Broken Families: A Legacy of War

An Aberystwyth Soldier Family

From the Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard, 13^th July 1917 

There can be no doubt of the devastating social impact that the Great War had on Aberystwyth, and its surrounding area. Some came through the war miraculously unscathed, with one nearby village (Llanfihangel y Creuddyn) seeing all its men who served in World War One – and World War Two! – return home safely. But this extraordinary case was a unique one. Most families lost sons, brothers and husbands to this ‘Great War,’ the effects of which would ripple through generations to come. For instance, whilst searching through war service records and censuses, I discovered that one young woman (Mary Elizabeth Stephens, living at Spring Gardens) tragically lost both her husband and two sons during the war, taking away both her marriage and motherhood. 

Today however, I am focusing on the remarkable story of one family living in 17, Mill Street, who had four of its men serve in the war. Using an array of records and archived material, I have been able to piece together the story of this remarkable family.

Before the Great War

Our story begins in late 1874, when Emma Smith marries Samuel Bluck. Though the couple were living in Aberystwyth at this time, they were both born in Shropshire and it is therefore possible they met in their hometown before relocating to Aberystwyth. It seems they were a rather ordinary couple; they both operated as innkeepers, with censuses indicating they first ran the Prince of Wales Inn, and then later the Cross Foxes. They had six children together: Frances Louisa (1876), Samuel Dick (1880), Harry (1883), Samuel (1885) and Anne (1888). Tragically, their first son, Samuel Dick, died in early 1885, aged four. The high infant mortality rate associated with the Victorian era meant that losing a child was unfortunately not uncommon. It is likely that Emma was widowed in 1893, though the death record of her husband does contain some small discrepancies. It seems Emma never remarried; instead, she single-handedly raised her five children and ran a thriving community pub in Aberystwyth – a feat which indicates her strong will. The children did, of course, assist with the inn as they grew up, with both Samuel and Harry Bluck registered as barmen in the 1911 census. Even when they were just toddlers, Samuel and Harry were registered as innkeepers in their baptism records! 

The Mill Inn, George Street (formerly the Cross Foxes)

http://aberpubs.blogspot.com/2007/10/mill-inn.html 

Emma’s eldest daughter, Emma Jr. married John Humphreys in late 1896 and had four children: Edward George (1897), John Llewellyn (1900), Harry Leslie (1904) and Glyn Samuel (1907). Her two eldest sons served during the war, both fortunately surviving.  Frances Louisa, Emma’s other daughter, married Frank Otterburne in 1907, and had at least two children before moving to Herne Bay (Kent) by 1911. This explains why she is not in the 1911 Census, and there are no further documents linking her to Aberystwyth.

From Aberstwyth to Australia

Emma’s eldest surviving son, Harry Bluck, led an extraordinary life. His school records state he was born in Borth (July 1883) and that he was able to speak English and Welsh. It is interesting to observe that whilst the three older children (Samuel, Harry and Emma) were all bilingual, the youngest daughter, Anne, and four grandchildren were not. This is possibly a reflection of the decline of the Welsh language, as education became increasingly anglicized.

It seems that Harry chose to emigrate to Australia in 1913. His emigration papers state he embarked on this long journey on 12th September 1913, abroad the ‘Otranto’, when he was 29. There is some ambiguity here, as there are records confirming Harry married a ‘Margaret Jones’ in 1908, a marital status which is confirmed by the 1911 census. Harry Bluck and his wife, Margaret, had a daughter (Catherine Gwenllian), who was born and died in the summer of 1908. It appears they separated shortly after this, with the 1911 census showing Harry living at his family home in Mill Street, and Margaret living with her brother in Great Darkgate Street.

On 27th February 1916, Bluck enlisted as a corporal in the 4th Field Artillery Brigade in the Australian Imperial Force. By 1922, Harry had remarried, and was living with his new wife, Alice, in Perth, Western Australia.

