Pte 73671 Ellis Marsden

Ellis was born in Cheetham, Lancashire, in late 1877, the youngest surviving son of William Marsden and his wife Ruth (née Salt). His parents, both born in Derbyshire, married in 1863. The children found on the Censuses are: older siblings Anthony, Mary, Louisa, Selina, and Ellen, and younger sister Ethel.

 

In 1881 the family is living at 13 Crumpsall View, Cheetham, Prestwich, with five children. His father is aged 39, and employed as a cow keeper, his mother is aged 38. Ellis is aged 4.

 

They are still at Crumpsall View in 1891, with four children and 5-year old granddaughter Ethel. His father is a farmer, Ellis is 13.

 

By 1901 they have moved to 2 Cheetham Vale, North Manchester. His father is aged 64, a farmer, his mother is aged 60, Lena is aged 27, and Ellis is aged 23, single, and a farmer’s son.

 

He married Isabella Short in Salford district in 1904. Their son John Percy was born on 13th February 1905 in Patricroft, Manchester.  A daughter Annie was born in 1910 but sadly died in infancy.

 

His father appears to have died 1903, and his mother in 1910, aged 69.

 

The 1911 census finds him at 29 Carnforth Street, Rusholme. Ellis is  aged 33, and a window cleaner/employer, Isabella is aged37, son John is  aged 6.

CWGC records show that Ellis was serving wth the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 73671 when he died on 20th April 1917, aged 39.

He rests at Puchevillers British Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"AT REST"

In June 1916, just before the opening of the Battles of the Somme, the 3rd and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations came to Puchevillers. Plots I to V, and almost the whole of Plot VI were made by those hospitals before the end of March 1917. For the next two months the 2nd/1st South Midland Casualty Clearing Station used the cemetery.

Plot VII contains for the most part the graves of men who died in the German advance in 1918, many of whom were buried by the 49th Clearing Station in March 1918, or by the 48th Labour Group in August.

Puchevillers British Cemetery contains 1,763 First World War burials.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The medal roll suggests that Ellis was serving with 18th Labour Company K.L.R.

 

Soldiers’ Effects records that he died at 2/1 Mid Casualty Clearing Station.

 

His son was 12 when Ellis died. The pension card, showing Isabella’s address as 35 Brompton Road, Rusholme, shows that she was awarded a pension of 18/9d a week from October 1917, amended to £1-10s from July 1918. Isabella received his Army Effects, including a War Gratuity of £3. 

 

Isabella never remarried. In 1939 she is living on independent means at 39 Lock Road, Altrincham.  His son John is living at 3 Trinity Avenue, Sale, Cheshire.  He is 34, married, and works for an advertising agency.  

 

Isabella died in 1950, aged 76. His son John died in North Wales in 1972, aged 67.

 

His Memorial Plaque went  for auction in 2014:  Two framed first World War “death plaques”, the first awarded to Ellis Marsden, a 73671 Private. Expected to fetch £80-£120.