George Dobbs
He was a bobbin finisher.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
George Dobbs (b. 1884) married Florence Maud Pedley (b. September 1886) in 1906 at Nottingham.
The couple had four children: William (b. December 1906), Florence Maud (b. May 1909), Dorothy (b. January 1912) who were born in Nottingham, and Samuel (b. April 1916) who was born in Doncaster.
The family was living at 11 Miall Street, Radford, Nottingham, in 1911: George, a bobbin finisher for a machine building firm, his wife Florence their two children, William (4) and Florence (1).
Their second daughter, Dorothy, was born the following year and their son, Samuel, in Doncaster in 1916. George enlisted in Doncaster but his wife and children had returned to Nottingham before his death in 1918 and were living at 1 Kennington Yard, Norton Street, Radford.
At the time of the 1921 Census, Florence and her four children were still at 1 Kennington Yard. Her eldest son William was a tailor's assistant, employed by Joseph Ball of Alfreton Road, Nottingham.
Florence snr. died in 1928 (reg JFM), burial 10 March.
In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, her two daughters, both hosiery machinists, were living at 71 Norton Street, Nottingham. Both brothers were married. William had married Rosamund Collinridge in 1929 and they were living in Leicester where William was working as a locomotive fireman and was also an ARP stretcher bearer. Samuel was married to Lilian Coates (m. 1936) and they were living in Nottingham where he was employed in a water transport warehouse.
William died in 1977 (reg. Leicestershire), Samuel in 1990 (reg. Nottingham) and both their sisters in 1994 (reg. Nottingham), Florence in the July a few months after the death of her younger sister Dorothy.
George Dobbs enlisted at Doncaster and was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (Gunner) and was serving with the 193rd Siege Battery at the time of his death.
George was killed in action on 15 March 1918 in 'France or Belgium' (Registers of Soldiers' Effects), and is buried in Beuvry Communal Cemetery Extension, France. (grave ref ll/A/9).
He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC history of the Cemetery (extract): The town of Beuvry is in the Pas de Calais, about 3km from Bethune. 'Beuvry village was largely occupied during the War by Royal Engineers, Supply units and Artillery horse-lines. It remained in British possession even during the German offensive of April, 1918. The Cemetery Extension was begun in March, 1916, and used by units and field ambulances until October, 1918. After the Armistice graves were concentrated into it from the battlefields of 1914-18, North and East of Bethune.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additonal information: Husband of Florence M. Dobbs, of Kennington's Yard, Norton St., Radford, Nottingham.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 8 & 9 April 1918: 'Dobbs. Killed in action March 15th 1918, Gunner George Dobbs Royal Garrison Artillery, husband of Florence M Dobbs, age 33, 1 Kensington-sic Yard, Norton Street, Radford. Wife and children.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
George's widow, Florence Maud, was awarded a pension of 33 shillings 8 pence a week, first payment 7 October 1918.
Photo of George Dobbs
Buried in Beuvry Communal Cemetery Extension, France (www.cwgc.org)