Jones, died when Thomas was only 2 so was then brought up by his grandparents, his mother’s parents, in Bayston Hill. His mother was Mary Ann Jones, who in 1901 was a widowed greengrocer with a shop in the High Street, near where the Post Office is now. Her other children were Charles b1892 and Frances May b1894.
In 1906 Mary Ann married again, to Thomas Tudor Tart, a gardener at Bryn y Pys, and in 1911 they were living in the cottage to the right of the White Horse Inn, now known as Bumblebee Cottage. The census, records Mr and Mrs Tart living at High Street, Overton-on-Dee, Ellesmere, Salop. Thomas Tudor Tart was head of the household. He was a Gardener at Bryn y Pys Estate and had been born in Eaton Constantine, Salop. His wife of 5 years was Mary Anne aged 44 (No children had been born to this marriage) She was a Laundress. Two of her children were listed. They were Charles Jones, 19, single and Bricklayer’s Apprentice at Price Builders, Salop and his sister Frances May Jones, 17 and a dressmaker at home, who had been born in Overton.
Thomas, who had been brought up by his maternal grandparents since his father’s death was recorded at their home in 1911 at Mount Pleasant, Bayston Hill, nr Shrewsbury. Head of the household in 1911 was 74 year old widow Mary Evans. Listed in the household with her were her daughter Lucy 39 and her son Thomas a 35 year old joiner. There were 5 grandchildren including Thomas who was 13 and a scholar.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms the regimental details as above and adds that he had been born and enlisted in Shrewsbury
There is a Flintshire WW1 Index card for Thomas Henry Jones, in The Flintshire Roll of Honour in the County Record Office in Hawarden ( Card Overton F16) The address given is Baysdon House, Overton, Ellesmere, Salop. His regimental number was Bombadier 604454, of the Trench Mortar Battery. He served from 1914 to 1918 including in France. The card tells us he was reported missing from March 21st 1918 and after that day was taken prisoner with his Commanding Officer & shot afterwards through the body. The card was signed by M.A. Tart (His mother) on the 3rd December 1919.
The Register of Soldier’s effects in which the army calculated what moneys were owed to deceased soldiers, includes an entry for Thomas Francis Henry Jones. It confirms the mother’s story of his capture and death on the the 22nd March 1918. His Co-Legatees were his mother Mary A.Tart, who received £9 .. 5s .. 9d and brother Charles and sister Francis M. who each received £ 9 .. 5s .. 8d on the 22nd July 1919. This included his War Gratuity of £19 10s.
Thomas had been 17 years old when the first World War broke out. He joined the Royal Horse Artillery in 1914, probably the 1/1st Shropshire RHA, but in 1916 was one of those who volunteered to man the 58th Divisional Trench Mortar Battery, a group of mortar batteries formed within the British Army’s 58th Division during World War I. He was Bombardier No 604454. The Trench Mortar Brigade provided short-range fire support as well as carrying out a variety of other trench warfare duties. When the German Spring Offensive began on 21 March 1918 (The day Thomas went missing), 58th’s TMBs were positioned on the extreme right of the British line at Chauny but lost all their mortars.
His mother Mary Ann Tart died in 1920 age 53 years, and was buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Overton on the 3rd March, exactly 3 months after signing Thomas Henry’s Flintshire WW1 Index card on the 3rd December 1919.
Many thanks to an anonymous lady who via Ancestry, explained that she had connections with the family and was able to explain Thomas’s whereabouts in 1911.
Many thanks too, to Jill Burton, Editor of ‘The Overton Oracle’ which regularly publishes the Overton memorial stories. We are delighted to collaborate with her and are very grateful for additional information that we can add to our stories on this website.