WAR MEMORIALS IN THE PARISH OF NORTHOP
The villages of Northop, Northop Hall and Sychdyn (Soughton)
The villages of Northop, Northop Hall and Sychdyn (Soughton)
Name Neville Ayrton Astbury
Regiment 49th Bn; Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment)
Service Rank and Number Lieutenant
Military Cemetery/Memorial Vimy Memorial
Ref No. of Grave or Memorial
Country of Cemetery/Memorial France
Medals Awarded The British Medal, The Victory Medal and, for his widow, The Canadian Memorial Cross
Date and Circumstances of Death Died on 16th September 1916 at Courcellette. (There is a detailed description of how he was killed further down this page, close to the photograph of Neville)
Biographical Details Known Neville Astbury was a member of an old Northop family but there were connections with Sweden and Canada.
The 1891 census tells us he was one year old and was the adopted son of Edward and Jane E Astbury. He had been born on the 6th April 1889. The family lived in Northop High Street. Neville's father Edward was the Clerk to the School Board. Staying with them on census night were Charles Hughes and Annie Hughes (brother in law and sister in law). There was also a resident servant - Hannah Blyddyn.
In 1901 Neville was 11 years old and was staying with his Uncle in 6 River Street, Rhyl. This Uncle was a Swedish national named Per Gustaff M Nark who was a 67 year old retired hotel manager. His wife was Abigail who had been born in Chester. There was another nephew staying there too. He was 7 year old Ainslie Nark Astbury - Neville's brother. In the same 1901 census, Neville's parents were in Northop, living in Grosvenor Cottage. Edward was described as a 45 year old Assistant Overseer and his wife Jane Emma was a 40 year old Postmistress. (An Overseer was responsible for the parish electoral register and 'the poor'). There were two servants John Henry Barkes and Emily Griffiths.
Neville attended Northop school. He was admitted on 6th January 1896 aged 7 and it states that he had formerly been a pupil at a private school. The register records that Neville gained a County Scholarship. He went on to Hawarden School and afterwards went to St Davids College Lampeter. Some time later but we don't know exactly when, he went to live in Canada, where he was a clerk with the Union Bank of Canada at Alberta. Soon after war broke out, like many other ex patriots in the Empire, he signed up to help the mother country. Neville joined the army in Canada on August 6th 1914 but signed up for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 29th June 1915. His Attestation papers from that date include a description of himself as 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall with a freckled complexion, grey eyes and dark hair. He was gazetted to Lieutenant.
Neville for some reason attended a military hospital, (one of the newspaper cuttings below says he was on sick leave in October 1915), where he met and fell in love with a nurse named Mary Rosina Puplett, known as Rose. They married on the 8th September 1916 at the Parish Church in Whitchurch, Shropshire. He was then sent back to the front where he was killed just 8 days later. He was never to know his daughter, Betty, who was born the following January. We are privileged to have a copy of one of Neville's poignant letters to Rose from Flanders. It contains a stark contrast between the harshness and ugliness of life for Neville at the front and the gentle, loving relationship he had with Rose. In about 1925, widowed Rose and her daughter Betty, emigrated to Melbourne, Australia.
Regiment 49th Bn; Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment)
Service Rank and Number Lieutenant
Military Cemetery/Memorial Vimy Memorial
Ref No. of Grave or Memorial
Country of Cemetery/Memorial France
Medals Awarded The British Medal, The Victory Medal and, for his widow, The Canadian Memorial Cross
Date and Circumstances of Death Died on 16th September 1916 at Courcellette. (There is a detailed description of how he was killed further down this page, close to the photograph of Neville)
Biographical Details Known Neville Astbury was a member of an old Northop family but there were connections with Sweden and Canada.
The 1891 census tells us he was one year old and was the adopted son of Edward and Jane E Astbury. He had been born on the 6th April 1889. The family lived in Northop High Street. Neville's father Edward was the Clerk to the School Board. Staying with them on census night were Charles Hughes and Annie Hughes (brother in law and sister in law). There was also a resident servant - Hannah Blyddyn.
In 1901 Neville was 11 years old and was staying with his Uncle in 6 River Street, Rhyl. This Uncle was a Swedish national named Per Gustaff M Nark who was a 67 year old retired hotel manager. His wife was Abigail who had been born in Chester. There was another nephew staying there too. He was 7 year old Ainslie Nark Astbury - Neville's brother. In the same 1901 census, Neville's parents were in Northop, living in Grosvenor Cottage. Edward was described as a 45 year old Assistant Overseer and his wife Jane Emma was a 40 year old Postmistress. (An Overseer was responsible for the parish electoral register and 'the poor'). There were two servants John Henry Barkes and Emily Griffiths.
