George was born on 27th August 1893 in Charlton, London to parents John and Mary and baptised the following month on 13th September 1893. George had 9 siblings in total, the youngest, Francis, who was two years younger than George, born 1895. Just three years after Francis was born their father John died, in June 1898 aged 59.
Recorded on the 1901 census aged 7 years old, George lived at 27 Gurdon Road, Greenwich with his widowed mother and 5 other brothers and sisters, the task of supporting the family landing on the eldest sibling, Walter. Within 10 years, on the 1911 census, only he and his youngest brother remained living with their mother at the same address in Greenwich. George worked as a labourer in a cable works and remained there before signing up to the Navy during hostilities, on 23rd April 1915.
He was 5'6" tall with brown hair and blue eyes and began his training at shore base HMS PEMBROKE ll as a Stoker 2nd Class until 8th July 1915, joining his only ship HMS VANGUARD on 9th July 1915.
George was aboard the ship during the Battle of Jutland, serving on her for a full two years before his death. His pension was claimed by his mother.
George is remembered locally on the Charlton war memorial and on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
(#174 - 243/841)
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth/Death Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
1901 & 1911 England Census
London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P78/CTC/005
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 918
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: Piece 008; Piece Description: Piece 008 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/8; Scan Number: 0133
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 063/0265/DIV-DIX