Samuel Bluck (102692)

Up until 1911, Samuel appears to have helped his mother run the Cross Foxes, before later becoming a railway clerk. Bluck enlisted in the army in December 1915 and was first posted out to France in June of 1916. He is listed as a Private/Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery and was posted out to France several times throughout 1916 and 1917. On 28 October 1916, Bluck is recorded as having sprained his ankle in the field and was invalided back to England to recuperate. This is where his fortune ends however. According to his Active Service Casualty Form, Samuel was posted to France on 13th June 1917, and was tragically killed in action on 25th June 1917, by a shell splinter. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium. 

Photo from West Wales War Memorial Project 

Samuel’s death is recorded in the Cambrian News, an article which gives us a small insight into the emotional devastation that war wrought. According to this report, Emma Bluck received a letter from her son, Samuel, on the morning of Monday 2nd July, detailing that he was well and safe. That very same afternoon, a letter was received from the Major of his regiment, informing her of Sam’s death. In this, he is described as a hero; apparently, ‘Some men were wounded by shell fire and he rushed off with other men to their rescue’, during which he was fatally hit by a shell splinter. It is difficult to imagine the sheer pain that Emma must have felt through that day. 

To feel such relief and joy at hearing from her son the very same morning of the day she receives news of his death is more tragic than we can comprehend. Though we cannot find the death record for Emma Bluck, it is possible that she died shortly after receiving news of her son’s death, for on his Army Service Records, she has been crossed out as his Next of Kin, and the details of his sister, Emma, have been inserted above. In a letter dated April 19th, 1921, Emma Humphreys names herself as Next of Kin, in order to receive his memorial plaque. 

Edward George Humphreys

Samuel’s nephew, Edward George, was born in Aberystwyth on 14th January 1897, and in the 1911 Census, is listed as a hotel proprietor – perhaps helping to run the family business. Though he was only seventeen at the time, he enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery on 4th April 1914, before war had even broken out. No doubt, the abrasive rise of nationalism, militarism and imperialism meant one could have clearly seen war brewing in the heart of Europe. On his enlistment papers, Edward George has his trade as an apprentice hairdresser to a ‘Mr H Cadwallader’ of Great Darkgate Street.  At some point during the war, Edward George was transferred into the RAF, now being recorded under the service number 168359. He survived the war remarkably unscathed (though he did receive 3 days of field punishment in 1918 for not complying with an order) and continued to serve in the territorial forces after it was over. By the time he was discharged on 31st March 1920, he had served for 5 years and 330 days!

John Llewellyn Humphreys

We can see from an article in the Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser, that Emma Humphreys’ second son, John Llewellyn was born on 25th July 1900. It seems he served both during the war, and afterwards, perhaps following in the military footsteps of his older brother. In January 1919, he lists his trade as a horse keeper. Intriguingly, John Llewellyn names his mother as a ‘Jane Elizabeth’ in his Army Service Records, living at the same address as his uncle, Harry Bluck. Though we know with all credible evidence that his actual birth mother was Emma Humphreys, it might be that Emma Humphreys had died shortly after the war ended, and John Llewellyn switched to using his wife as next of kin instead. There are no records to confirm this however, so sadly it is a question that will remain unanswered.  Between November 1919 and January 1923, it seems that John Llewellyn was posted to India. He was discharged on 9th February 1923 as a Corporal, with a ‘very good’ character remark on his records.


Blog by Alice Sargent, Project Assistant 
Sources:
The Cambrian News
Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser
West Wales War Memorials Project https://www.wwwmp.co.uk/
Find My Past https://www.findmypast.co.uk/

The Volunteer Training Corps in Aberystwyth

Following the deployment of the BEF to Belgium in August 1914 and the first reports of British casualties sustained during the Battle of the Frontiers it had become increasingly apparent of the need for more forces on the continent to halt the German offensive. Territorial battalions such as the 4th Cheshire’s (billeted in Aberystwyth) who were previously assigned to home defence were now called on for service on the continent. As many more men joined up for active service concerns were raised about home defence and in November 1914 the already established Central Committee was renamed the Central Association of Volunteer Training Corps and called on men passed military age to form battalions tasked for home defence. Many battalions were raised nationwide and in Wales there seems to have been calls for the establishment of such battalions however as The Cambrian News suggests in an article on 14th April 1916 “Wales, regarded generally, has not taken to the movement with enthusiasm."

