Trebrys Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 How I wish I'd listened to my grandmother more! My Nain (grandmother) used to say that a relative of ours, a Morris Humphreys, had his name on the war memorial on the high street in Bala, Gwynedd. I stopped there the other day to see that he was recorded as living at Castle Street. I know nothing of this branch of the family other than they were from Trawsfynydd originally and related to the blacksmiths of Penstryd and therefore to the famous Hedd Wyn. A quick look on the War Graves site shows me that the only Morris Humphreys killed in the war was one from Aigburth in Liverpool and the census of 1901 tells me that they were from Liverpool too. Is he the same one , I wonder? If anyone else could help me pinpoint who the Morris Humphreys on the Bala war memorial was I would be very grateful. Best wishes to all, Trebrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 Iwan, M.Humphreys is there on the Bala panel of the North Wales Memorial Arch in Bangor, too. The Medal Cards index shows four, of which one is RGA and that's all it says; one L'pool Regt deceased whom you've found already; one with a middle name Gustavus in the Essex Yeomanry who gets a Silver War Badge discharged sick; and MAURICE Humphreys, Cheshire Brigade ASC who dies in the UK in April 1916. Parents on the Wirral (Bebington), I think according to SDGW. It's possible there has been a confusion between Maurice & Morris, but you'd have to check out his relations on the Censuses etc. It is not unknown for people to appear on memorials who were not locally born & bred, but temporary residents. He might alternatively have been in some other force (Navy, Commonwealth etc) and also have died after Aug. 1921 and the CWGC cut-off date. If he was a Bala man it is possible that he appears on some other memorial in a school, chapel, church etc. locally which might provide more information. LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 Here's your man in the 1891 census: HUMPHREYS, Humphrey M Head Married M 41 1850 Blacksmith Trawsfynydd Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, Mary Wife Married F 37 1854 Maentwrog Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, Morris Son Single M 14 1877 Factory Man Dolwyddelan Carnarvonshire HUMPHREYS, Willie Son M 12 1879 Scholar Maentwrog Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, Robert Son M 10 1881 Scholar Maentwrog Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, John Son M 8 1883 Scholar Maentwrog Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, Mary G Daughter F 3 1888 Scholar Bala Merionethshire HUMPHREYS, Ellen Daughter F 1 1890 Bala Merionethshire Living at 26, Castle Street, Llanycil, Bala Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 Could this be your man? Age is right for the above Name: HUMPHREYS, MAURICE Initials: M Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Driver Regiment/Service: Army Service Corps Unit Text: 479th H.T. Coy. Age: 38 Date of Death: 19/04/1916 Service No: T4/174109 Additional information: Husband of Ellen Humphreys, of 28, Marne St., Rock Ferry, Birkenhead. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. C. of E. 497. Cemetery: BEBINGTON CEMETERY Just need to check out the marriage now Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 Just to confuse you, an RGA Gunner 156285 Morris Humphreys' service papers survive - he was a coal miner, next of kin resident at Brynprydydd, Llanfachreth, Merioneth. Attested Dec 1915 under the Derby Scheme aged 21 and to Army Reserve "B"; mobilized Apl 1917 and served in Portsmouth till that Sept when he was discharged as surplus to requirements and transferred to Class "W" Reserve. Father Humphrey Humphreys. He is different to the Gnr 195644 RGA quoted previously, who served in a Theatre of War. LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 There is a Marriage listed for a Morris HUMPHREYS in Liverpool in 1900 (8B / 183 / 4thQ) Maybe some one can match a bride to it or check the 1901 census for Birkenhead Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 14 February , 2009 Share Posted 14 February , 2009 Guess that rules out my chap, way too old :-( Think someone needs to check the 1901 census to give us a starting point Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 15 February , 2009 Share Posted 15 February , 2009 If the 1891 census that Grant found above is the right family - as seems likely - then your man is almost certainly the Birkenhead ASC casualty T4/174109. He married Ellen HULSE in Liverpool in Q4 1900. I can't find them in 1901 (though the rest of his family are still at 26 Castle St, Bala), but the 1911 census confirms it: 37 Star St, Rock Ferry, Cheshire Morris Humphreys, Head, 34, married 10 years. 5 children born, 5 living, Labourer in Soap Works, Soap Manufacturer, born Maentwrog Monmouthshire [sic, but written in a different hand. Added by enumerator?] Ellen, Wife, 28, born Liverpool John, Brother, 28, Labourer in Soap Works, born Meantwrog Maurice, Son, 9, b Rock Ferry Joseph, Son, 7, b Rock Ferry John William, Son, 2, b Rock Ferry Ellen, Daughter, 4, b Rock Ferry May, Daughter, 6 months, b Rock Ferry At least two more children were born: Robert T in 1912 and Dorothy in 1913. Interesting that he wrote and signed his own name as Morris in 1911, and his birth reg is Morris (Llanrwst Q4 1876, 11b 367), but named his son Maurice, and had his own death registered as Maurice (Birkenhead Q2 1916, 8a 608). Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 15 February , 2009 Share Posted 15 February , 2009 Just to confuse you, an RGA Gunner 156285 Morris Humphreys' service papers survive - he was a coal miner, next of kin resident at Brynprydydd, Llanfachreth, Merioneth. Attested Dec 1915 under the Derby Scheme aged 21 and to Army Reserve "B"; mobilized Apl 1917 and served in Portsmouth till that Sept when he was discharged as surplus to requirements and transferred to Class "W" Reserve. Father Humphrey Humphreys. He is different to the Gnr 195644 RGA quoted previously, who served in a Theatre of War. It only just struck me - this chaps not listed on the CWGC, so he proberly made it through Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebrys Posted 17 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 February , 2009 Well dearie me! Thank you all very much for what you've found so far!! Very impressive! The one with the blacksmith is my favourite and again I wish I'd listened to my grandmother more!!! I'll have to rummage through whatever papers my mother has to try to pinpoint him but I know she won't have much. The family were the blacksmiths on the high street in Bala in a place that now sells canoes opposite a petrol station at the far end of the street. I'd really like to find him. Many thanks for all your labours so far!! Diolch yn fawr!! Trebrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 17 February , 2009 Share Posted 17 February , 2009 From SDGW: Regiment, Corps etc.: Royal Army Service Corps Battalion etc.: Last name: Humphreys First name(s): Morris Initials: M Birthplace: Enlisted: Birkenhead Residence: Rock Ferry, Cheshire Rank: DVR. Number: T4/174109 Date died: 19 April 1916 How died: Died Theatre of war: Home Back to Morris again !! Which makes him the same chap as in #4 and confirms Adrians post Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 17 February , 2009 Share Posted 17 February , 2009 The family were the blacksmiths on the high street in Bala The father of the Birkenhead ASC Morris was called Humphrey Morris Humphreys and is listed as a blacksmith in 1891 and 1901, but at 26 Castle St, Llanycil, Bala. In 1881 he was at Tafarnhelyg, Maentwrog. He was born in Trawsfynydd. He died in 1907 aged 60. He *may* have been (the ages don't quite add up!) the son of Robert (an Ironmonger) and Jane of 8 Penlan, Trawsfynnydd, in censuses from 1861 to 1881. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 17 February , 2009 Share Posted 17 February , 2009 Castle st and High st form a cross roads in the middle of the town Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 17 February , 2009 Share Posted 17 February , 2009 It only just struck me - this chaps not listed on the CWGC, so he proberly made it through Grant true, Grant - he was certainly alive enough to be discharged to the Reserve in 1917 I included him in case he turned out to be a locally-recorded subsequently deceased non-commemoration! Not unknown. LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebrys Posted 18 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2009 Thank you all once again though I'm not sure how to sum up all this info! Will have to look through papers covering the Bala area during the war to see what's what! I can hear Nain (grandmother) tut-tutting now! Trebrys. A quick phonecall to my aunt tenuously confirms that Morris Humphreys was my great-grandmother's brother....therefore he was the brother of Mary Humphreys, my great-grandmother who died in her late seventies-ish in 1968! Vague , I know!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebrys Posted 18 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2009 Dear all again! Am I right in reading that Morris Humphreys died on "Home" duty then on April 19 1916? I'm so confused!!!!! Many thanks to all once more! Trebrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 19 February , 2009 Share Posted 19 February , 2009 Trebrys, In the UK yes. Either by an accident or in a hospital from wounds after being brought back from the front. Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebrys Posted 22 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2009 Thanks once again!!! Is there any way of finding out what happened to him, I wonder? Regards, Trebrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 22 February , 2009 Share Posted 22 February , 2009 Service records local paper possibly regimental diarys Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 2 August , 2017 Share Posted 2 August , 2017 Trebrys, would be very interested to know if you have progressed with information about the Humphreys family from Castle Street, Bala. My grandmother was Mary Grace Humphreys. This is a very confusing family to sort out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 12 January , 2019 Share Posted 12 January , 2019 (edited) I have always been told that Morris Humphrey’s of Bala as listed on the war memorial was my great grandfather. i find your information very useful as my family were from Liverpool Bebbington area and had a connection with soap manufacturing. i was told that Morris survived the war and returned home but later succumbed to his wounds, gassing I believe. I am aware that I’m coming to this thread years after it began but hope there may still be someone I may have a connection with interested in finding out more. kevin Barnett Edited 12 January , 2019 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean coles Posted 15 March , 2019 Share Posted 15 March , 2019 Hi All as someone in this thread has already stated , a confusing family … hower I can confirm the right soldier is Morris walter Humphrey b.1877, d.19th April 1916 , at home , possibly from his wounds . I have a lot of details on the Humphreys and their marriage to the Pawseys , our family connection , please let m eknow if you would like to see the details and we exchange emails , Kind regards Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 5 October , 2019 Share Posted 5 October , 2019 (edited) Interesting? Or a red herring? This article in 'Y Drych', a Welsh Language newspaper May 4th 1916, reports on the death of John Humphreys, son of Mrs. Mary Humphreys and the late Humphrey Humphreys, blacksmith, Castle Street , Bala, at Rock Ferry, on April 7th, aged 33 yrs. https://newspapers.library.wales/view/3776501/3776509/56/ Edited 5 October , 2019 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyH Posted 5 October , 2019 Share Posted 5 October , 2019 It is a bit hard to digest all of the 25 (conflicting) posts above, so can I ask if we are now agreed that the man on the Bala memorial in post #1, died in the UK (specifically at Rock Ferry) on 19.4.1916? If this is him then his CWGC headstone names him as Maurice Humphreys - and I can add a lot more to this thread. BillyH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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