Heroes of Colet House
St. David’s Residential Home Formerly Colet House
This photograph was taken in 1905
Colet House was built in 1903 as a prep school. It prepared children up to the age of 11 or 13 for public schools.
The staff and students of Colet House in 1914
South Yorkshire Miners’ Convalescent Home
In January 1930, the “Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer” reports that Colet House was sold to the South Yorkshire Miners’ Welfare Organisation “for the purpose of a convalescent home”.
Colet House was officially re-opened as St David's Residential Home on the 4th January 1985 by Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for the County of Clwyd Colonel James Ellis Evans, C.B.E., T.D.
St. David’s runs a programme of Reminiscence Therapy: The project exploring the lives of soldiers in World War One forms part of this programme.
Captain Kenneth Herbert Hugh-Jones Capt., 5th attd. 12th, Rifle Brigade. Entered 1915, Arts Scholar. Killed in action September 20th 1917. Kenneth Herbert Hugh-Jones the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. Llewelyn Hugh-Jones, of Chevet Hey, Wrexham, Denbighshire, and was born on the 4th December, 1896. He received his early education at Colet House School, Rhyl, and from there gained in 1910 a Classical Foundation Scholarship at Bradfield College. During the whole of his time there (except his 1st term) he was a member of the O.T.C. and latterly a Platoon sergeant. He was also chapel prefect. On leaving Bradfield in 1915 he gained an Open Scholarship in Arts at Guy's Hospital, and went into residence in October, On December 11th he enlisted in the Artists' Rifles, and passing through the Cadet school, received a commission in the Special Reserve in the Rifle Brigade. Second Lieut. Hugh-Jones went to France on the 25th October, 1916, and was attached to the 12th battalion of the Rifle Brigade. He was gazetted Captain as from 24th August, 1917, and was killed on 20th September, 1917, close to Langemarck, Flanders, while leading his men to the attack. His Colonel wrote: "It is a very great blow to the Battalion, as he was one of the best officers we have ever had. He had long since proved his value, and was in command of his Company in an attack 20th September. He was extremely popular with his men and with all the other officers. I'm sure he died as he would have wished at the head of his company."
Second Lieutenant John Wathen Eyton Lloyd RFC Younger son of Dr. and Mrs. Eyton Lloyd, was killed on June 24th, 1917 aged 22. He was educated at Colet House, Rhyl, and Epsom College. He was articled to the Shotton Engineering Co., and when the war broke out at once joined the Army, and after a time received his commission. He transferred to the R.F.C. He passed the several stages of his training with distinction, and was given his " wings."
Wilfred David Powell Jones (1885–1916) Sportsman’s Regiment. Assistant Master “Colet House” Rhyl Wilfred David Powell Jones was born in 1885 in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, the son of John Jones (born in Bishopston, Glamorgan in c.1845) and Emma Sarah. His parents had two children, but only Wilfred survived. Wilfred , by the age of 25, was working as an assistant schoolmaster in north Wales and living at Colet House, Rhyl. In the First World War Wilfred David Powell Jones enlisted in Hornchurch on 22 April 1915 and served as a Private in the 23rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (Service No. SPTS/1688). (The 23rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers was “raised for the upper and middle classes only”, as long as they could shoot and ride.) He was severely injured near Betrancourt at the Battle of the Ancre and died of wounds at a casualty clearing station at Puchevillers, France at the age of 31 on 18 November 1916. He is buried in the Puchevillers British Cemetery. Wilfred Jones is remembered on the war memorial outside St Margaret’s Church in north Oxford. He is also remembered at Llandovery College, and in Hertford College. Administration (with Will) was granted in London to his widowed mother, Emma Sarah Jones, on 30 January 1917. He left £3,128 16s. 9d.
Captain Richard Conway Lowe MC Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action aged 22 Buried at Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle. Richard Conway was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham the son of Conway Lowe, merchant and brass founder, and his wife, Marian Todd. Richard was educated at Colet House, Rhyl, and was a Scholar at Winchester. He was an excellent shot, Captain of the Winchester VIII in 1913, and shooting at Bisley. He came up to Christ Church in 1913 as a Scholar, intending to take Holy Orders. At the outbreak of war Richard obtained a commission as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was promoted Lieutenant in the following April and Captain in March 1916. Stationed in France and Flanders from April 1915, he was wounded in June whilst on patrol duty, and again in November, when he was invalided home. He was awarded the Military Cross on 18 November 1915, “For Conspicuous gallantry in France. When directing a working party in front of the parapet, the Germans opened fire and wounded a man of the covering party. Second Lieutenant Lowe and a sergeant rushed to his aid and, although the sergeant was grazed by a bullet and Second Lieutenant Lowe shot in the thigh, the bullet subsequently being found in the wound, they carried the wounded man across the open and through the wire, into a place of safety. Second Lieutenant Lowe had previously been wounded and had been brought to notice for excellent work at the front.” He was, also, Mentioned in Despatches on 1 January 1916 by Field Marshal Sir John French for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He returned to France in April 1916, taking part in the early part of the Battle of the Somme. He was killed near Thiepval on 18 August 1916 whilst leading his company in the face of terrific fire. Probate was granted to his father on 31 October 1916. He left £1,284-19s.
John Gurth Morgan-Owen (1883 - 1916) Gurth Morgan-Owen, The fifth child of Timothy Morgan Owen and Emma, John Gurth Morgan-Owen, was born on Thursday, 2 August 1883, at Bronwylfa, Rhyl. He was first educated at Colet House School, Rhyl. All his brothers went to Shrewsbury School but Gurth won a scholarship to Bromsgrove. Gurth had a shoulder that was prone to dislocation which prevented him from being accepted for the army on the outbreak of war but he eventually got a doctor friend to help him and he was certified fit at Newtown on 22 January 1915. In January 1916 he was ordered to join the 4th South Wales Borderers in Egypt where, briefly, the battalion was recovering following evacuation from Gallipoli. Gethin arrived at Sidi Bishr in February. The Borderers had suffered heavy losses in Gallipoli and many of the men were newly drafted, inexperienced and under-trained recruits. Gurth died in combat on April 9th 1916.