PRIVATE ERNEST MOREY: 51823
Somerset Light Infantry
Ernest was one of eight children born to William and Elizabeth Morey. He was baptised at Holy Trinity Bradpole on March 17th 1875 and his younger sister Rosa was baptised on the same day.
The family lived at 4 Queen Street Bridport, before moving to Bradpole Road sometime before 1911.
William, his father, was an Auctioneer, Valuer and Estimator and William junior followed him into the family business. After William senior’s death the youngest member of the family, Fred, joined the company for a time.
Ernest’s life took a different direction. After boarding with his brother Albert at the Collegiate School in Harlow, he moved to Somerset and in August 1897, married Harriet Gould in St Luke’s Church, Bedminster, Bristol.
The couple moved to Shepton Mallett where Ernest set up in business as a butcher and had his own shop there. He and Harriet had three daughters – Madge, Gladys and the youngest, Dorothy, who was born in 1901.
They continued to live in Shepton Mallett until 1911 but by the time war broke out, they had moved to Warminster in Wiltshire, because it is here that Ernest enlisted with the Somerset Light infantry.
Ernest’s service records have not survived so it is difficult to track his war years, however his death is recorded. He died at the Military Hospital in Norwich, Norfolk, from a cerebral haemorrhage on October 28th 1918. He left his effects to his wife, Harriet and his daughters.
His body was brought back to the town of his birth and Ernest is buried at Bridport Cemetery.