War Memorial Confusion - Charles Furber

[Cariad.bach]

Hello 

I have recently started researching the War Memorials in my local area, to add to this project that a local couple started some years ago: http://www.flintshirewarmemorials.com/

I am researching the Meliden Memorial at the moment - listed here on a local family history site: http://www.clwydfhs.org.uk/cofadeiladau/meliden_wm.htm

I decided to start with Charles Furber, as it seems nothing is known about him.

I checked the list of Flintshire war dead here: http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/LeisureAndTourism/Records-and-Archives/Databases/War.aspx?s=furber and find only two Furbers - Charles is listed as living at 'Kings Head Terrace, Meliden' so fits with him being the man on the Memorial.

However, I go to CWGC.org and I can't find him.. I do find an 'E Furber', No. T4/087194
Date of Death: 16/11/1918, Age: 34, Regiment/Service: Army Service Corps, who's additional notes say 'Husband of Amy Furber, of Kingshead Terrace, Meliden, Flintshire' -  So I think at this point that his initial may be a transcription error.

There is a Medal Rolls Index Card which shows a (mis-transcribed) Elyah Furber, of Cheshire Regiment, Army Service Corps.

(I haven't found either in the UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1918).

I then look for marriages between surname Furber and first name Amy, and find an Elijah Furber marrying an Amy Probyn, in the last quarter of 1904, in Chester, Cheshire. Then I find a child - Elijah James Furber - born in Cheshire in 1912, mothers maiden name Probyn - who died locally to me, in Rhuddlan, Clwyd.

So, my (very long winded - sorry!) question is: Who is Charles Furber? Have I made a simple slip up somewhere that I have missed, and can anyone help solve my mystery please?!

Thanks,
Emma

[Stephen Nulty]

I would ask how certain you are that the name "Charles" is correct? In my several years of research, I have come across several cases where a memorial has an incorrect name, so you end up chasing your tail.

It's also worth poitning outh that SDGW includes very few men who died after the armistice, so Elijah's death date of 16/11/18 probably explains his absence fromt that data source.

1911 census has ELijah and Amy in Newport, Shrophsire, with three children; Violet, Annie and WIlliam

[Cariad.bach]

Hi Stephen, thanks for your reply.

I'm not at all sure, it's all pointing towards the name being Elijah (I had tried to trace him back to see if maybe Charles was another of his names). I'm wondering how or why the wrong (?) name would be put on a memorial.

Thanks, I'd had a look at that census - it would be so much easier if I could see the next census early, to try and place them in Meliden!

[newburychap]

- it would be so much easier if I could see the next census early

A thought echoed by many who are researching war memorials!

I too have found a number of errors on the war memorial I am concentrating on (Newbury,Berkshire) but have also uncovered a number who are not in the CWGC database.  Charles Furber may have existed and, for instance, been discharged sick or wounded and subsequently died.  If it was thought locally that his death was due to his war service he could easily end up on a memorial.  It may even be possible to convince the CWGC to add him to their Debt of Honour Roll (though you need some convincing evidence to do that).

As an aside, I have researched two men on the Newbury memorial who appear on Flintshire memorials: Charles & Geoffrey Trevor-Roper

Phil

[Cariad.bach]

Hi Phil,

I've been googling mistakes made on Memorials, and have seen that it can happen - the odd mispelling - but a completely different name seems a bit unlikely, however the rest of what I've found, naming Elijah and/or Charles at the same address, seems like such a coincidence.. I've been searching to see if I could link them as brothers perhaps. I'm so confused!

Your research and write up on the soldiers you linked to is great - may I suggest to the people who run the Flintshire Memorial site that they could put a link to your research on their pages of the relevant men?

Emma

[Cariad.bach]

I emailed the local Records Office to ask about Charles Furber's Memorial Card, and got this information back:

---------------------------------------------------
District or Parish - Prestatyn Polling District
Name - Furber, Charles
Address - Kings Head Terrace Meliden
Regimental No. - 087194
Unit of HM Forces - 4th Cheshires
Period of Service - 3 years 6 months
Rank - Private
Distinctions awarded - [blank]
If Deceased or Missing (give particulars) - Died of disease 16/11/18 Wounded once
Date - Sept 7th 1919
~~~~~~~~-----

His number matches Elijah Furber on CWGC that I found, links in my first post. So, looks like the name IS wrong on the Memorial.

[newburychap]

Perhaps Elijah was known as 'Charlie' and someone thought this was his real name.

Anyone is welcome to link to my site - please feel free to contact the Flintshire Memorials people.

[Mollybach]

Hi, Elijah Furber from Meliden was my Great Grandfather and is buried in Ypres. I have never heard of the name Charles Furber connected to our family. He married Amy Probyn-she remarried and was Evans- who died in 1968 and is buried in Meliden with her son William (Uncle Bill). Also in the grave is Rene Vickers who was Uncle Bill's widow Jean's second husband-yes I know a very odd arrangement to which my Great Grandmother would have been horrified had she known! Elijah and Amy had Violet (My GrandMother), William (Uncle Bill), Elijah (Uncle Jim) Elizabeth Ann (Aunty Annie) and Thomas (Uncle Tom). At a later date Gran also adopted Basil Kingsley (Bunty). Violet (Davies) is buried in Dyserth, Bill in Meliden, Jim and Tom in Prestatyn and Annie(Williams) in Rhyl, I presume Bunty is also in Prestatyn but not sure of this. Hope this helps you.

[Cariad.bach]

Thanks ever so much for your reply Molly

I had received information that his name was Elijah Charles, but that he was known to the family as Charles, which made sense to me, with Elijah being on all official forms (census/marriage/army etc) and Charles being on the memorial that his family and friends would see every day.

I did also go up to the churchyard (thanks for clearing up the confusion of who is there!) and I saw that the family had remained in the area, so I thought that if there had been an error on the memorial, that it would have been pointed out and corrected.

Thanks too Newbury Chap, will show them your site. Sorry, I thought I'd replied and updated this topic, oops!