David Shaw was the 4^th and youngest son of George and Sarah Shaw, who may have been married in St. John’s Church, Chester, – a George Shaw and a Sarah H Sands were married in 1858 but the certificate would have to be purchased to confirm or deny.   (Cheshire West CE13/5/158).

David appeared on the 1881 census living at 25, Glynne Street, Saltney, Chester (Parish of St. Marys).  Father George Shaw, 46 was head of the household and an Captain of a Tug Boat, his wife was Sarah, 46 and both had been born in Chester.   Their 4 sons were, John, 13, George, 10, Joseph, 7 and David 1, the 3 eldest were scholars.

The 1891 census shows that the family had moved to 4, Mount Pleasant, Saltney, Chester (St. Mary’s without the Walls) and now George, 56 was a Captain of a Steam Boat, wife Sarah was also age 56.   Two of their sons were working on Steam Boats, John 23, single and a Fireman of a Steam Boat and George, 20 was the Mate of a Steam Boat, but whether the father and sons were on the same boat is a mystery.   Joseph Shaw, 17 was a Locomotive Engine Cleaner and David was age 11 years.

David’s father George died age 60 years, I believe, in 1894 (Cheshire West CAS/52/43) and Sarah, 66, is now a widow on the 1901 census and had moved back to 25, Glynne Street, Chester with son David, 21, single and a Coal Carter and there are 2 boarders, Edith and May Barnard, ages 13 and 10 respectively.  David’s brother George is living at No. 23 with his wife, Lucy and 2 daughters, brother John was living at No. 17 with his wife Esther and 3 daughters and brother Joseph was living at No. 29 with his wife Kate and 2 daughters.

In 1911 David, 32, single and a Porter for a Coal Merchant, was still living at 25, Glynne Street, Saltney with his mother Sarah,76, a widow, she was living on “Private Means.”

I believe that Sarah died in 1917 age 84 (Cheshire West CAS/68/2) and that is why brother John was the sole Legatee for David’s money from the Army.

David Shaw in the UK, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 shows the Sole Legatee was his brother John Shaw, who received £4 9s 7d on the 8^th March 1918 , £1 5s 8d on the 20^th April 1918 and David’s War Gratuity of £6 10s 0d on the 13^th November 1919.

David Shaw in the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 confirms his regimental information and tells us that he was born and resided in Saltney, and enlisted in Chester.

David Shaw 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.

Someone in his family put his name forward for the War Memorial for him to be remembered.