Ernest Snowden
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Ernest was the son of George, a French polisher, and Jane Snowden (née Clay) of 36 Seymour Street, Carlton Road, Nottingham. His father was born in Nottingham in 1875 and his mother in Mansfield in 1877. They were married in the Parish Church at Ruddington on 14th November 1896 and had one other child, May, born in 1903 in Nottingham (a third child had died in infancy prior to 1911). In 1911 they lived at 7 Seymour Terrace Seymour Street Nottingham.
Ernest Snowden enlisted at Nottingham on 30th January 1915 giving his age as 19 although he was actually sixteen. He was posted to the 7th Reserve Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters. He landed in France on 27th October 1915 and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 30th April 1916 and to Corporal on 2nd July 1916. However, on 24th September 1916 his real age was discovered and he was returned to the base depot in Calais. On 30th September 1916 he was returned to England. He continued in the army and served on the home front until on 19th November 1916 he died of heart failure. He is buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.
His father George also joined the Army. He attested in Nottingham on 24th June 1916 and was posted to the reserves the following day. He was called up on 9th July 1918; he was 43 years and 357 days old. He served with the 5th Battalion Royal Army Service Corps and was discharged on 6th February 1919 following the end of the war. Obituary published in the Nottingham Evening Post dated 19th November 1917:- “SNOWDEN. – In loving memory of Corpl. Ernest Snowden, Sherwood Foresters, 36, Seymour-street, died November 19th, 1916, aged 18. Too dearly loved to be forgotten. – Mother, father, sister, grandparents.” Above obituary courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
