Parents: Caleb, a Silk
Warp Dresser and Eliza (nee Nicholls)
George was born in
Coventry on the 16th May 1881 at Radford, Coventry.
Early Years:
He was one of 8 children. As a child he lived in a modest house at
Radford about 1 mile from the the centre of Coventry. Around the age of 9
George suffered the trauma of having his mother leave the family taking with
her his little sister, Sarah.
Occupation: At the time of his
marriage he was a Machinist but later became a Gas Stoker at Foleshill gas
works.
Marriage: At the age of 19 he married
Ellen Elizabeth Howe, at St.Michaels, Coventry on 25
Dec 1900. Witnesses: Druie Ann Poole and Abraham Howe. |
Known Places of Residence: As a child
George lived at 53 Radford (near the present Radford Common), Coventry.
On 25 December 1900, the couple are said to be living in Much Park
Street, in central Coventry, but I suggest they were actually living
round the corner with Ellens parents Abraham and Mary Howe at 59 St.
Johns Street. When baby Florence was born they were in
New Buildings, a 1/2 mile away. From 1903 to 1905 they resided
at 108 Radford, Coventry, near Georges father, but in March 1908
they were living at 145 North Street in the Stoke district of
Coventry. By 1909 they had moved to 51 Sparkbrook Street, in the
Hillfields district of central Coventry. In 1911 they moved out of the
city centre to 5 Francis Street at Foleshill.
In 1913 they purchased 12 Silverton Road,
Coventry, and also took the opportunity to buy the adjoining 2 houses, Numbers
8 and 10 which they let out. They lived there until 1929. In 1927
they purchased a site for a new house at 175 Old Church Road, just
opposite St. Laurence's Church and moved there in 1929. Ellen died in
1955 but George stayed there until he died in 1962. Death:
George died in 1962 aged 81 and was buried at London Road Cemetary.
Burial: His body was interred in April 1962 in Grave 38, Square 168/169
at London Road Cemetary, Coventry.
Special Memories: George, my
grandfather, enjoyed coarse fishing with his son Charlie and they visited many
favourite local angling spots by bicycle, one being the nearby canal at
Foleshill. On one wintry day Charlie was leading George, then in his 70s, along
the canal towpath on their bikes. Charlie looked back to check on him but his
father was nowhere to be seen...just his old felt hat floating on the water.
Charlie rushed back and managed to hauled the heavy man out. Then he rescued
his bike. George then insisted Charlie also retrieved his hat from way out in
the canal. Luckily they did not have far to return home to thaw and dry
out. A short time later George was fishing at the same spot when another
nearby fisherman pulled his leg with "I hear you have taken up swimming, George
!" A few minutes later George spotted a crack slowly growing in the canal bank
just behind the other man but kept quiet. He watched it as it grew larger under
the man's weight and as the bank where the leg-puller was sitting slid gently
into the water, George shouted " A bit cold for a swim isn't it,
Tom?"
George loved his meat and on his regular visits to our house he
endlessly talked about his latest shopping expedition to a favourite butcher or
grocer and how he had cooked a delicious dinner, described in mouth-watering
detail. |