George Watts
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
George was the husband of Mary née Straw. The marriage index gives his wife's full name as 'Mary Helen' but the Register of Soldiers' Effects has 'Mary E.' - it is possible that her full name was 'Mary Ellen'. George was born in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, in 1889 (O/N/D Burton on Trent) and Mary in Nottingham in about 1886. They were married in 1910 (J/F/M Nottingham) and had three children who were all born in Nottingham: Ivy E b. 20 March 1911 (A/M/J Nottingham), Constance b. 10 April 1913 (A/M/J Nottingham) and George b. 15 September 1915 (J/A/S Nottingham). In 1911 George and Mary were living at 45 Bunbury Street, Nottingham, with their first child, Ivy, who was then under one month old and had not yet been named. George was a shopkeeper and grocer at the same address; a brewery company owned the business. At the time of George's death in 1918 the family was living at 7 Conway Grove, Woodborough Road, Nottingham. A notice of George's death placed in the local paper by his parents and siblings gave his family's address as 16 Kirke White Street (Meadows, Nottingham). Of George's children: Ivy E. married Victor Sansom (b. 30 December 1901) in 1932 (J/A/S Nottingham) and in 1939 at the time of the England & Wales Register they were living at 16 Dickinson Street, Nottingham. Victor was a grocery warehouse foreman (d. 1972 O/N/D Nottingham). Also in the household was the widowed Annie M Sanson (b. 14 January 1871). Both Ivy and Annie were engaged in 'unpaid domestic duties'. Constance married George Bee (b. 20 November 1914) in 1936 (A/M/J Notingham and in 1939 they were living at 31 Woodfield Road, Nottingham. George was a wood machinist. They had one child, Doreen (b. 6 August 1937). Constance died in 2003 (Nov Nottingham) aged 90. George married Doris Mead in 1936 (O/N/D Nottingham) and in 1939 they were living at 36 Shipley Road, Nottingham. George was a car mechanic for an undertaker. They had one child, George Edward (b. 20 May 1937). George died in 1989 (Oct Stamford Lincolnshire) aged 74.
9th Division Trent Mortar Bty George served in France from 11 May 1915 and died of wounds on 24 March 1918. He is buried in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (grave ref. II.B.9). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 30 March 1918: 'Watts. Killed in action March 23rd (sic), Gunner G Watts RFA, 7 Conway Grove. Life nobly laid down. - From his sorrowing wife and children.' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 30 March 1918: ‘Watts. Killed in action, March 23rd (sic), Gunner G Watts RFA. Sadly mourned. From his sorrowing father, mother, brother, sisters, 16, Kirke White-street.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 24 March 1919: ‘Watts.In loving memory of my dear husband George, died of wounds March 23rd, 1918. A day of remembrance sad to recall. Loving wife and children.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His widow, 'Mary E.', was his sole legatee.
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