RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: Ellenmai on Saturday 29 April 23 15:49 BST (UK)
-
George James Wright was born 2/3/1896 Mile End London. He was the son of Henry James Wright 1876 & Jessie Gillings 1877.
George married Frances Ward in 1917 Mile End Old Town London, she was born 1895 Stepney. They had a daughter Frances Grace Wright born 1918 Middlesex.
In the 1920's they lived at both 12 & 55 Totty Street, Bow E3. George worked as a Dock Labourer at The Port of London, Cutler Street Warehouse.
George served in the Royal Navy N. R. from October 1914 to February 1919. Not sure what the PIC means but the number is 189164.
Rumour in the family is he joined the RAF in WW2 & was on a training flight when the plane was shot down & he was killed. I can't find any evidence for this but the family does have a Commemorative Certificate from The King for serving his country. I would be most grateful if anyone could find details as to what happened to George.
-
When did his wife pass away? Might give a clue to when she was widowed.
-
I haven't found her death as yet. She was living with her daughter Frances Grace in Ilford Essex on the 1939 Register & DOB was 8/1/1895 & it stated married, but George was not on the register.
-
Does the 1940 marriage fro the daughter indicate whether he is living
-
I haven't got the Marriage Certificate Rosie. She married Cyril William Nicholson 1940 Ilford.
-
I can see the daughter is in Sussex in the late 1940's but no sign of her mother there ;D
-
Thanks for looking Rosie, what is the address in Sussex ?
-
A George J. Wright died in the last quarter of 1940 in Stoke reg. district (6b, 402), aged 45.
RAF Meir was in that district, so this could perhaps be a possibility. It seems a Practice Flying Unit was formed there on 4 March 1940, according to Wikipedia.
Update: Apparently, it was disbanded on 16 June 1940.
It also says No. 5 Elementary Flying Training School was formed on 3 September 1939 at Hanworth and disbanded on 23 December 1941 at Meir.
-
Thanks very much for that Watson, I will look into that.
-
Just noticed on the Royal Navy record from WW1 it has a small stamp in the corner saying Paid War Gratuity & written underneath is SC 2870/40 Records RAF, Ruislip. Has anyone an idea if family could have claimed this after George's death?
-
From TNA catalogue:
Name: Wright, George James
Service Number: Z/575 RNVR Division
RNVR Division: London
Date of Birth: 02 March 1896
Date: 1912-1914
Reference: ADM 337/35/236
If you haven't already done so, you can order this document free of charge under current arrangements.
I'm afraid I didn't understand your last post. What Royal Navy record from WW1? Can you post more of that document?
What date is the certificate from the King?
-
Thanks for that info Watson it appears to come from the same document I mentioned. Sorry I haven't been clear it was from WW1 when George was in the UK Royal Naval Volunteer Service. George went on to join the RAF in WW2 & I wondered if the stamp on the document mentioned above from WW1 had been added on to at a later date with the stamp for War Gratuity.
-
Just in case anyone goes down this same rabbit hole: searching newspapers for George James Wright in the WWII era results in an annoyingly large number of hits to a railway accident in October 1940 in which a GJW of Birstall, Leicester was killed. I have traced this man in the 1939 register and he is not who we are looking for: his dob was 10/6/1869
-
Thanks for that, Ellenmai.
Do you have a reference for this document? (The one I mentioned refers to 1912-1914, i.e. before WW1.)
Has the line mentioning "Records - RAF, Ruislip" been added later?
What date is the "Certificate from the King"?
-
Thanks Alan for the heads up about searching the newspapers & kind of you to look.
There was no date on the certificate from the King, it appears to be a standard format with the name added later in a different type.
I did try posting the record but it won't go through sorry. It's on Ancestry.com UK Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records 1903-1922.
Military Service Start Date 12 Oct 1914
Military Service End date 21 Feb 1919
Service Branch Royal Navy
War World War 1
Occupation Warehouseman
Division War Fleet Service Divisions
Description London, Vol 03, Z00001-Z00750
-
After an extensive search I have found a possible death for a George Wright service No 777018 Aircraftsman 1st Class of 249Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died 1 March 1942. Remembered with Honour Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery. This was in the Commonwealth War Graves.
There is no mention of any family to tie it to the George James Wright I am looking for. Has anyone any suggestions as to where I can go next with this? I would be most grateful for any suggestions I could try.
-
That looks like this one, you can order the certificate from the GRO but index does not give a middle initial/name
George Wright
Service number 777018
Death year 1942
Volume 15
Page 305
Line number 82
Rank Aircraftman 1st Class
Unit or regiment 249 Sqdn.
Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials
-
George Wright was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the cemetery. Does that fit with what you know of him?
