George Frederick Butler
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
George Frederick Butler was the son of William and Elizabeth Butler (née Shaw). His father William was born in 1856 at Clifton, Nottingham, and his mother Elizabeth Shaw was born in 1857 at Loughborough, Leicestershire. They were married in 1881 and had three sons who were born in Nottingham: George Frederick b. 1884, Frank Fletcher birth registered 1886 (J/F/M) and John Leonard b. 1887. George and Frank were baptised at Nottingham St Mark, George in October 1884 and Frank in April 1886; the family then lived at 64 Great Freeman Street. The family has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census, but in 1901 William, a butcher (own account), Elizabeth and their sons, George a grocer's assistant, Frank an architect's apprentice and John who was still at school, were living at 13 Mansfield Road, Nottingham. Also in the household was a general domestic servant. William died in 1903 and in 1911 his widow and their three sons were still at 13 Mansfield Road. She was a butcher's shop keeper (employer), George a grocer's shop assistant, Frank an artist in stained glass (own account) and John a butcher's shop assistant. Elizabeth died in 1913. George Frederick married Edith Caroline Puttick (b. Canterbury, Kent, 1884) in 1915 at Nottingham, and they had a daughter, Margaret Gwendoline who was born in1916. They lived at 20 Tennyson Street, Nottingham, The later CWGC record gave his widow's address as 27 Baker Street, Nottingham, and Edith, her daughter Gwendoline, a school mistress, together with Gwendoline Putick (b. 1891), a houskeeper, were still living at the same address in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. Edith did not remarry and died in 1980 (reg. Colchester). Her daughter Gwendoline did not marry and died in 2010 (reg. Clacton on Sea Essex). George's brother, Frank Fletcher, attested on 9 December 1915, transferred to the Army Reserve the following day, and was mobilized on 26 May 1916. He was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (84355 Gunner) and served with the BEF [theatre not given but serving in Italy in November 1917] from 13 April 1917 to 13 June 1918 and BEF Italy 14 June 1918 to 6 April 1919 followed by Home service 7 April to 14 August 1919 (Total 3 years 249 days). He was discharged from the Army under para 392 (xvi) KR (physically unfit) and awarded Silver War Badge No. B280461, issued 9 September 1919. Frank married Elizabeth Bostock, a widow, in March 1917 and they lived at 6 Perlethorpe Avenue, Sneinton. He died in September 1920 from injuries received in a road accident. (See 'Extra information') According to a notice of his brother George's death in the local paper, John Leonard was serving in Mesopotamia in 1917. No record of his military service has yet been traced. He married Agnes A Rowland in 1911 and in 1939 they were living at 13 Mansfield Road, Nottingham; John was a master butcher. He died in 1981.
Corporal George Frederick Butler attested on 11th December 1915 at Nottingham. He gave his age as 31 yrs and 8 months, address 20 Tennyson Street, Nottingham, and occupation grocery manager. His next of kin was his wife Edith Caroline of the same address. He was posted to the Army Reserve then mobilized on 27th January 1917 and posted as 75896 in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He transferred to the 4th battalion North Staffordshire Regiment on 22nd June 1917 and promoted lance corporal on 15th September 1917. He embarked at Southampton on 6th October 1917 disembarking at Le Havre the following day, 7th October, when he was also promoted corporal. George was killed in action less than a month later on 3/4th November 1917 and was buried in Red Cross Corner Cemetery, Beugny, France (grave ref. 1.F.6) CWGC - History of Red Cross Corner Cemetery (extract). The village of Beugny is 5km from the town of Bapaume. 'Plot I of the cemetery (except Row K) was made between April 1917 and March 1918 by field ambulances and fighting units. When the cemetery fell into German hands in March 1918, they added the 25 Commonwealth burials that make up Row K (all from 21 March 1918) and began another cemetery alongside (Beugny Military Cemetery No.3). Commonwealth forces retook the cemetery in September 1918 and added Plot II to the original burials. The German graves were removed after the Armistice, and the Commonwealth burials among them were transferred partly to Delsaux Farm Cemetery and partly to Favreuil British Cemetery.' (www.cwgc.org)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 8 July 1913: ‘Butler. On July 4th, at 17, Thorncliffe-road, Elizabeth, widow of the late William Butler, of 13, Mansfield-road, aged 57 years. Funeral Church Cemetery, Tuesday 2.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) CWGC additional information: 'Son of William and Elizabeth Butler, of Nottingham; husband of Edith Caroline Buder [Butler], of 27, Baker St., Nottingham.' CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Even so, Father for so it seemd good in Thy sight' (Matthew 11:26 KJV) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 10 November 1917: ‘Butler. Killed in action, November 3rd, 1917, Corporal G F. Butler (F Farrands and Butler), beloved husband of Edith C Butler, 20, Tennyson-street, Nottingham.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Note: F Farrands & Butler - later Frank Farrands Ltd, a Nottingham grocery firm with a number of shops in the city, including 108 Mansfield Road, and in the suburbs. Frank Farrands, the son of the founder of the firm, died in 1944. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 10, 12 & 13 November 1917: ‘Butler. Killed in action, November 3rd, Corpl. George Frederick Butler, North Staffs, beloved brother of Agnes and Len (Mesopotamia). A noble sacrifice.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 12 & 13 November 1917: ‘Butler. Killed in action, November 3rd, Corpl. George F. Butler, North Staffords, beloved brother of Lizzie and Frank (Italy). A noble life laid down.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) War obituary, All Saints Church News, December 1917: 'George F Butler, 20 Tennyson Street, Corporal North Staffordshire Regiment, killed in action November 3rd 1917, leaves a widow and one child.' Probate: George Frederick of 20 Tennyson-street Nottinghamshire corporal in HM Army died 4 November 1917 in France Probate Nottingham 5 December to Edith Caroline Butler widow. Effects £415 17s. 11d. His widow was awarded a pension of 21 shillings and 8 pence a week commencing 20th May 1918. Nottingham Evening Post, 18 September 1920: ‘Crushed Against A Wall. Nottingham Man Fatally Injured. An inquest was opened by the Coroner (Mr CL Rothera) in Nottingham yesterday on the body of Frank Fletcher Butler, aged 34, stained glass window artist, of Perlethorpe-avenue, Sneinton-dale, who was fatally injured in Talbot-street. Elizabeth Butler stated that she last saw her husband about 1.30pm on Wednesday, when he left home to return to business in Holden-street, Radford. Later she was informed of the accident, but when she visited him in hospital he was unable to say anything about the occurrence. Deceased was crossing Talbot-street, new at Matthew’s Church when a car, driven by a woman, coming round the sharp bend in the road, collided with him,. Carrying him forward and crushing him against the wall of a factory. The Coroner intimated that the woman who was driving the car was also injured, and was now receiving medical treatment. Under those circumstances, the inquiry would have to be adjourned.’ (www.britishnewspaperarcihive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, 29 September 1920, printed a detailed report of the inquest into Frank’s death and the verdict of ‘Manslaughter’ which was returned by the jury against Frances Mary Potter, the driver of the car. The woman was committed to the ‘next Assizes’ on a Coroner’s warrant, charged with manslaughter. A doctor from the General Hospital giving evidence to the coroner’s court said the deceased was operated on but died five hours later; he had suffered a ruptured liver. (www.britishnewspaperarcihive.co.uk)
