Born: 1897, Bradford
Died: 16 March 1918, Somerville Hospital, Oxford
Buried: Nab Wood Cemetery
Address: Hirst Lea, Shipley
Parents: George & Mary Lizzie
Spouse:
Siblings: Mayonne
Occupation:
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Lieut
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Peter’s, Shipley
Children:
Regiment: West Yorkshire
Edwin Norris Firth
In the 1901 census, Edwin was
living with his parents in Bingley
Road, Shipley which would appear
to be where his sister Mayonne was
born because according the 1911
census, when she was five years
old, she was born at Shipley. The
family were now living at Cross
Gate, near Leeds.
By the time of Edwin’s death they
were back in Shipley though there
is contradictory evidence about
exactly where.
The Commonwealth War Graves
site gives his address as Upper Nab
House, Staveley Road, while the
newspaper says it was Hirst Lea,
suggesting perhaps that the family
moved again during the war.
Details of Edwin’s death appeared
in the Shipley Times & Express
briefly on 22 March 1918 and this
fuller version the following week:
“As announced last week, the
military honours were accorded the
funeral at Nab Wood Cemetery of
Lieut Edwin Norris Firth, West
Yorkshire Regt, only son of Mr and
Mrs George Firth of Hirst Lea,
Shipley.
“The deceased enlisted in
September 1914 and had been
twice wounded. He died at
Somerville Hospital , Oxford, from
the effects of gas poisoning.
“The principal mourners were Mr
and Mrs Geo Firth, Miss M Firth,
Miss Cannon, Mr James Firth, Miss
Firth, Mr and Mrs Norris, Mr E R
Firth, Mr J H Firth, Mr and Mrs M
Firth, Mrs G Firth, Mr and Mrs
Wm Firth.
“The cortege was headed by a
detachment of West Riding
Volunteers who formed a firing
party at the graveside and the Leeds
Modern School Cadet Corps was
also represented, one of them
sounding the Last Post.
“The father of the deceased is a
sectional leader in the Special
Constables at Shipley and a
number of his colleagues attended
along with Inspector Foulkes and
Sectional Commander Percy
Taylor.
“Others present were Lieut
Holmes, Lieut Waddilove, Sec-
Lieut Holdsworth and officers
from the City Volunteers.
“The coffin was borne on a gun-
carriage from the Bradford Moor
Barracks and was covered with the
Union Jack.
“The officiating minister was the
Rev Rowland G Maple of
Wrexham and formerly of
Shipley.”