The Aces

 

St. Illtyd's church, Oxwich

At the outbreak of the First World War, he joined up at 70!

Let us revert to the year 1845, when William Ace was born in Port Eynon. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Ace.  

The 1851 Census records indicate that the Ace family was residing in Overton, Port Eynon.

1851 Census

John is a 48-year-old oyster fisherman, and Elizabeth is 44 years old.  Their children are

Mary, aged 8; William, aged 6, and George, aged 3. 

87-year-old Eleanor Ace, John’s widowed mother, is also present.

William, aged 19, left his home in Port Eynon for Swansea. It was whilst here, he met Elizabeth Grove.

Elizabeth Grove was born in 1848 in Oxwich, and she was the daughter of Thomas and Anne Grove.

At the time of the 1851 Census, the Grove family was residing in Oxwich.

1851 Census

Thomas, 41 years old, worked as a labourer. Anne was also 41 years old. Their children were.

Thomas, aged 16; Mary, aged 12; and Jane, aged 7, are all school attendees. Additionally, William is 3 years old; Elizabeth is 3 years old; and Philip is 1 month old.

The 1861 Census indicates that the Grove family was living at Oxwich Green.

1861 Census

Thomas, aged 53, is a farmer of 20 acres of land.  Anne is also 53 years old.  Their children are

Mary, aged 22; William, aged 13; Elizabeth, aged 13; Philip, aged 10, and Matilda, aged 8, are all school attendees.

William Ace and Elizabeth Grove were married on 12^th March 1867 at St. Illtyd's church, Oxwich. The service was conducted by Rev. J. Lloyd, who was reportedly blind.

William Ace and Elizabeth Grove
marriage certificate
St. Illtyd's church, Oxwich

Following their wedding, William and Elizabeth resided in Swansea. According to the 1871 Census, they were living at 28 Catherine Street with their six-month-old son, William.

1871 Census

Ten years later, according to the 1881 Census, the family continued to live at the Back of Catherine Street.

1881 Census

William, aged 35, is a General Labourer. Elizabeth who is 32 years old. Their children are

William, aged 10; E. Annie, aged 7; Lily, aged 5, are all school attendees. Bessie is 2 years old.

Additionally, there are boarders: George Ace, aged 20, who is employed as a Groom, and Joseph La Best, aged 19, who works as a General Labourer. Joseph’s place of birth is documented as St. Thomas, India.

By the time of the 1891 Census, the family had relocated to the Strand.

1891 Census

William, aged 45, is a Mariner Store Dealer, while Elizabeth, also 45 years old, assists in the business. Their children are.

William, aged 20, assists in the business. Elizabeth, aged 17, works as a dressmaker; Lily, aged 15; Bessie, aged 12; Ernest G., aged 9; and Albert, aged 6, all attend school.

Also present are John’s brother, George Ace, aged 34, who is a domestic gardener, and his nephew John Ace, aged 25.

According to the 1901 Census, William had returned to Gower and was residing at Prospect Cottage in Reynoldston.

1901 Census

William, aged 55, is a Mariner Store Dealer.  Living with his was his children, Bessie, aged 22, and Stanley C., aged 7.

Also present are John’s brother, George Ace, aged 50, who is a general labourer.

William returned to Swansea by the time of the 1911 Census, where the family were residing at 1 Hewson Street, Mount Pleasant

1911 Census

William, 65 years old, is a Mariner Store Dealer, and Elizabeth is 63 years old. Their children, who are present, are

Ernest G., aged 29, who assists in the business; Albert, aged 26, who is a Cycle Maker & Repairer, and Stanley George, aged 17, who is a Cycle Maker (apprentice).

In 1914, a day before his 70^th birthday, William returned to Gower and joined the Coastguards, serving at Oxwich Point throughout the war.

The final census available, 1921, the family had retired back to Gower and were residing at Channel View, Overton, Port Eynon

1921 Census

William, aged 76, is a retired marine stone dealer, while Elizabeth is 73 years old. Their only child present is Bessie, aged 43, who manages household duties.

South Wales Daily Post

In 1928, William and Elizabeth were to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary, which was reported in the South Wales Daily Post.  It is this article that assisted in this blog.

Edith Cavell

The article stated that Lilly, who was married to Thomas John Edwards, served as a nurse at St. Pancras Hospital in London. Edith Cavell, the superintendent, was also a member of the night staff. Additionally, Elizabeth Ace possessed a photograph of the night staff.