Neville attended Northop school. He was admitted on 6th January 1896 aged 7 and it states that he had formerly been a pupil at a private school. The register records that Neville gained a County Scholarship. He went on to Hawarden School and afterwards went to St Davids College Lampeter. Some time later but we don't know exactly when, he went to live in Canada, where he was a clerk with the Union Bank of Canada at Alberta. Soon after war broke out, like many other ex patriots in the Empire, he signed up to help the mother country. Neville joined the army in Canada on August 6th 1914 but signed up for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 29th June 1915. His Attestation papers from that date include a description of himself as 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall with a freckled complexion, grey eyes and dark hair. He was gazetted to Lieutenant.
Neville for some reason attended a military hospital, (one of the newspaper cuttings below says he was on sick leave in October 1915), where he met and fell in love with a nurse named Mary Rosina Puplett, known as Rose. They married on the 8th September 1916 at the Parish Church in Whitchurch, Shropshire. He was then sent back to the front where he was killed just 8 days later. He was never to know his daughter, Betty, who was born the following January. We are privileged to have a copy of one of Neville's poignant letters to Rose from Flanders. It contains a stark contrast between the harshness and ugliness of life for Neville at the front and the gentle, loving relationship he had with Rose. In about 1925, widowed Rose and her daughter Betty, emigrated to Melbourne, Australia.
Cuttings from the County Herald
7th May 1915
22nd October1915
29th September 1916
29th September 1916
20th October 1916
27th October 1916
3rd November 1916
Neville's brother, Ainslie Astbury survived the war, but not without incident. The following reports from August 1915, including his own graphic description of what happened to him, appeared in the County Herald.
20th August 1915
3rd November 1915
One of Neville's poignant letters to Rose.
The letter informing Rose Astbury about her new husband's death.
Rose Astbury and her daughter Betty Ayrton Astbury
Betty
Neville's medals, as they are today, framed and on the wall of his grandaughter's home.
The British Medal
The Canadian Memorial Cross
The Victory Medal
Many thanks to Rosemary Merralls, Neville's grandaughter, for sharing her treasured family archives with us.
Neville's surviving family had never seen a photograph him. We were thrilled when through this project a gentleman contacted us to say he had a book which included a profile of Neville Astbury with a photograph . We have scanned the relevant pages of this book, 'The British Roll of Honour' and are delighted to reproduce them here. Needless to say, Rosemary, Neville's grandaughter is overwhelmed at finally being able to see her grandfather. We wish to record our thanks and hers to Mr Ron Cartwright for sharing this very special archive with us.
Ainslie Astbury
Northop Parish Magazine October 1916
Another of our young men has laid down his life for his country. Lieutenant N A Astbury we are informed fell in action in France on September 16th. He had come over with the Canadians a few months back. For some years he was in a banking establishment in Canada and when war broke out he volunteered and obtained a commission in the regiment he was serving on the fateful day. We deeply sympathise with his sorrowing relatives.
A visit to the Vimy Memorial on 16th September 2008
The grounds around this Canadian Memorial contain preserved aspects of the crucial battle for Vimy Ridge where Canadian troops scored a huge tactical victory. Trenches and craters are there for visitors to view.When we were there a coachload of very young British Army recruits arrived on a battlefield tour. They explored and examined the trenches and the sight of such young soldiers in those trenches was a poignant, echo of 1917.
Beneath the chalk ground at Vimy, a labyrinth of tunnels was built to provide cover for soldiers, communications systems and command. We booked a tour of these subterranean tunnels and were taken down and shown around by a young woman, Canadian university student who was excellent.
In the tunnels were artefacts left behind by the soldiers. In the photograph on the left, a helmet is clearly visible and in the one on the right, what appears to be a film projector, is in fact an air blowing machine.
The Memorial itself is built on the highest point of Vimy Ridge, overlooking the Douai Plain where in WW1, the Germans controlled important industries such as coalmining. This is why the capture of Vimy Ridge was so strategically important. The huge, white Memorial is breathtakingly imposing as you approach. It was designed by Walter Seymour Allward.
This photograph, taken from the other side of the Memorial gives some idea of scale. The tiny dot waving beneath the left pillar is Viv. The wall below her is filled with the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died but who have no known resting place. This wall and the names continue on all four sides of the Memorial. Neville Ayrton Astbury is one of those names.
