| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
George Oldfield was born in Flamborough in 1865, the eldest son of William and Ann. In 1880 George enlisted in the Yorkshire Regiment, lying about his age and saying he was eighteen years old when he was in fact only 15. He spent 12 years in the army serving in Ireland for the most part and going up and down the ranks. In 1886 whilst serving his first stint in the army George met and married Mary Elizabeth Overton on 21 Dec 1886. After his discharge George returned to Beverley and became a tanner at Hodgson’s. He and Mary Elizabeth had 11 children and the family became known as a family of swimmers.
George re-enlisted on 23 Mar 1900 with the East Yorkshire Yeomanry for a year until 22 Mar 1901. In 1903 he enlisted again for another five years, then every year after that until the outbreak of the war when with five of his sons serving abroad he stayed at home with the Imperial Yeomanry and according to the local newspapers was a Red Cross Sergeant. Eventually through illness George was discharged on 22 Jul 1918 and awarded the silver badge with the rank of Sergeant. George did not serve overseas, unlike five of his sons who thankfully all came home again. He is remembered on the Beckside Roll of honour.
Mary Elizabeth died in 1937, George died the 1 Apr 1946. They are buried together in Queensgate Cemetery, Beverley.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |