Arthur Geary
1911 - scholar
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Arthur was the son of Arthur and Matilda Emily Geary.
Arthur snr. was born in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, in about 1866, the son of Arthur and Ann Geary. His parents were born in the Nottingham conurbation, as were his siblings, and the family was recorded in the city on the census records between 1871 and 1891. In 1891 Arthur, a lace hand was living with his widowed mother and four of his siblings at the School House, St Paul's Avenue, Radford, where his mother was the school caretaker.
His mother Matilda Emily was born in Heanor, Derbyshire, the daughter of Thomas and Eliza Saxton, in 1870 and was baptised at Heanor St Lawrence the same year. Matilda's family had moved from Heanor to Nottingham by 1891 when they were living on Forster Street, Radford.
Arthur and Matilda were married at Hyson Green St Paul in October 1892 and had two children, Walter b. 1893 and Arthur b. 1897. Both sons were baptised at Hyson Green St Stephen on 11 July 1900.
The family was living at 18 Speechley Street, Hyson Green, in 1900 and recorded at the same address on the 1901 Census. However, by 1911 the family had moved to 15 Kirkstead Street, Hyson Green: Arthur, a lace maker, Matilda, Walter a tailor, and Arthur who was still at school.
Matilda died in 1919 (burial 17 May) and in 1921 her husband was living on Berridge Road, Radford, where he was a boarder in the household of William and Sarah Bullworthy. Arthur was still living with the couple at the time of his death on 9 December 1925 (buried Basford Cemetery, 12 December).
Arthur Geary enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He was killed in action on 29 September 1918 and is buried in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, France (grave ref. III. G. 9). The history of the cemetery suggests that Arthur's grave was moved in from either the battlefields or a small cemetery after the Armistice.
History of Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, France (extract): The village of Cerisy is 10km from the town of Albert. 'Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme and the following small cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Arthur's older brother, Walter, served in the 15th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (31860 Private) and was killed in action on 30 May 1916 aged 23. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Arthur's father was his legatee.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 10 December 1925: ‘Geary. On December 9th, at 386 Berridge-road, Arthur Geary, after a short illness aged 60.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 11 December 1925: ‘At 386 Berridge-road, December 9th, Arthur, my dearly loved son. Funeral Basford Cemetery, Saturday, 10.30. Loving mother.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Original research and information Peter Gillings. Additional material RF.
Photo of Arthur Geary
Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, France (www.cwgc.org)