The Volunteer Training Corps (VTC) struggled for official recognition from the war office for the duration of the war as the threat of invasion died away and the funding of such units deemed unnecessary. Yet by June 1915 there were estimated to be 2,000 separate Corps and roughly 590,000 volunteers. Yet Aberystwyth seems to have been slow to catch up with the rest of the country perhaps due to the unlikeliness of an invasion or enemy raid on the coast of Cardiganshire during this time. The first mention of a VTC battalion in Aberystwyth appear to have taken place at a Borough council meeting on 4th May 1915 when a letter was read out which requested the promoting of legislation which would enable local council’s to adequately fund any VTC units. It was then agreed on the 24th May that a letter be sent to the Prime Minister which was acknowledged 3rd July 1915. 

In The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard on the 7th January 1916 an advertisement called for all men over the age of 41 or men of military age with a “genuine” reason for not joining the regular army to register and muster for drill at the drill hall in town on Wednesday 3-4 and 8-9 and Saturday 3-4 and 8-9. The Commandant for this Aberystwyth Corps was to be Richard T Greer. There were calls for a Volunteer Training Corps in neighbouring towns such as Lampeter and Aberdovey with Aberdovey’s Training Corps appearing to be quite active with shooting competitions advertised in the newspapers. 

Recruitment for the Training Corps appears to be largely unsuccessful and at a meeting which was called to address the lack of members within the Corps just thirty members of the Corps were in attendance which was woefully short of the 600 needed to be officially recognized by the Central Association. At this meeting it was proposed that in order to form a battalion of roughly 600 men Aberystwyth should provide around 120 men, Lampeter provide 50, Cardigan provide 60 and Aberaeron 30. The rest of the battalion would be raised from the rest of the county. This proposal appears to have been unsuccessful however as a desperate appeal for volunteers for the VTC would appear in The Cambrian News on 23rd February 1917. 

Aberystwyth Town Drill Hall. Now Tesco’s supermarket
(c.) John Lucas https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3923916

There appears to have been some very strong opinions on the formation of a Volunteer Training Corps in Cardiganshire with differences of opinion strongly expressed at meetings or through articles in the paper. A strong supporter for the VTC was Thomas H. Edwards who attended most meetings regarding the VTC in Aberystwyth. With two sons, Second Lieutenant Harold T. Edwards (later wounded in Italy in 1917) and Arthur Ewart Edwards a merchant seaman aboard the SS Erington Court he was met with cheers when suggesting that if Britain’s position was similar to that of Belgium the town ought to be prepared to defend itself. 

Not all members of the community were as keen on the idea of an expanded VTC and an anonymous letter sent to the Cambrian News on 6th April makes a mockery out of invasion fears suggesting “invasion is so improbable that it may almost be relegated to the realms of the impossible” and that all the Germans could hope for was to “pay a flying visit in a fast steaming destroyer”. The letter also criticizes a method of VTC recruitment at the time which was the granting of exemption from service overseas for men who in return must attend drill at their local VTC unit. The letter suggests that men involved in food production and farming who work 70-80-hour weeks should not be made to march up and down for 2 hours in the evening and ends the letter on “leave drilling to the army. It will be done quickly and efficiently there.”

It has been difficult to find any information regarding the VTC unit in Aberystwyth however a brief article in The Cambrian News on 10th May 1918 states that the volunteer battalions of Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire would be merged into one regiment which would indicate that a Cardiganshire volunteer battalion had been raised though its numbers would be questionable. 

Blog by Tom Morgan, Project Assistant
Sources: 
Cambrian News
http://anextractofreflection.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-genuine-relics-of-volunteer.html