-
Ellenmai, you said you were going to look into the George J. Wright who died in 1940 in Stoke-on-Trent reg. district, which I suggested above (first page). The obvious way seems to be to order his death certificate.
-
I did look into it Watson, sorry I didn't let you know. The one you found lived in Stoke & his wife was Elsie so not who we were looking for sadly.
Rosie not at all sure with the middle name missing on the ones we have found but certainly the same person.
Will ask the family Rosie as not sure if he was Roman catholic.
Thank you all for your help.
-
George & his family weren't Roman Catholic, so it looks as if we can discount the George Wright died 1/3/1942. Also the daughter Frances Grace was baptised at St Barnabas, Bethnal Green which was Anglican :(
-
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16484
- no luck here (initials given only) for a G J
A couple of plain G Wrights:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C17083227 - this appears to be the Malta George
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16687733 - this is fellow was a Gerald
-
I haven't found her death as yet. She was living with her daughter Frances Grace in Ilford Essex on the 1939 Register & DOB was 8/1/1895 & it stated married, but George was not on the register.
Free index says they were living at 25 Haydon Road.
They are actually with a Curran family (boarding perhaps?)
This address is in Becontree, Dagenham way.
Might be someone else, but just in case!
The street below Haydon Road is Becontree Avenue. Which has a George James Wright listed at number 348 in the Ilford Directory, 1939. GJW was listed there back in 1929. But number 348 appears to be vacant on the 1939 Register.
I haven't got the Marriage Certificate Rosie. She married Cyril William Nicholson 1940 Ilford.
Am I right in thinking this is the Reverend C W Nicholson? And in the 1950's he was vicar of St Paul's Sheerness?
Have you considered this death for Frances?
June 1954 Sheppey 5b 598
Wright, Frances
Age 59
-
Would fit, but not a war death. It is a common name. Perhaps Ellenmai has eliminated him anyway?
WRIGHT, GEORGE JAMES
Age at Death (in years): 53
GRO Reference: 1949 D Quarter in ILFORD Volume 05A Page 379
Buried somewhere in Barking and Dagenham, 5 November 1949
Info from free index on Deceased Online.
But the burial database offered by Barking and Dagenham Council is not working at the moment (it often isn't)
-
Yes you are right Frances Grace Wright was indeed the second wife of Rev C W Nicholson & thanks for your time in looking.
Looks like you have found the right Frances Wright who died on Sheppy 1954 Thank for that.
The family do have a Commemorative Certificate to say he lost his life serving his country from the King, so I think the family rumour he died in a plane crash is probably correct.
-
Essex newspapers, April 1940
The Rev. C. W. Nicholson, curate of St. Thomas's, Dagenham, has been appointed curate of St. Thomas's, Upshire, in succession to the Rev. A. H. Gosney
This is St Thomas Church, Becontree, in Haydon Road. The very road that Frances and Frances Grace are to be found in the 1939 Register!
http://www.barkinghistory.co.uk/st_thomas_church_becontree.html
Both Frances and the Rev. Nicholson (who is nearby) were ARP wardens
Although that appointment is about the same time as the marriage of Cyril and Frances Grace, I can't see anything about that! Perhaps a more local newspaper would have covered it.
-
There was no date on the certificate from the King, it appears to be a standard format with the name added later in a different type.
Hi
Is this what they have?
http://www.kingsownmuseum.com/photogallery/ko2511-03.jpg
From Hansard, 24 July 1947
The Prime Minister said "Printing of the Scrolls is now in progress, and I expect that issues may begin about the end of September."
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1947-07-24/debates/ba963022-7dcc-4d61-89d4-ecbc1e97d6c9/WarDead(MemorialScroll)
-
That's a very interesting find johnw65 probably where they must have met. Cyril was newly widowed as his 1st wife Felicie Clerc Card died 1938, with Cyril marrying Frances Grace 1940 Ilford, Essex.
Yes that is a very similar Certificate the family have & another interesting find thank you so much. I wish they would have put dates on though.
-
Would fit, but not a war death. It is a common name. Perhaps Ellenmai has eliminated him anyway?
WRIGHT, GEORGE JAMES
Age at Death (in years): 53
GRO Reference: 1949 D Quarter in ILFORD Volume 05A Page 379
Buried somewhere in Barking and Dagenham, 5 November 1949
Info from free index on Deceased Online.
But the burial database offered by Barking and Dagenham Council is not working at the moment (it often isn't)
The database is finally working again. I did hope it might at least clear up who this chap was, but it doesn't!
Buried at Rippleside Cemetery, 5 Nov 1949
Age 53 years
Grave reference R/S / R / 380
He is all alone in that grave, which was purchased in perpetuity 3 Nov 1949
-
Thanks very much jonw65 for the follow up & the time you have taken on the search. It's looking very much like one that is going to be hard to solve.