Born 18th August 1882 in Shelton Stoke on Trent, the Census of 1891  shows him living at 32 Seaford Street Hanley (South)  with his parents, George Chesters also born in Shelton aged 39, working as a Eartheneware Holloware Presser. His mother Jane Nee Topliss aged 38, born Shelton. Siblings George aged 16 working as a Potters packer, Arthur aged 14 working as a warehouse boy, Harry aged 8 at school, Emily aged 6 at school and babies Edith aged 1 and Albert 5 months old. 

George Chesters and Jane Topliss married 4th October 1873  Holy Trinity Church, Hope,  Hanley. George was born circa 1851 and Jane circa 1852. 

As a family they are first found on the 1881 census living at 18 Elizabeth Street, Hanley (East), George aged 29 working as a Potters Hollow ware presser, Jane aged 27, George aged 6 Arthur aged 5 Ernest aged 4 and widowed mother in law Maria Topliss. 

The Census 1901 finds Jane now widowed as George Chesters died 1898 aged 47, living at 43 Carlton Road ( St Judes) Hanley with Arthur aged 25 working as a Steam engine fitter, Harry aged 18 working as Potters Placer , Albert aged 10 and Edith aged 11 . 

Harry Chesters married Florence Elizabeth Lloyd born 6th July 1873 (spinster) 18.02.1906, Etruria Hanley. Florence Elizabeth Lloyd was Baptised in Burslem on 23.07.1873 to parents George and Annis Lloyd. The 1891 census sees Florence aged 17 years working as a potters paintress  living at 325 Waterloo road Burslem  with her parents and siblings,  John H aged 20 working as a China Artist, Gertrude M. aged 14, also a Paintress,  Maud aged 12, Beatrice aged 8, Minnie aged 4 and Georgina aged 1. 

 Florence is found on the 1901 census aged 26, single and still working as a paintress in the potteries living as a boarder with Albert Moreton, his wife Mary and their daughter Daisy aged 12 living at 12 Abbey Street Cobridge.  

Florence and Harry Chesters adopted Norman George Lloyd born 24.12.1905 , the illegitimate son of Florence's younger sister Gertrude, who was working as a servant in Manchester at the time of his birth.

The census of  1911 shows Harry aged 28 working as a Potter Placer, his wife Florence aged 36 working as a Paintress , their adopted son Norman Lloyd aged 5 , boarders Florence Wheeler aged 22 married working as a Potters guider her daughter Doris Wheeler aged 2 and baby Mabel Wheeler aged 7 months.  Harry and Florence have been married 6 years, recorded as having one child born and one child died with no children living. They are living  at 31 George Street Cobridge. 

Harry first enlisted with the colours aged 18 on the 15th April 1901 at Hanley where he stated he had previous military service with the Shropshire and Staffordshire Volunteer Artillery

At this time he gave his occupation as a Potter

He had an uneventful early career with a number of postings to home units, we follow him thus

23rd May 1901 - Posted as a Gunner to 105 Battery Royal Field Artillery. 

11th November 1901 - Appointed Acting Bombardier.

15th April 1903 - Granted good conduct pay.

14th November 1903 - Posted as an Acting Bombardier to No7 Depot Royal Field Artillery. 

7th May 1905 - Posted to 17th Battery Royal Field Artillery.

3rd June 1908 - Promoted Corporal.

3rd June 1908 - Posted to 5th Battery Royal Field Artillery.

25th June 1908 - Posted to 17th Battery Royal Field Artillery.

15th April 1909 - Transferred to Army Reserve.

15th April 1913 - Re-engaged as Corporal.

5th August 1914 Harry was mobilised and on the same day was posted to 40 Brigade Royal Field Artillery.

6th August 1914 - Posted to 23rd Battery Royal Field Artillery.

19th August 1914 - Landed in France. 

Harry as we know was attached to 23rd Battery/40th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. They took part in the battles during the famous rearguard action The Retreat From Mons. On the 28th August 1914 the 23rd Battery was at a village called Ham, North of Perone near the Somme. It is here he was wounded by a bullet to a knee and captured by the Germans. 

He was incarcerated in Hanover Germany until he was moved to Holland on the 29th December 1917. In his prisoner of war records his condition reflects the knee wound and that he was mental. 

He was finally repatriated to England on the 8th September 1918 when he was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, from Netley he was transferred to the Lord Derby hospital in Warrington and then on to Cheddleton Asylum. 

His pension and medical records tell us that he was in a very difficult situation, his symptoms shown to be inactive pupils, exaggerated tendon reflexes, affected speech, tremors of the tongue and facial muscles, Anaemia, defective short term memory, paranoia delusions. He was diagnosed as being mentally insane aggravated by the privations of being a prisoner of war. 

Harry was discharged on the 28th December 1918 being medically unfit to serve.

Harry died on the 30th September 1919 in Cheddleton asylum his death certificates states General Paralysis as cause of death  and he is buried in Burslem Cemetery plot 15636. 

He had served a total of 17 years and 258 days and was entitled to the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

On the 21st September 2025 as a part of the commemoration ceremony for Alfred William Holdcroft wreaths were laid for Harry Chesters by The Deputy Lieutenant Simon Davies, Lord Mayor Councillor Steve Watkins and  MP David Williams.  

Parents marriage: Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

Parents marriage banns :  Indexes created from Anglican Parish Registers held at Staffordshire Record Office; Stafford, Staffordshire, England. 

FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

FreeBMD. England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

1881 census ancestry UK 

1891 census ancestry UK 

1901 census ancestry UK 

1911 census ancestry UK 

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; War Office: Soldiers' Documents from Pension Claims, First World War (Microfilm Copies and Medical Cards); Reference: WO364; Piece: 676

Forces War Records, UK, WWI, Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923 : accessed 21 Nov 2025), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1019/uk-wwi-pension-ledgers-and-index-cards-1914-1923 

Forces War Records, UK, Nominal Index Of All Service Personnel Serving In A Theatre Of War, 1914-1919 (https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1276/uk-nominal-index-of-all-service-personnel-serving-in-a-theatre-of-war-1914-1919 : accessed 21 Nov 2025), database and images, https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/publication/1276/uk-nominal-index-of-all-service-personnel-serving-in-a-theatre-of-war-1914-1919

The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; War Office: Soldiers' Documents from Pension Claims, First World War (Microfilm Copies and Medical Cards); Reference: WO364; Piece: 676

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/4028278/harry-chesters/

General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 6b; Page: 334

https://www.staffordshireburials.org.uk/cgi/gravematch.cgi?grave_ref=BM%3a15636%3a.