| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
George was born in 1891 and brought up in Cottingham. His father William Wade, was a market gardener/nurseryman and the family of mother, Betsy Alice, and siblings Leonard, Grace, David, Alice and Alfred lived on Northgate.
George enlisted with the 11th Pals Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1914. Each Battalion recruited approximately 1000 men and George was Private 11/985.
On 6 Jun 1915 George married Eva Auton at St Mary’s Church, Beverley and leaving his new wife at her parent’s home at 12 Tiger Lane, George was sent to Egypt, arriving on 23 Dec. The Hull Pals were based along the Suez Canal and spent 4 months there. George sent a letter to the Beverley Guardian that was written in Feb 1916 where he tells he is living, eating and sleeping on sand – “it’s all sand, sand, sand”. A month later George was on the Western Front.
George remained with 11th Battalion for the whole of the war. In Sep 1916 his first son, George Heslop was born, William arrived in Mar 1918 and daughter Betsy Eva Jane in Nov 1920. All three children were baptized at St Mary’s, Beverley. George’s wife Eva was buried on 30 Dec 1920, one day before Betsy’s baptism.
George returned to Cottingham and nine years later he married Maud Smith. Their daughter June was baptized in Cottingham Parish Church in Jun 1930. On the 1939 Register George and Maud are living at “North Lea”, Northgate, Cottingham, together with stepdaughters Maud and Audrey. George’s occupation is shown as nurseryman’s labourer and his brother Alfred is living next door at Alma House.
George remained at “North Lea” for the rest of his life. Notice of his death on 13 Feb 1950 appeared in the Hull Daily Mail the following day. The funeral took place two days later at St Mary’s Cottingham prior to his burial at Cottingham Cemetery. He was 58.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |