George Caunt

George Caunt was born in Radcliffe-on-Trent in about 1883/1884, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Caunt. In 1871 the family was living on Kingston Street, Sneinton, Nottingham.

George and Emma Hinds were married in 1871 (J/F/M Radford) and according to the 1911 Census they had had 13 children, 11 of whom were still living. Birth registrations of 13 children (Caunt/Hind) have been traced: Jane Elizabeth b. 1871 (A/M/J Radford) bap. 28 August 1877 Sneinton St Stephen, Samuel James birth registered 1873 (J/F/M Radford), Maria birth registered 1875 (J/F/M Radford) bap. 28 August 1877 St Stephen, George b. 13 May 1877 (A/M/J Radford) bap. 28 August 1877 St Stephen, James birth registered 1879 (J/F/M Radford), John Robert (Robert) birth registered 1880 (J/F/M Radford), William b. 1882 (A/M/J Nottingham), Arthur birth registered 1884 (J/F/M Nottingham), Henry b. 1886 (A/M/J Nottingham), Ellen b. 26 May 1887 (J/A/S Nottingham), Theresa b. 24 September 1889 (O/N/D Nottingham), Frederick birth registered 1893 (J/F/M Nottingham) and Albert b. 1895 (A/M/J Nottingham). The death of one child has been traced: Maria (1905) but it is likely that the second child to die before 1911 was James (b. 1879) who has not yet been traced on a census return.

In 1877 when three of their children were baptised at Sneintion St Stephen, George and Emma were living at Eyre Place, Sneinton.

By 1881 George Caunt (37) a painter, and his wife Emma (27) were living at 8 Clarence Terrace, Sneinton, with their children Elizabeth (10), Samuel, Maria (6), George (3) and Robert (1).

The family has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census, but by 1901 had moved to 13 Keswick Street, Sneinton. George (58) was now working as a journeyman painter. In the home on the night of the census were his wife Emma, and seven of their children, William (18) a bricklayer, Arthur (17) a joiner, Henry (15) a bottle washer (liquor merchant), Nellie [Ellen] (13) an errand girl, Theresa (11), Frederick (8) and Albert (5).

In 1911 George (68) and Emma (58), now working as a lace hand, were living at 53 Walker Street, Sneinton. Only one of their surviving children, the youngest Albert (16), a dray lad, was in the home on the night of the census. However, three grandchildren were living with them including Ida Radford Caunt (b. 1910 A/M/J Nottingham) who was probably the child of their daughter Ellen (Nellie) - there is a record of the marriage of a Nellie Caunt to Horace Radford in 1913 (A/M/J Radford). The other two children were Mary Alice Spridgen/Spridgeon birth registered 1899 (J/F/M Nottingham) bap. 16 April 1899 Sneinton St Alban, and Albert Spridgen/Spridgeon b. 1904 (O/N/D Nottingham), the orphaned children of their daughter Maria. There may have been a third child, William Edward Spridgen b. 1901 (O/N/D Nottingham). Maria had married Joseph Spridgen on 19 November 1898 at Sneinton St Alban, and at the time their daughter Mary was baptised in 1899 were living at 2 May's Yard. Maria had died aged 29 in 1905 (O/N/D Nottingham).

George snr. died on 22 February 1919 and was buried with military honours in Nottingham General Cemetery. He was then living at 12 Hampton Terrace, Walker Street, Sneinton.He was the husband of Emma Caunt and they lived at 12 Hampton Terrace, Walker Street Nottingham.

Three of his sons, Frederick, Henry and Arthur, died in the war.

Private Henry Caunt, 2nd Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, was killed in action on 20th October 1914. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

Private Arthur Caunt, 2nd Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, was taken prisoner on 20th October 1914 at Ennentieres. He died of appendicitis – “Blinddarmentzündung” in Red Cross records – in the camp at Hameln Weser on 6th January 1915 in German hands and was buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel.

A fourth son, Samuel James, died, aged 43, “after long and painful illness” on 15th February 1916. He, too, is buried in Nottingham General Cemetery.