It took us quite some time to spot Neville's name but eventually we found it. It was in a difficult place to photograph being very high up on the wall. Eifion is hanging quite precariously here as he tries to point out the name for the photograph.
Second Lieutenant Neville Ayrton Astbury. A Northop lad who emigrated to Canada
Many maple trees have been symbolically planted in the area and being September, the leaves were beginning to fall. This is one we picked up and brought home.
Another viewpoint of the impressive Memorial. There is much more detail about it on the website of the Veterans affairs Canada
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers
We were told that the ground which was the battlefield, still contains the remains of many soldiers.
www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers
We were told that the ground which was the battlefield, still contains the remains of many soldiers.
Viv and Eifion, nearing the end of our visit to Vimy. It had been very powerful, moving, interesting and memorable. We would recommend a visit to this site to anyone with an interest in WW1. We felt pleased and satisfied to have paid homage to Neville.
Post Script
We've heard from Neville's grandaughter, Rosemary and she pointed out that we'd visited Vimy on the anniversary of Neville's death - the 16th September. This had passed us by completely whilst we were there and we certainly hadn't planned it. We were there exactly 92 years to the very day after he died. How amazing is that?
We've heard from Neville's grandaughter, Rosemary and she pointed out that we'd visited Vimy on the anniversary of Neville's death - the 16th September. This had passed us by completely whilst we were there and we certainly hadn't planned it. We were there exactly 92 years to the very day after he died. How amazing is that?
Remembrance Day in Melbourne 2008
Neville's grandaughter, Rosemary attended the ceremony and took these photographs of the occasion. It certainly looks a lot drier and warmer than it was for us in Northop! Thanks for sending them Rosemary.
Neville's grandaughter, Rosemary attended the ceremony and took these photographs of the occasion. It certainly looks a lot drier and warmer than it was for us in Northop! Thanks for sending them Rosemary.
More facts about Neville come to light
The 1911 census places Neville aged 21 in Grosvenor Cottage, Northop. The head of the household was his father Edward Astbury, aged 54 and now a widower. He was still Assistant Overseer. In the house was Abigail Sarah Nark, Edward's widowed sister in law aged 58 a hotel manageress. Also there was Annie Marie Hughes sister in law aged 50 and descibed as 'single'. She was a sub postmistress. (Presumably, she is the same Annie Hughes listed in 1891) The form tells us that Neville was a theology student at college. The census tells us that all those listed in the household spoke Welsh and English.
The next pieces of Neville's 'jigsaw' were sent to us from Canada by Evelyn Bromley who is researching her family history and in particular Charles Hughes who appears briefly in Neville's story in the 1891 census. She informs us that she believes that Neville was born Neville Ayrton Hughes ( Ref Qtr June 1889, District W Derby, Vol 8b page 438) West Derby is a district of Liverpool. Evelyn has researched Neville's emigration to Canada and has found him listed on 'The Royal Edward' which sailed from Avonmouth to Canada in September 1911. We can see that he was sailing for Toronto, that he described himself as an undergraduate and that his religion was Church of England.
The 1911 census places Neville aged 21 in Grosvenor Cottage, Northop. The head of the household was his father Edward Astbury, aged 54 and now a widower. He was still Assistant Overseer. In the house was Abigail Sarah Nark, Edward's widowed sister in law aged 58 a hotel manageress. Also there was Annie Marie Hughes sister in law aged 50 and descibed as 'single'. She was a sub postmistress. (Presumably, she is the same Annie Hughes listed in 1891) The form tells us that Neville was a theology student at college. The census tells us that all those listed in the household spoke Welsh and English.
The next pieces of Neville's 'jigsaw' were sent to us from Canada by Evelyn Bromley who is researching her family history and in particular Charles Hughes who appears briefly in Neville's story in the 1891 census. She informs us that she believes that Neville was born Neville Ayrton Hughes ( Ref Qtr June 1889, District W Derby, Vol 8b page 438) West Derby is a district of Liverpool. Evelyn has researched Neville's emigration to Canada and has found him listed on 'The Royal Edward' which sailed from Avonmouth to Canada in September 1911. We can see that he was sailing for Toronto, that he described himself as an undergraduate and that his religion was Church of England.
The Morning Bulletin (Edmonton, Alberta) 26th September 1916
Calgary Daily Herald 28th September 1916
The Morning Bulletin (Edmonton Alberta) 28th September 1916
Many thanks to Evelyn for these details from Canada. Good luck with your research!