George Henry Spicer
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- Military History
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George Henry was the youngest child of Richard Ignatius and Eliza Spicer (née Gibson). His father Richard Ignatius was born in Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, on 27 August 1845, the son of John and Mary Spicer (née Copson), and was baptised at Earls Barton parish church on 21 September 1845. His mother Eliza was born in Wilby, Northamptonshire, in 1846, the daughter of James Eli and Sarah Gibson, and baptised at Wlby parish church on 19 July 1846. Richard and Eliza were married in 1869 (J/F/M Wellingborough) and had nine children of whom seven survived: Ellen Elizabeth b. Earls Barton 14 June 1869; Eliza b. Earls Barton 1870 bap. Earls Barton 14 April 1873; John Francis b. Earls Barton bap 14 April 1873; Frederick William b. Wellingborough 26 October 1874 bap. Leicester St Mary de Castro 14 June 1881; Richard b. Leicester 27 August 1879 bap. 14 June 1881; Annie b. Loughborough 10 January 1885 bap. Loughborough All Saints 4 February 1885 and George Henry b. Loughborough 1890. In 1871 Richard (25), a saddle and harness maker, and Eliza (24) were living at the Post Office, Earls Barton, with their two daughters Ellen (1) and Eliza (under 1 year). They were living in Wellingborough when their second son Frederick was born in 1874 but had moved to Leicester by the time of Richard's birth five years later. They were still living in Leicester in 1881 when they were at 65 Little Holme Street, with the children Ellen, Eliza, John (8), Frederick (6) and Richard (1). The family had moved to Loughborough by 1885 when Annie was born and 1891 found them at 132 Paget Street, Loughborough. Richard snr. was still working as a saddler and harness maker. Only six of their seven children were in the home on the night of the census: Eliza a hosiery minder, John a hosiery warehouseman, Frederick an apprentice boiler maker, Richard, Annie (6) and George (1). Their eldest daughter, Ellen Elizabeth had married William Henry Adkin in 1888 and in 1891 they were living in Leicester. Richard and Eliza and their son George have not yet been traced on the 1901 Census, but by 1911 they were living at 17 Eastville Street, Peas Hill Road, St Ann's, Nottingham. Richard was a master sadler while his son was a fishmonger's assistant. His father Richard Ignatius died the following year on 1 April 1912 aged 66. His mother Eliza died in November 1927. Of George's siblings: Ellen Elizabeth and her husband William Henry Adkin (b. Loughborough 28 July 1867), a hosiery needle maker, were living in Beeston, Nottingham, in 1901 with their children Harry (12), William (10), Nellie (4), Frederick (6) and Sydney (1). They later had John, Edith and Annie (b. 22 December 1907). They were still living in Beeston in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled in 1939. Eliza has not yet been traced after 1891 when she was living with her parents on Paget Street, Loughborough, and working as a hosiery minder. John Francis married Ada Hannah Neal in 1895 (registered Nottingham). One of their children, Dorothy Ada, was baptised in Barnsley in November 1897 but by 1901 they were living on Upper Regent Street, Beeston. John was a boot maker (working at home on his own account. He and Ada had four children, John, Dorothy, Charles Edward and Hilda Mary and later had another son, Wilfred Arthur. They were still living in Beeston in 1911. Frederick William married Elziabeth Ann Haslam (b. 24 November 1876) in 1897 (registered Nottingham). In 1901 they were living in the Meadows with their son Frederick (2); Frederick snr. was a saddler. They were living on Newcastle Road, Nottingham, by 1911 when they had three children, Frederick, Lily and Arthur. Frederick jnr. served in the war, attesting on 16 September 1916 but transferring to the Army Reserve and not mobilised until 21 February 1917. He served in France from 12 November 1917 and was discharged in March 1919. In 1939 Frederick William, a harness maker and boot repairer, and Elizabeth were living at 28 Deering Street, Nottingham. He died on 5 May 1948; Elizabeth survived him (d. 16 June 1955). Richard married Alice Amelia Cooke (b. 26 June 1880) in 1902 (registered Nottingham). They were living in Coventery in 1911 where Richard was working as a cycle fitter. Richard, an aero engine fitter, and Alice with their daughters Florence (b. 11 March 1905) and Gladys b. 28 December 1906) were still living in Coventry in 1939. Richard died on 25 March 1970 (registered Coventry). Annie married James May (b. 10 September 1881) in 1907 (registered Nottingham) and in 1911 they were living on Willoughby Street, New Lenton, with their children Frank and Phyllis. James was a shop assistant (pawnbroker). Annie and James were living in Carlton, Nottingham, in 1939 and James was working for Nottingham Council (transport section). Annie died in 1970 (registered Nottingham).
Private George Henry Spicer, enlisted in Derby and served with the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment. George Henry was killed by a sniper on 9th April 1917 and is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), grave ref. VII.L.23. The cemetery is situated at Kantara East on the eastern side of the Suez Canal, 160 kilometres north-east of Cairo. CWGC - Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) (extract): 'Railway Dugouts Cemetery is 2 Kms west of Zillebeke village, where the railway runs on an embankment overlooking a small farmstead, which was known to the troops as Transport Farm. The site of the cemetery was screened by slightly rising ground to the east, and burials began there in April 1915. They continued until the Armistice, especially in 1916 and 1917, when Advanced Dressing Stations were placed in the dugouts and the farm. They were made in small groups, without any definite arrangement and in the summer of 1917 a considerable number were obliterated by shell fire before they could be marked. The names "Railway Dugouts" and "Transport Farm" were both used for the cemetery. At the time of the Armistice, more than 1,700 graves in the cemetery were known and marked. Other graves were then brought in from the battlefields and small cemeteries in the vicinity [named].'
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Thy will be done' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 27 April 1917: ‘Spicer. Killed by sniper, April 11th, Private GH Spicer, Sherwood Foresters, John, Ada and Family.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 11th April 1918 :- “SPICER. – In loving memory of my dear son, George Henry Spicer (Harry), killed in action April 11th, 1917, aged 27. Sadly missed. Also of my dear husband, Richard Spicer, who died April 1st, 1912, in his 67th year. Not forgotten. “SPICER. – In loving memory of George Henry Spicer (Harry), killed in action April 11th, 1917. Fondly remembered by brother Dick [Richard], wife and family in Coventry. He gave his life for his country. Also of Richard Spicer, father, who died April 1st, 1912, in his 67th year. Not forgotten. “SPICER. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Harry, killed in action April 11th, 1917; also my dear father, died April 1st, 1912. Fondly remembered. - Nellie [Ellen]. “SPICER. – Pte. Harry Spicer, Sherwood, killed in action 11th April, 1917. The great sacrifice. – Fred [Frederick William], Lizzie, and children. Fred [son Frederick] in France.” The notices give his date of death as 11th April 1917 although all official sources give the date as 9th April. Above notices courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 Nottingham Evening Post, ‘1914-1918’, 11 April 1927: ‘Spicer. In loving memory of George Henry, killed in action, April 11th (sic), 1917. Sadly missed. His loving mother.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects and WW1 Pension Ledgers: his mother, Eliza Spicer, was named as his legatee and next of kin respectively.
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