This is what I had written as his story (and no, not many uncomplicated):
In 1881 he was living with his parents, his sister Georgina and his brother John at 39
Wilfred Street in Byker, Newcastle. His father, Robert, was an unemployed plumber of gas
fittings.
By 1891 the family had moved and was now living at 44 Churchill Street in Westgate,
Newcastle. His father was a plumber of gas fittings and had six children in total including
the now 14 year old George.
The voters register shows that between 1893 and 1894 the family moved to 18 Churchill
Street in Westgate, Newcastle.
The next census in 1901 shows that at the age of 24 he was living at 18 Churchill Street in
Westgate, Newcastle with his parents and was working as a plate worker. He was the
oldest of the six children who were all still living at home.
In 1902 he married Maria Louisa Bagg in Newcastle. The exact date hasn’t been confirmed
but it would have been sometime between July and September that year.
At some point George joined the army and although the exact details have not yet been
found it is known that he was initially given the service number of 5/589 and was part of the
Northumberland Fusiliers, the 5 indicating he was a member of the 5th Battalion.
Looking at similar service numbers this would suggest that he joined sometime in 1908
meaning he was a pre WW1 territorial (or part time) soldier.
In 1911 the census shows that the now 33 year old Robert was working as a millwrights
labourer at the Elswick works and was living with his wife and two sons, Albert and
George, at 112 Elswick Terrace in Newcastle. It also shows that they’d had a third child
who had died.
The information on the 1911 census also confirms that he was definitely not a full time
soldier as he would not have been working as a millwright if he was.
At the start of the war the 5th battalion, like other territorial regiments and battalions, was
involved in home defence and the 5th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers were sent to
become part of the Tyne Defences.
On the outbreak of war TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. It’s
possible he joined one of the supernumerary battalions meaning he would have stayed on
home (UK) service for the whole of the war, this may fit with one of the service numbers he
was allocated and the fact that no medals can be found.
In 1916 George’s wife, Maria, gave birth to their 4th son, Robert. Unfortunately she died a
few months after giving birth so Robert was taken in by her sister, Amelia whilst the other
three boys went to Barnardos, the exact they were sent is not yet known.
George’s pension card says the date of first application was the 23rd of February 1920 and
when he was first assessed he was classed as 30% disabled. It’s thought that is the
approximate date he would have been discharged. On the 14th of June 1922 he was
reassessed and his disability increased to 40% but unusually none of his record cards
show what was wrong with him.
