Henry Lynn Shaw, born on 5th November 1872, was admitted to King Edward’s School in September 1884. Henry was a pupil of the Modern School, studying a scientific, rather than classical, curriculum, and was a contemporary of JRR Tolkien’s father. Although he was below average in his class for French and botany, he was placed in the top half of his peers in drawing.
After leaving School, Henry worked for his family’s firm ‘Henry Shaw & Sons’, a nail and chain manufacturer, where he eventually became the senior partner. He was also briefly involved with the Birmingham City Council, being nominated and returned as a Liberal Unionist candidate in July 1914. For a long period he was associated with the reserve forces in Birmingham, and held a commission in the Volunteers and the Territorial Force of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He retired from the regiment before the Great War and was placed on a reserve list of officers. Upon being called up from retirement to serve, he was placed on recruiting duty at Curzon Hall. However, he soon left Birmingham in early 1915 to join the 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, holding the rank of Captain. In 1916, he was promoted to Major, although he died before this was gazetted. Henry was killed on 3rd July, 1916, while leading his men into action at La Boiselle, aged forty-four. He was one of six members of the Birmingham City Council serving with the armed forces at the time of his death. Henry is buried at Bapaume Post Cemetery, Albert, where his epitaph reads: “Qui procul hinc, qui ante diem periit, sed miles sed pro patria”. He left his estate of £7,961 to his wife and four young children, who were living at 2, Pakenham Road, Edgbaston.