Edward Talfourd Strick

Captain Edward Talfourd Strick – Welsh Regiment, 2^nd/6^th Battalion

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission likely compiled its Oystermouth Cemetery records in the early 1920s. Among those recorded is the third military burial there — Captain Edward Talfourd Strick of the Welsh Regiment, 2nd/6th Battalion, who died on 19 June 1915, aged 32. He was the son of Thomas Noon Talfourd Strick and Mary Augusta Strick, and the husband of Violet Caroline Strick (née Bishop) of “Penard,” Tekels Avenue, Camberley, Surrey.

Early Life and Family Background

Thomas Noon Talfourd Strick and Mary Augusta Bishop
marriage certificate
 parish church, Myddfai, Carmarthenshire

Edward was born in 1883, the son of Thomas Noon Talfourd Strick and Mary Augusta Bishop, who were married in 1875 at the parish church of Myddfai, Carmarthenshire.

1891 Census

By the 1891 Census, the Strick family was living at Llanfair, West Cross. Thomas, aged 39, was employed as a Solicitor, and Mary, aged 43, was born in Morthvey, Carmarthenshire. Their children were Gladys R. E. (14), Eileen M. (12), Edward T. (8), and Courtenay T. (5). The family also employed three servants: Jane Bligdon (40), Annie Short (25), and Ernestine Ragot (22).

Law Examination Records

According to the Law Examination Records, Edward, aged 16, successfully completed his Law Examinations in 1900.

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family was still living at Llanfair, though Mary was not recorded at home. Thomas, aged 49, continued to work as a solicitor, while Gladys (24) and Edward (18) remained in residence — Edward working as a Solicitor’s Clerk. Their household staff at the time were Maria Thomas (34), Elizabeth R. Parsons (24), and Elizabeth A. Spencer (20).

1911 Census

In the 1911 Census, Edward was the only child still residing at Llanfair. Thomas, aged 59, continued as a Solicitor, and Mary, aged 62, managed the household. Edward, aged 28, was also listed as a Solicitor. Their servants were Elizabeth Thomas (46), Annie Price (27), and Annie Berry (26).

Marriage

Edward Talfourd Strick and Violet Caroline Bishop
marriage certificate
Weston All Saints, Bath

In 1912, Edward married Violet Caroline Bishop at Weston All Saints Church, Bath. Violet was the daughter of Edward Bishop, a retired Commander in the Royal India Marine, and Isabella Jane Eleanor Bishop, who was born in Bombay, India. The 1911 Census records the Bishop family at Pen-y-Rock, Ronlyn Road, New Bridge Hill, Weston, Bath, where Commander Bishop, aged 70, lived in retirement with his wife, aged 56.

Military Service

At the outbreak of the First World War, Edward Strick joined the 2^nd/6^th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, part of the Territorial Force. This battalion was formed in Swansea in September 1914 as a “second-line” unit, intended to train and reinforce the 1st/6th Battalion for home defence and later overseas service. It was initially attached to the 68^th (2^nd Welsh) Division, which was responsible for coastal protection duties across South Wales.

The men of the 2nd/6th Battalion trained locally and along the Welsh coast through 1915, preparing for eventual mobilisation abroad. Officers like Captain Strick, many of whom came from professional or civic backgrounds, played a crucial role in building and leading these volunteer forces during the early months of the war.

Death and Burial

Western Mail

Edward Talfourd Strick 
Oystermouth Cemetery
credit - findagrave

According to a report in the Western Mail, Captain Edward Talfourd Strick died at his parents’ home, Llanfair, West Cross, following an operation on 19^th June 1915. His death occurred before the battalion’s overseas deployment, and he was buried in Oystermouth Cemetery with semi-military honours. His funeral was attended by family, local dignitaries, and fellow officers, marking him as the third serviceman to be buried at the cemetery.

Aftermath and Legacy

1921 Census

The 1921 Census records Violet Strick living at Glen Maris, St. Mary’s Road, Frimley, Surrey, with her two daughters — Violet H. (9) and Rosanna Mary S. (5).

 

1939 Register

By the 1939 Register, the family had moved to Hyde Farm Cottage, Long Sutton.

Captain Strick’s death reflected the human cost of the war even beyond the battlefield — among officers and soldiers serving in training, home defence, and support roles. His connection to the 2nd/6th Welsh Regiment, and his burial alongside Privates John Malcolm James and Arthur Michael, links him to the early chapter of Oystermouth Cemetery’s wartime history. His service and sacrifice endure as part of Swansea’s collective memory of courage, leadership, and loss during the First World War.