Edwin Northover was born in 1886 in Overton, Flintshire the 2nd son of George Gale & Mary Ann Northover.
Edwin was first recorded on a census in 1891. He was living with his family at Toll Gate Place, Overton, Flintshire. Head of the household was George Gale Northover , 34, a Coachman who had been born in West Milton, Dorsetshire. His wife Mary Ann, 29 had been born in Lymington, Hampshire. Their eldest son, Ernest, was 7 years old and listed as ‘deaf and dumb’, he had been born in North Curry, Somerset. Edwin, 5, and sister Louisa, 3 had both been born in Overton, Flintshire.
The 1901 census records the family living in Penyllan Street, Overton, Flintshire. George G. Northover, 44 was then an Assurance Agent. His wife Mary A was 39. She was a Manageress in a Cocoa House (Coffee House) and the census tells us she had been born in Pennington, Hampshire. Ernest, 17, was a Boot & Shoemaker’s Apprentice, and was still recorded as ‘deaf and dumb’. Edwin, 15 was a Draper’s Apprentice. A new member of the family was Olive, age 3, born in Overton, Flintshire.
Edwin was married in the June quarter of 1908 to Alice Stockton (EllesmereVol. 6a, Page 1584) and on the 1911 census they were living at 2, Sunnyside, Chirk, St. Martin, Shropshire (4 rooms). Head of the household was Edwin, 25 and his wife Alice, 23, (she had been born in Worthenbury, Flintshire). They had been married for 2 years and 2 children had been born, both of whom still living. They were Kathleen Mary age 2 and Madeline Pearl, 3 months old, both of whom had been born in St. Martins, Shropshire. Great Granddaughter Rachael Northover has informed us that in fact Edwin and Alice went on to have two further children, George and Christian Harold – who was known as Hal. (Hal was Rachael’s Gt Grandfather).
In 1911, Edwin’s parents and siblings were still in Overton, living in High Street. George Gale, 54 was a Commission Agent (Prudential Ass. Comp.). Mary Ann, 49, was listed as a Housewife and Boot Shop Assistant in Shop. Son Ernest was 27 and single. He was a Boot Repairer on his own account, (inserted at the side of his details was – “Deaf & Dumb 2 years old.”) Louisa, 23, was a School Teacher (Flintshire County Council) and Olive, 14 was a “School Girl.” Trisha Roberts a Great Niece (Olive’s Grandaughter) tells us that on the 28th December 1915, George Northover purchased ‘Mossleigh’ Salop Road, Overton. The family moved in early in 1916.
Edwin’s mother Mary Ann died and was buried at St. Mary’s Churchyard, Overton on the 17th August, 1918 age 57 years. Her address was given as Salop Street, Overton. After the war, Edwin’s sister Louisa and her husband emigrated to Canada.
UK, Soldiers who Died in the Great War, 1914-1919, accessible on www. Ancestry.co.uk tells us that he was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, but as you read in his story above, all the evidence shows that he was born in Overton, Flintshire. He enlisted in Liverpool where presumably, he was then a serving policeman.
At some point before the war, Edwin became a Police Constable working for The City of Liverpool Police. He is named on a police memorial in Liverpool and there are photographs below showing him in his police uniform. His Great Grandaughter Rachael confirms that the Edwin Northover on the Overton Memorial is the same Edwin Northover on the Merseyside Police Memorial.
Please see https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ww1-centenary-merseyside-police/edwin-northover/
Edwin’s British Army WWI Medal Index Card also on ancestry, tells us that his first Theatre of War was France and he “Qualified” on the 28th November 1915, meaning that was when he arrived in France.
Edwin was to suffer greatly, he was badly wounded, as his father tells us and then after spending 11 months in hospital had Valvular Heart Disease He was then wounded on the 8th October 1918 and after having his leg amputated must have suffered for 20 days before he died..
Edwin’s has an index card in The Flintshire Roll of Honour at the County Record Office in Hawarden. Cards (Overton F 19) gives his address as Mossleigh, Overton, Ellesmere. His father wrote details as follows – “37635 R.F.A. Gunner. Period of Service August – 1915 – October 1918. Badly wounded June 11th 1917. 11 months in Hospital. Had V.D.H. (Valvular disease of the heart). Returned to France May 1918. Deceased. Wounded 4th October 1918 Leg amputated & died Oct 24th 1918. Card signed by G.G. Northover, his father, on the 10th December 1919.”
The UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 in which the army calculated what moneys were owed to deceased soldiers, includes an entry for Edwin. It tells us that he died of his wounds and his Legatees were his widow Alice who received £13 9s 8d on the 1st January 1919 and his widow Alice and children received £2 18s 4d on the 3rd April 1919. His widow Alice received his War Gratuity of £14 10s on the 13th December 1919.
I asked the Invision Army Forum on http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/248312-vdh-what-is-this/#comment-2504986 about Edwin and Craig kindly sent me this information:-
“Hi Mavis, There is a transcribed admission/discharge record for him on Forces War Records, which says he was serving with 178 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery when he was admitted, and then discharged, to either 29 or 46 Casualty Clearing Station from 149 Field Ambulance on 8th October 1918 suffering with a gunshot wound to his left thigh. 1500 units of anti-tetanus serum was administered. The record seems to derive from 149 FA, so I guess that they might have been evacuating to whichever of the two CCSs, were ‘open’/had capacity, and were accepting wounded. On 8th October 1918, the war diary for 149 FA shows that they were based at/near Louverval, and that they admitted 41 wounded, and 167 men sick. 149 FA seem to have been working under the structure of 63 (Royal Naval) Division. It might be worth having a look at the diary for the Assistant Director Medical Services, 63 (Royal Naval) Division to see if it has anything in the appendices about the FA to CCS evacuation arrangements, to see if it can help with the 29/46 CCS issue. It might be though that his leg was actually amputated further down the evacuation chain.
There does appear to be a slight issue with the dates of wounding of 4th October (per your reference of Flintshire Index Cards), and the FWR transcript of being ‘processed’/reaching/moved by 149 FA on 8th October.
Regards Chris”
The information on this page appears here from various sources. The research by Mavis Williams, details provided by Merseyside Police, help from Jill at the Overton Oracle and family members Rachael Northover and Trisha Roberts. Many thanks to all. Scroll down to see a number of photographs.
