George Edward Fletcher

George Edward was the youngest son of John Edward and Mary Jane Fletcher (née Thrall or Thrawl). His father John Edward was born in Staffordshire in about 1869, the son of George and Ann Fletcher who were both born in Lincolnshire. In 1881 the family was living in Blidworth, Nottinghamshire. George Fletcher (45) was a farm bailiff while John Edward (13) was a farm labourer (indoors). His mother Mary Jane was born in Dublin on 15 April 1868, the daughter of William Thrawl and Margaret (Evans). In 1881 they were living in Mansfield; Mary (12) was recorded as 'half day school/half day cotton mill'. John Edward and Mary Jane were married at Mansfield Register Office in 1886 (J/F/M Mansfield) and had six children who were all born in Mansfield: John William b. 1886 (A/M/J Mansfield), Avice Annie b. 1887 (O/N/D Mansfield), Eliza Ama (sic) b. 1889 (A/M/J Mansfield), George Edward b. 1890 (O/N/D Mansfield), Mary Kate b. 1895 (J/A/S Mansfield) and Margaret Elsie b. 4 December 1904 (O/N/D Mansfield). John Edward was employed by the Midland Railway on 24 February 1890 as a lamp porter at Mansfield station; he was still working for the railway company at the time of the 1891 Census. He and Mary were living off Queen Street, Mansfield, with their four children John (4), Avice (3), Eliza (2) and George (under 1 year). By 1901 the family had moved to 4 Newcastle Street, Mansfield, and John (32) was working as a builder's carter. He and Mary (32) now had five children: John, an errand boy for a furniture dealer, Avice, Eliza, George and Mary (5). Also in the household was Mary's niece, Nellie Thrall (21), a machine minder at a cotton factory. In 1911 John, an 'oil van man', and Mary were living at 40 Harrington Street, Mansfield. Only four of their six children were in the home on the night of the census: Eliza (21) a laundress, George (20) a shoe hand (shoe manufacturer), Mary (15) a hand winder/cotton spinner at a cotton factory and Margaret (6). The eldest girl, Avice, had married in 1909 (A/M/J Mansfield) and John William had joined the York and Lancaster Regiment in 1904 and was serving in India. John William transferred to the Army Reserve in 1912 and was mobilized on the outbreak of war. He was killed in action on 9 August 1915. His parents were living at 2 Pickard's Yard, Stockwell Gate, Mansfield, by December 1915 when their son's possessions were returned to them. George married Minnie Wright in 1914 (J/F/M Mansfield) and they had a son, Ronald Edward, in 1915 (A/M/J Mansfield). He attested in 1915 and his army service record contains a document dated 1916 which gives their address as 142 Victoria Road, Mansfield. George's personal possessions were returned the following year to his widow at the same address. His brother John William's service record contains a form listing his surviving blood relatives which was completed by his mother in April 1919. The document is badly damaged but it is clear that she named herself and her husband John Edward, both of 2 Pickard's Yard, Stockwell Gate, Mansfield, and their four daughters Avice (31), Eliza (29), Mary (25) and Margaret (14). Margaret was still living at home but the addresses of her sisters are unclear. However, Avice had married in 1909 and Mary in 1914 (Harry Reast). John Edward signed the receipt for John William's medals in 1921 but he has not yet been traced after this date. His wife Mary Jane died in 1936 (A/M/J Mansfield).

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