Palfrey family of Pershore

[Janet M]

Hello Ray
Thomas Palfrey born in Pershore in 1816 married Jane Allies they had eight children my great Grandfather Frederick born in 1839 was one of these .George Palfrey b 1842 was his brother who married Ellen Mumford. George and Ellen had Charles (married Emily) and Jane b 1866 who married Sampson Beard. I have only been able to find two offspring for George, do you know of any others?
Janet

[cabbyray]

Hi Janet

Thank you very much for the information, you are way ahead of me on the research as I have only gone back to Charles and Emily. I have been trying to find out more about E G Palfreys Life and career in the army, I Have a copy of his Army records from the Grenadier Guards and a extract from the Merrows Journal which stated he was also in the Metropolitan Police?, do you have any other information about him or his brothers.

Thanks Ray

[Janet M]

Hello Ray
Edwin (or Edward as he was known) had the following siblings:-Florence Elizabeth b 1886 married Henry Bolas
Charles William 1896 Arthur James b 1890 married Florence Houston
Ellen Maria b 1893 married James Edgington Lily b 1898 Edith 1906 married Alfred Scarrott
How interesting to have a copy of his army records. I know he died of wounds on April 5th 1918 does it say in his records if this was in a battle or in a hospital?I have tried to research battles on that particular day but cannot find one.
In the Pershore roll of honour Edward is recorded as gaining his military medal on Nov 14th 1914, does this tie in with information you have on the records.
Is the Merrows journal a local paper and can you access it on the web?

Janet

[David Annis]

Hi all.
The newspaper in question is the "Worcester Berrows Journal".
The Berrows Journal is the worlds oldest newspaper that is still going into press today.
My quest to find out who the father was of Albert Thomas Palfrey Lee, has drawn a blank. The birth certificate shows no father.
Elizabeth Lee gave birth to Thomas in 1882. In the 1881 census she is shown as a widow. The only Charles Lee I can find, died in Upton Upon Severn in 1879. So we will never know which Palfrey it was that was Thomas's father.
Cheers
Dave.

[Janet M]

Hi Dave
I have found relatives with name John Lees Palfrey born in 1876 ,is the surname you are searching for Lee rather than Lees?
Janet

[cabbyray]

Hello Janet

Edward Died in No 3 Casualty Clearing Station but I have not been able to to research any information regarding this Battle, He originally went out with the first batch of the Expeditionary Force and was involved fierce fighting but injured in september 1914 (He gives quite a graphic account in the Berrows Journal) Have you know if his Brothers served in the forces during the war and did they return?

Thanks Ray

[David Annis]

Thank you Janet M.
The Lee family Janet not Lees. There were Lees in Pershore, one of which owned land over Great Comberton. Robert Lees, known as Bob.
I know, my father worked for him and I spent my early childhood on his land.
Cheers
Dave.

[Janet M]

I have been to the Pershore family history centre today and the volunteers there were very helpful. They managed to photocopy me an extract from the Berrows journal (Nov 14th 1914) and I was able to read about Edward and his account of his time before he was wounded.
They also had a booklet with all the names of the Pershore men in WW1 and their regiments. I could not see any brothers of Edward mentioned but I will keep looking for Charles William and Arthur James Palfrey.
I found a bag of flour on display from Palfreys bakery!!!
Janet

[Janet M]

Just a thought you don't have Palfreys in Hereford do you?

On the freecen 1871 census there are 31 Palfreys listed in Herefordshire
Janet

[Janet M]

Hello Ray
I have some more information on Edward Palfrey.
He joined the 2nd battalion Grenadier Guards in peacetime and was based at Marlborough Lines, Aldershot, Hampshire. At the outbreak of WW1 the 2nd Grenadier Guards were at Chelsea. The CWGC showed him serving with the 1st battalion when he died. Edward went to France for the first time on August 13th 1914.
In 1918 the Guards division was serving in V1 Corps in the third army and was on the Somme when the enemy launched Operation Michael on March 21st 1918. This was a major assault on the Allied lines in the St Quentin area. The phase of the battle in which Edward was fighting before his death was the First battle of Arras on March 28th 1918. The enemy attcked the British defending the city on a 10 mile front between Authuille and Oppy. The British had prepared defences in the area when at 3.00am on Thursday March 28th the enemy bombardment started. "Soldiers died in the great war" (HMSO 1921) recorded Edward died of wounds. This meant he had been removed from the front and treated by medical teams. In most cases burials were carried out from the clearing stations and the no 3 casualty clearing station was based at Gezaincourt.
This interesting information was given to me by Alan on the World War Forum
Kind regards Janet