Thomas's Story.
Private Thomas Shelley died of pneumonia, in Tyne General Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne on 9th May 1918. He was aged 55 (though some accounts wrongly give his age as 63) and had lived for many years in Sandbach where he worked as a tailor. He had previously served in the army, and at the outbreak of war in 1914, volunteered to rejoin in the Labour Corps. He worked for the army as a tailor, rather than on active service abroad. He is buried in the cemetery of St Mary’s Church in Sandbach, and his name is recorded on a plaque within the church building.
MILITARY FUNERAL AT SANDBACH.
Sergeant Thomas Shelley, of 50, Union Street, Sandbach, for several years a tailor employed by Mr. Edwin Carton at Hightown, Sandbach, who had served in the army before, on the outbreak of the present war voluntarily rejoined. He was rejected for active service, but served in the army at his trade. He died of pneumonia last week in hospital at Newcastle-on-Tyne aged 55. The body was buried with military honours at Sandbach Churchyard on Sunday. Amongst the mourners were deceased’s two sons and a brother-in-law. The firing party provided from the local volunteers, under Lieut. Ferrand, took the lead, and following the mourners were a number of wounded soldiers from Abbeyfield Hospital and the remainder of the local volunteers. The Rev. H. S. Ware conducted the service. Three volleys were fired over the grave, after which the Last Post was sounded by three buglers from Bradwall Training School. Six local volunteers were bearers. Mr. G. Thornhill had the funeral arrangements in hand.
What do we know about Thomas?
Thomas Shelley / Shelle was born on 2nd July 1862 at Hinderwell, in Yorkshire. He was the third son of Joseph Shelley (1816–1899) and Mary Smurthwaite (1821–1883), and the youngest of their eight children.
He served in the Cheshire Regiment, number 125731, for a period of time - possibly during the Boer War? - and may perhaps have gained promotion to sergeant, though at the time of his death, he was a private in the Labour Corps. He has not been located on the 1901 census, suggesting that he might have been in South Africa.
Union Street, Sandbach
By 1911, he was living in Sandbach, at 50 Union Street, and working as a tailor. He was employed by Mr. Edwin Carton at Hightown, Sandbach. His family included Mary Ann Leach, named as his housekeeper. He and Mary were a couple, and they had three children - Joseph, born 1904, Leonard Thomas (1905 - 1987) and Alice Ivy (1907 - 1974). Mary had another son, John, born in Malpas in 1893, who was living with them. Sadly, Joseph (named after Thomas's father) died in 1913, aged 8.
Though they were not married, Mary Ann Leach was named as his dependent on Thomas's military pension record (his "unmarried wife"), and both Leonard and Alice Ivy took their father's surname. However, on their school regsitration records, their address is correctly given as 50 Union Street but with father's name "Joseph" Shelley ....
At the start of WW1, Thomas volunteered in Crewe for service, but at 52 years of age he was too old to be sent to the front. However, he was recruited to the Labour Corps, and supported the war effort through his tailoring skills for the army.
In early May 1918, he was admitted to hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and died of pneumonia on 9th May. His age was 55, but his year of birth was calculated to be 1863, and presumably this led to the error of his age being shown as 63. Thomas was buried on Sunday May 12th in St Mary's Churchyard, Sandbach, with military honours.
His two sons, John and Leonard, and a brother-in-law attended the funeral. Following the mourners were a number of wounded soldiers from Abbeyfield Hospital*. The Rev. H. S. Ware conducted the service. Three volleys were fired over the grave, after which the Last Post was sounded by three buglers from Bradwall Training School.
Thomas's grave in St Mary's Church, Sandbach
Thomas's Commonwealth War Graves Commission certificate (as issued in 2025, with an incorrect age shown)
Abbeyfield Hospital was a large residential house off Middlewich Road, Sandbach, which was used from 1914 - 1918 as a hospital for wounded soldiers. It was later converted into apartments.
Abbey Fields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach
Could you be related to Thomas?
Thomas and Mary's son Leonard Thomas Shelley (1905–1987) married Mary Elizabeth Moore (1909–2004) in 1928, and they had a daughter Edith Mary, born 1929, who married Wilson Joseph Lawton (1928–1996) in 1949.
Thomas's daughter Alice Ivy Shelley married Herbert John James Dutton (1907–1989) in 1929, and they had three children: John Dutton (1929–2023), Nancy Dutton (1938–1992) and Margaret Dutton (1945–2006).
Thomas's partner Mary Ann Leach died in July 1941, aged 73. Mourners at her funeral included her granddaughter Edith Shelley.
Researched by Shena Lewington (September 2025)
He served in the Cheshire Regiment, number 125731, for a period of time - possibly during the Boer War? - and may perhaps have gained promotion to sergeant, though at the time of his death, he was a private in the Labour Corps. He has not been located on the 1901 census, suggesting that he might have been in South Africa.
Union Street, Sandbach
By 1911, he was living in Sandbach, at 50 Union Street, and working as a tailor. He was employed by Mr. Edwin Carton at Hightown, Sandbach. His family included Mary Ann Leach, named as his housekeeper. He and Mary were a couple, and they had three children - Joseph, born 1904, Leonard Thomas (1905 - 1987) and Alice Ivy (1907 - 1974). Mary had another son, John, born in Malpas in 1893, who was living with them. Sadly, Joseph (named after Thomas's father) died in 1913, aged 8.
Though they were not married, Mary Ann Leach was named as his dependent on Thomas's military pension record (his "unmarried wife"), and both Leonard and Alice Ivy took their father's surname. However, on their school regsitration records, their address is correctly given as 50 Union Street but with father's name "Joseph" Shelley ....
At the start of WW1, Thomas volunteered in Crewe for service, but at 52 years of age he was too old to be sent to the front. However, he was recruited to the Labour Corps, and supported the war effort through his tailoring skills for the army.
In early May 1918, he was admitted to hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and died of pneumonia on 9th May. His age was 55, but his year of birth was calculated to be 1863, and presumably this led to the error of his age being shown as 63. Thomas was buried on Sunday May 12th in St Mary's Churchyard, Sandbach, with military honours.
His two sons, John and Leonard, and a brother-in-law attended the funeral. Following the mourners were a number of wounded soldiers from Abbeyfield Hospital*. The Rev. H. S. Ware conducted the service. Three volleys were fired over the grave, after which the Last Post was sounded by three buglers from Bradwall Training School.
Thomas's grave in St Mary's Church, Sandbach
Thomas's Commonwealth War Graves Commission certificate (as issued in 2025, with an incorrect age shown)
Abbeyfield Hospital was a large residential house off Middlewich Road, Sandbach, which was used from 1914 - 1918 as a hospital for wounded soldiers. It was later converted into apartments.
Abbey Fields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach
Could you be related to Thomas?
Thomas and Mary's son Leonard Thomas Shelley (1905–1987) married Mary Elizabeth Moore (1909–2004) in 1928, and they had a daughter Edith Mary, born 1929, who married Wilson Joseph Lawton (1928–1996) in 1949.
Thomas's daughter Alice Ivy Shelley married Herbert John James Dutton (1907–1989) in 1929, and they had three children: John Dutton (1929–2023), Nancy Dutton (1938–1992) and Margaret Dutton (1945–2006).
Thomas's partner Mary Ann Leach died in July 1941, aged 73. Mourners at her funeral included her granddaughter Edith Shelley.
Researched by Shena Lewington (September 2025)