Although this soldier is not named on the memorial in Sychdyn we have included him because there is an index card for him in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at the County Record Office in Hawarden. The card is filed with the Sychdyn ‘Fallen’ cards. The address on the card is ‘Hillside’ Sychdyn. It confirms all the regimental details at the top of this page and says he was killed in France on 10th August 1918. The card was completed and signed by Mr J R Richardson (Northop headteacher) on 19th September 1919.
We have accessed his Canadian Attestation papers which he signed on the 9th September 1915 in Vancouver. They tell us that he was born in Beaumaris Anglesey, N Wales on the 19th August 1881. His trade was ‘Butcher’. He said that he had previously served one year in the military in the South African War. He named his next of kin as his sister Catherine Hughes. The description of him tells us he was 30 years old, 5 feet 5 and three quarter inches tall, had a chest measurement of 39 inches with an expansion range of 2 inches. His complexion was ‘fresh’ his eyes grey and his hair brown. His religion was C of E. The medical officer considered him to be fit for the Overseas Expeditionary Force although he noted that he should see the dentist.
The 1901 census recorded a Hughes family living at The White Lion Hotel in Beaumaris, Anglesey. Head of the household was Hugh Hughes aged 49 a self employed licensed victualler who had been born in Beaumaris. His wife was Jane Hughes aged 52 who had been born in Llanferres Denbighshire. Their listed children were Thomas 23, a barman, George D 21, William S 19 – a Butcher’s assistant, Prudence 15, Catherine 13 and Elizabeth A 11. All the children had been born in Beaumaris. Also listed in the household was Eliza Griffiths 38 a sister in law who came from Holt, Denbighshire. They all spoke Welsh and English.
The census of 1911 records Hugh Hughes aged 59, a retired licensed Victualler who had been born in Beaumaris then living at Hillside, Soughton (Sychdyn). He was living with his wife of four years, Mary who had been born in Holt, Denbighshire. There were no children of this second marriage. There were no other listed residents.
Please can anyone help us tell more of this soldier’s story?
