William Wesley Wright must have been living in Hawarden for a Flintshire WW1 Index Card to be made out for him and for someone to put his name forward to be added to the War Memorial, but he was born in Cheshire and for some reason must have come to Hawarden for work perhaps? William’s name is not on the 10 panels at the back of the Memorial, but to the right of the base along with Francis Woodbine PARISH* Major:- 1/15 London Rt & T/Lt. Col.-K.R.R.C. (Kings Royal Rifle Corps.) – William W. WRIGHT
* please see Francis’s notes, he died in 1921 and had to have special dispensation from the War Office to have his name added. So William’s name must have been added about the same time.
He was a late edition, as there were about 6 others whose names were not given in earlier enough, or died after the names were carved on the War Memorial. His card was signed by Earl Wright, William’s eldest brother, so perhaps William was living with him.
I start the story of William Wesley Wright in 1881, the reason will become clear, but it was many years before William Wesley was born. There is a Birth Certificate for William Wesley Wright, born 1889. (TAT/24/29) Cheshire West.
The Wright family were living at Cottage, Village, Kelsall, Tarvin Minor.( next to Turnpike House.) on the 1881 census, George Wright, 33, a Carpenter and Joiner had been born in Delamere, Cheshire, His wife Esther, 32 had been born in Dunham, Cheshire. They had married at St. Mary’s Church, Thornton-le-Moors, Cheshire in 1870 (CE46/1/173). Their eldest son Earl, 9 had been born in Delamere, Cheshire, son Wilfred, 6 had been born in Chester, son George Henry Wright, 4, daughter Edith Mary, 2 and son Job, 5 days old on census day, had been born in Kelsall, Cheshire. Son Earl was instrumental to my solving the mystery of why William Wesley came to Deeside.
William W. Wright was 2 years old when he appears on the 1891 census, living at Quarry Lane, Kelsall, Civil Parish, Delamere, Cheshire.in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Peter’s. His parents were George & Esther Wright, George, 43 was a Builder. His mother Esther, 42 had been born in Thornton, Cheshire. All their children had been born in Kelsall, Cheshire , Wilfred, 16 was an Apprentice (Build), George H.,14, Edith,12, Thomas, 11, Job, 10, John, 8 and Marian, 6, all were scholars.
The family were still living at Quarry Lane, Kelsall on the 1901 census, the family had not grown any larger, in fact some had left home. George Wright, 53 was still head of the household, but now a Joiner, Carpenter and an employer. His wife Esther was now 52. Son George H., 25, and single was a Bricklayer, and had been born in Chester. Daughter Edith M., 23, son Thomas, 21, son Job, 20, both Bricklayers, son John, 18, a Joiner Carpenter, all single. Daughter Marian F., 16, no occupation, and son William W. 12, at school. Also in the household was George Pritchard, a relative and Widower, 66, a Bricklayer’s Labourer who had been born at Thornton, Cheshire.
The 1911 census sees the Wright family living at Valley View, Keslall, Cheshire (8 Rooms), George Wright, 64, was still head of the household, an employer and a Builder & Contractor. Wife Esthur (sic), 63 tells us that 10 children had been born to them but 1 had died. They had been married 41 years. Daughter Edith, 33 was single, as was son Job, 30, a Bricklayer. Son William W. Wright, 22 was a House Joiner.
It seems as I said earlier that William came to Deeside to get work after the 1911 census as I found Earl, William’s brother, living at The Dingle, Hawarden (6 Rooms). It is feasible that William Wesley Wright came to the area for work after the 1911 census.
Earl Wright, 39 and head of the household was a Builder & Contractor and had been married for 14 years to Martha Ann Wimpenny and they had married in a civil ceremony at Chester in 1896, (ROC/36/70). They had 4 children born to them, all of whom were still living. Martha Ann Wright, 39 had also been born in Kelsall, their daughter Olive, 13 had been born in Eddisbury, Cheshire, as had their son George Sydney Wright, 11, both were at school. Daughter Marjorie Wright, 7 had been born in Hawarden, and son Wilbur Wright was 11 months old. And had been born in Delamere,
William’s Flintshire WW1 Index Card tell us he was living in Hawarden, does not give us his regimental number but his period of service was from October 1914 to August 1917 and he was fatally shot near Ypres, the card was signed by his brother Earl on the 20th October 1919.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about William Wesley Wright confirms his regimental information and tells us he enlisted in Liverpool and also gives us his regimental number.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about William W Wright tells us that his first Theatre of War was France and he entered it on the 24th February 1915. It also tells us he had another Regimental number (2786) whilst in the same regiment.
I did wonder whether this family was the original George Henry Wright Family who had a thriving Builder’s supply company along the Chester Road East, Shotton, many years ago. I have since been contacted by a member of the Wright family, namely James Earle Wright, who is the great nephew of William Wesley, and he confirms my suspicions above, that this family was indeed the original George Henry Wright family. Many thanks to him for getting in touch and letting us know, he also added “My grandfather, Earl Wright, as you mention on the web, lived in The Dingle, in Trueman’s Way, Hawarden. The business workshop was located at the end of the large garden, adjacent to Trueman’s Hill. Later, my mother and father lived next door in a house built by my uncle, George Sydney Wright. This was where my father had his ‘builder’s yard’ and where I was brought up.”
James Earle gave me some letters that help explain relationships, but I don’t know if I have them in the right order. Many, many thanks James Earle. Many thanks also to Paul Dutton, who contrbuted
Commonwealth War Graves Commission additional Information: Son of the late George and Esther Wright. of “Valley View,” Kelsall, Chester.
