This post has been prepared by one of our volunteers, Ann Eales.
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The Wolverhampton Roll of Honour website provides the following information:
Adams Arthur
Rifleman 49980, 1st/6th Btn. The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), Formerly 36538 North Staffordshire Regiment. Killed in Action 31st July 1917 Son of George and Agnes Adams of 369 Bilston Rd. Wolverhampton. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel 4 and 6.
Adams, Percy
Lance Corporal PS/7374, 17th Btn Royal Fusiliers, Died of Wounds 27th July 1916 age 23, Son of George and Agnes Adams, of 369 Bilston Rd. Wolverhampton Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A.
The medal cards seem to be the only military records available for the brothers. The card for Percy, who died in 1916, has more detail than that for his brother Arthur who died in 1917.
Arthur was born in 1897 – he is shown as age 4 on the 1901 census, so was 20 years old when he died in 1917, the year after his brother Percy.
As recorded on the 1901 census, the Adams family was living at Caldmore, Walsall at number 22 Whitmore Street. George, the father, who was born at Newborough in Staffordshire, is a Railway Brakeman. Their Mother Agnes is shown as born at Burton on Trent. Percy is age 7 and Arthur is age 4. Harry their older brother is age 9: all were born at Alrewas. They have a sister Alice Rose age 2, also another brother Bernard Joseph age 1, these younger members of the family were born at Walsall.
The 1911 census records that the family lived at Rock Road, Hurst Hill, Near Bilston. George is a Railway Station Master for the London North Western Line, mother Agnes is looking after a household with all 5 children living at home. Harry age 19 is a Railway Parcels Porter, Percy age 17 is a Railway Platform Porter, Arthur age 14 is a railway Weighing Machine Youth, all for the LNW. The younger two are now 12 and 11 and scholars.
