George Lister

George was the son of William Lister and Ellen Sophia Lister née Thompson. His father William was born in Torksey, Lincolnshire, and his mother Ellen Sophia Thompson in Morton, Lincolnshire. They were married in 1887 (J/F/M East Retford) and had at least four children who were all born in Torksey: William b. 1887 (J/F/M Gainsborough) bap. Torksey 26 March 1887, George b. 5 April 1888 (A/M/J Gainsborough, bap. Torksey 23 August 1888), Charles birth registered 1890 (J/F/M Gainsborough) bap. Torksey 10 March 1890, and Arthur birth registered 1891 (J/F/M Gainsborough). In 1891 William (48), a farmer, and Ellen Sophia (36) were living at Castle Farm, Torksey, with their sons William (4), George (3), Charles (1) and Arthur (2 months). Also in the household were William's brother, Edmund Lister (53) single, Ed Marriott (19 b. Old Radford Notts) a farm servant, and Eliza Bradley (19 b. Bothamsall Notts) and Lucy Forrest (13 b. Gainsborough) who were both domestic servants. The family was still living in Torksey in 1901. Also in the household was a domestic servant Martha Baines (21 b. Normany Yorks) and on the night of the census a visitor, Charles Ward (26 b. Kneesall Notts) a private in the 10th Hussars. Ellen Sophia Lister died in 1902 (J/F/M Gainsborough) and William on 3 April 1905; he was still farming in Torksey at the time of his death. George joined the Royal Navy on 5 April 1906 and in 1911 he was a leading signalman in the sloop HMS Alert on the East Indies Station which on the night of the census was at sea off the Persian Coast. He married Beatrice Irene Dewing (b. 26 March 1893, A/M/J Erpingham Norfolk) on 12 December 1913 (O/N/D Plomesgate Suffolk) and they had two children, Alec Leonard b. 15 September 1914 (J/A/S Plomesgate Suffolk) and Armine Wallace b. 5 October 1916 (O/N/D Tendring Essex) bap. Harwich 14 September 1917. The probate record gives George's address as the White Hart Hotel Aldeburgh Suffolk, while the WW1 Pension Ledger record gives his widow's address as 1 Grove Houses, Bathside, Harwich, Essex. When their son Armine was baptised in September 1917 his mother's address was given on the baptismal record as 3 Gunn Cottages, Albert Street, Hawick, Essex. Beatrice Irene married Herbert A Hall in 1918 (A/M/J Tendring). In 1939 Herbert (b. 14 August 1878), a part-time court bailiff, and Beatrice were living in Tendring, Essex. Beatrice died in 1977 (J/A/S Colchester Essex). Alec Leonard Lister died on 18 March 1991 (J/F/M Colchester). Armine Wallace married Joan Offard in 1945 (O/N/D Harwich) and died on 18 October 1990. Of George's siblings: William married Elizabeth A Elliott in 1910 (O/N/D Thackham) and in 1911 they were living at Hurston Street Farm, Cootham, Pulborough, Sussex. William was a farmer. In 1911 Charles (21) was a clerk (merchants) living at 'Bunkburn', Yarboro Road, Lincoln, in the home of his uncle, Charles Lister (52 b. Torksey), and his wife Annie Rebecca. Arthur was living at 170 Burton Road, Lincoln, in 1911, a boarder in the household of the widowed Maria Smith (63); he was working as a grocer. Arthur served in the 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards (24611 Private), enlisting in Lincoln. He was killed in action in France on 26 September 1916 (Guards' Cemetery Lesboeufs). The record in the Register of Soldiers' Effects shows that payments were made to his brother, William, and his widowed sister-in-law Beatrice Lister. He is commemorated on a memorial at Saxilby school, Lincolnshire.