Maurice Aden Ley
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the son of Sir Francis Ley, 1st Bart., (b. 3 January 1846) and his second wife Alison Catherine nee jobson. Sir Francis founded Ley's Malleable Castings, Vulcan Ironworks, Derby. He bought Epperstone Manor and was created a baronet (of Epperstone Manor) in 1905. Sir Francis married Alison Catherine Jobson in 1888 after the death of his first wife, Georgina Townsend. by whom he had had one son, Henry Gordon, and two daughters, Agnes Willis and Ethel. There were two sons of the second marriage, Christopher Francis Aden (b. Barrow on Trent, 7 June 1893) and Maurice Aden (b. Epperstone, 5 August 1895). The family lived in Epperstone for only a short time before moving to Lealholme Lodge, Lealholme, North Yorkshire.Sir Francis died on 17 January 1916. His widow contiued to live in Lealholm, North Yorkshire.Maurice's brother, Captain Christopher Francis Aden Ley, Captain, Royal Flying Corps and South Notts Hussars, was accidentally killed on 16 March 1918 and is buried in Lealholm (St James the Greater) Churchyard.
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) attached 1st Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment. Gazetted 2nd Lieut, The Buffs, September 1914 and served in the Expeditionary Force. He was killed at Wytschaete and was buried in White House Cemetery, St Jean-les-Ypres,West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (grave ref. III.P.30)
Personal inscription CWGC headstone: 'Born Epperstone, Notts. Post Mortem Spero Vitam'For a photograph of Maurice see: www.yorkshireindexers.info/wiki/index.php?title=LEY,_Maurice_AdenInscription on family memorial, Church of the Holy Cross, Epperstone (WMA27163): 'In loving memory of Maurice Aden Ley, Lieut, The Buffs, who fell at Ypres when attached to the Lincolns, All Saints Day 1914, aged 19 years'Maurice's brother, Christopher FA Ley, was killed on 16 March 1918.Maurice and his brother, Christopher, are commemorated on the war memorial in the village of Lealholm, North Yorkshire, (WMA 30606), and on a memorial (WMA30603) and roll of honour (WMA 30602) in the church of St James the Greater, Lealholm, North Yorkshire. They are also commemorated on the Kirkoswald Cross (WMA2994) at Kirkoswald, Cumbria, where their father was Lord of the Manor (www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/local-history.php) and on a memorial in St Luke's parish church, Redcliffe Gardens, Kensington, London (WMA12117). Maurice was also named on a memorial in St Oswald's church, Kirkoswald (WMA2995), on the Buffs Roll of Honour in Canterbury Cathedral (WMA49097). His father placed a memorial to Maurice in his factory, Leys Malleable Castings Co Ltd, at Osmaston Road, Derby (WMA18942); the memorial is now in Derby Industrial Museum.Christopher is buried in the churchyard of St James the Greater, Lealholm, North Yorkshire. The headstone includes a dedication to Maurice: 'Also of 2nd Lieut Maurice A Ley, born Aug 5th 1895, fell Nov 1st 1914'Article published 14th November 1914 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- HOW LIEUTENANT LEY DIED.“The death of Lieut. Maurice Ley, youngest son of Sir Francis Ley, Bart., of Epperstone, is described as follows in a letter which Sir Francis has received from a fellow-officer of his son: – “The Lincolns advanced during the night to a position which proved to be extremely precarious, and at daybreak, owing to the enemy's rifle and artillery fire, we were forced to retire. I was speaking to your son only a few moments before the fatal retirement began. He was quite calm and cheerful, and jokingly asked me if I was enjoying myself. Very shortly afterwards we retired, and on re-forming it was found that he was missing. Later on the stretcher-bearer found his body. He had been shot through the head. Evidently he had considered himself, but had turned to help his men.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
