Ernest’s parents were from Northamptonshire where they married. James Wells who
was originally from Rothwell and worked as a Gardener at Hall Lodge in Kettering, he married Emma Smith from Kettering in 1864.
They moved to Thurmaston and went on to have six children, Thomas born in 1866, John Henry born 1870, Emma the only girl born in 1872, William born 1875, Arthur born 1877 and finally Ernest Lewis born on 29th June 1879. Their father James died in 1890 at the age of 59 and the 1891 Census shows that Emma’s parents now in their 70’s were living with Emma and her and the two youngest sons.
In 1901 Ernest was a Butcher and living as a boarder living at 88 Upper Conduit Street in Leicester. He married Ellen Downs on 4th December 1905 at St Peter’s Church, the couple lived at 2 Knighton Fields Road East and went on to have three sons, Leslie born 1908, Lewis 1909 and Eric born in 1912.
Ernest was at the Casualty Clearing Station at Ypres in France on 31/12/1917, he had shrapnel wounds and his legs were fractured, in fact he had received a Gun Shot Wound to his right thigh and left ankle and. Ernest died of his Wounds on 13/2/1918 at the No. 1 General Hospital, Étretat aged 39.
He is buried at Étretat Churchyard Extension in France, his inscription reads ‘Not Dead To Us – His Loving Wife & Children’.
