Ernest was the second son of Arthur Shaw and Annie Elizabeth Shaw nee Wyldbore.
Arthur was born in Clifton, Nottingham, and Annie in Longthorpe, Peterborough. They were married in Nottingham in 1890 (marriage registered J/A/S) and had six children of whom only five were still living at the time of the 1911 Census. Five children were named on the census of 1901 and 1911; Jack (birth registered 1893 A/M/J), Ernest Arthur (birth registered 1896 A/M/J), Bernard Thomas (birth registered 1899 J/F/M), Mary (or May) and Tom (birth registered 1905 J/A/S). All the children were born in Nottingham.
In 1901 Arthur (42), a hosiery warehouseman, and Annie (42) were living at 37 Thurman Street, Hyson Green, with two of their three sons, Ernest (5) and Bernard (2). Also in the household was a boarder, Timothy Stephenson (59).
Their eldest son, Jack (8), was living with his widowed maternal grandmother, Jane Wyldbore (64), and three of her four adult children at 35 Thurman Street, Hyson Green.
Arthur and Annie had two more children after the 1901 Census, Mary and Tom. However, in 1911 only three of their five surviving children were living with them at 37 Thurman Street; Ernest (15) a baker's carter, Bernard (12) and Tom (5). Arthur was now working as a caretaker.
In 1911 Jack Shaw, now 18 years old and working as a clerk in a lace warehouse, was still living with his grandmother, Jane Wyldbore, at 35 Thurman Street. His sister Mary (7) was also living with her grandmother who still had two unmarried children living at home.
Jane Wyldbore died aged 76 in March 1912 (death registered J/F/M Nottingham, buried 29 March 1912). This may have resulted in the Shaw family being reunited as by about 1918 the surviving family members were living together on Birkin Avenue, Hyson Green.
Jack married Lilian M Kelham in 1914 (marriage registered Nottingham J/A/S).
Jack and Bernard, also served in the war. Jack was a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery (175571) and survived. However, Bernard, who served as a driver in the Royal Field Artillery (L/11225), died of wounds on 21 October 1917 two days before Ernest's death (Mendinghem Military Cemetery).
Ernest left a widow, Mary Ellen (nee Kelly), whom he had married on 17 September 1917 while on home leave from France. His widow later completed a list of her husband's surviving blood relatives for the army. She and Ernest were childless; her husband's parents Arthur and Annie were still living and they and their surviving children, Jack (26), Tom (13) and Mary (16) were all living at 92 Birkin Avenue.
It is likely that Arthur Shaw died in 1936 aged 67 (death registered March Nottingham).
