Thomas Law

[judy purssell]

Years ago when on holiday in North Wales I met the midwife who delivered me, and she asked my family to look for her husband's grave when we went on a forthcoming visit to France.  We couldn't find it, and I have been looking for any record of him over the years since then.  His name was Thomas Law, born in Liverpool in 1884 and was 27 in 1911, married to Catherine and living in Llandudno working as a shop assistant.  No idea what service or regiment he was in, and no death record in UK.  Can anybody help me solve this mystery?

[CaroleW]

If he died in WW1 there will be an entry for him on www.cwgc.org
Freebmd has a birth reg in September qtr 1883

Rather strange his widow did not know his actual burial place?  If he died in France there won't be a death record for him on freebmd

Son Ernest b 1912 Conway died 1988 Derbyshire & daughter Doreen was born 1914 Liverpool

Catherine did not remarry and died 1977 in Birkenhead aged 94 so it was a long time ago when you met her

[rosie17]

Probate record for Thomas Law of 11.Ridgemore Road Pensby Cheshire died 7 February 1947
Administration 14 April Liverpool to widow Catherine Florence Law

Is this the same family ?

Rosie

[MaxD]

Looks like it.  In 1911 the wife is Catherine Florence Law.  She and he are together in 1939 on the Wirral at the probate address of 1947.

?


MaxD

[CaroleW]

So I wonder why she would ask somebody to find a grave in France when he died in England long after WW1?

[rosie17]

So I wonder why she would ask somebody to find a grave in France when he died in England long after WW1?

Yes a  bit strange 

Rosie

[judy purssell]

Thomas and Catherine were living in Llandudno in 1911.  They had two children, Phyllis aged 4 and John Joseph under a year.  Cathering died in St Asaph, N Wales, in 1962 aged 78, and I met her there in 1954.  Unfortunately there is another couple with exactly the same names in W Midlands, which made the search more difficult, but there are several Thomas Law's listed on CWG's casualties list, I just don't know which is the right one.

[CaroleW]

With the exception of the year of Catherine’s death - all other info matches the profile you gave. Thomas & Catherine are together in 1939 as mentioned by Max above.

The couple married in Liverpool in 1904 and Catherine Florence was nee Englehard.  Phyllis was b March qtr 1907 in Liverpool and GRO shows mmn Englehard.  John Joseph b Dec qtr 1910 Conway - mmn again Englehard

I think the death in 1962 could be that of a Catherine Law b 1884 who is on the 1939 register living in Flintshire but shown as married.  The 1962 death has no middle name

[Annette7]

Looks like you have identified the wrong couple - Catherine and Thomas in 1911 in Llandudno.

This Thomas Law married Catherine Florence Engelhard 1904 West Derby - as already mentioned, she was born 26/7/1883.   This couple are together in 1939, he dying 1947, she aged 94 in 1977 (confirming her birthdate) so clearly not the couple you want.

The lady who died June qtr.1962 St Asaph was bc.1884 but was a plain Catherine. 

In 1939 she is shown as Married with people named Parry and I have unravelled the following:

Catherine Sanders birth Mar.1884 St Asaph - later record shows born 1/1/1884.

In Sept.1907 St Asaph she married a Joseph Parry and they are in Prestatyn 1911 with children.   Another child - William V Parry - born 1914 St Asaph.

In Mar.1923 St Asaph a Catherine Parry marries John J. Law and she appears to be the Catherine Law in Prestatyn who died 1962.

So, is it her first husband - Joseph Parry - who died in WW1?  (No children after 1914).

Certainly, the lady who died in 1962 appears to be this Catherine who was previously married to a Joseph Parry.

Annette