Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

G names

Arthur Henry George

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A. H. George
Service no. 230638
Private,  London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), (2450). 1st/2nd Battalion
Enlisted at Tufton Street, London
Killed in action age 23 on 1 July 1916
CWGC: “Son of John Daniel and Elizabeth George, of 82, Wandsworth Rd., London.”
Remembered at Gommecourt British Cemetery No. 2, Hebuterne, Pas de Calais, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Arthur Henry George, 17 and born in “Surrey, near London”, was a messenger in a newspaper office. He lived with his parents and brother at 11 Riverhall Street, South Lambeth. John Daniel George, 57, was an unemployed general labourer, born in “Middlesex, London”, Elizabeth George, 57, was from Billericay, Essex. The couple had had 6 children of whom 5 survived, with only Arthur and his brother Charles Ernest George, 29, a general labourer born in Billericay living with them.

George Frederick Geleit

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G. F. Geleit
Service no. B/200790
Rifleman, Rifle Brigade, 13th Battalion
Killed in action age about 33 on 29 May 1917
Remembered at Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Information from the censuses

George Geleit was 3rd generation German, his grandfather, August Geleit, having emigrated to London some time before 1871.

In 1911 George Geleit, who was born in Bermondsey, was 27 and married to Clara, aged 25, from Walworth. They had two young children they had named after themselves: George, 2, and Clara, 1, both born in Brixton. The family lived in 2 rooms at 87 Hackford Road (this address is now Van Gogh House – the artist lodged there from August 1873). George described himself as a “housekeeper”.

The 1891 shows Annie Geleit, a 30-year-old widow from Bermondsey, living with her 3 sons, including George Geleit, 7, at 26, Russell Street, in north Brixton.

The 1871 census shows an August Geleit, 46, a tailor, and Caroline (possibly Christina) Geleit, 32, both born in Germany living with their 5 children at Houghton Street, Westminster. August died in 1887.

Geleit means escort or convoy in German.

Harry Bird Gayton

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H. B. Gayton
Service no. 6172
Private, Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), 7th Battalion
Died age 24 on 18 December 1917
Awarded the Military Medal
CWGC: “Son of Mr and Mrs F. M. Gayton, of 51 Clifton Street, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

Harry Bird Gayton was born in Battersea in about 1894. He volunteered on 12 April 1915 and was enlisted into the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment. He gave his age as 21 years and 194 days and his occupation as “tripe dresser”. Gayton stood 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a 36½ inch chest. He had a small scar on the left side of his forehead. He wore upper dentures.

While with his regiment at Chatham, in July 1915 he was disciplined for failing to comply with an order, for which he was punished with 7 days confinement to barracks. He was posted with the British Expeditionary Force on 1 November 1915 and took part in the Battle of Ypres, where he was wounded – he received a gunshot wound to the right arm – on 28 February 1916. He was not admitted to hospital until 10 March. It must have been a wound of some seriousness as Gayton was operated on on 17 March (shrapnel was removed) and remained in hospital for 28 days, after which he rejoined his unit.

Gayton received a Military Medal for actions on 15 September 1917 (we don’t know what these are), but on 15 December he received shrapnel wounds to his knee and right leg. He was admitted to 61 Casualty Clearing station but died of his wounds on 19 December.

The war office sent his effects to his family, including letters, cards, photos, religious books, wallet, cap badge, broken false teeth.

In May 1918 the Infantry Record Office wrote to Gayton’s mother Finetta asking how she would like to receive his Military Medal – privately by post or at a presentation. She opted to have it sent and she later acknowledged its receipt:

“Sir, received the medal quite safe and thank you very much I only wish the dear Boy was here to wear it, yours gratefully F. M. Gayton”

Information from the 1911 census

Robert Gayton, 44, an engine driver for the London and South West Railway Company originally from Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, and Finetta Mary Gayton, 45, from Marks Tey, Essex had 5 sons surviving (of 6 children):
Arthur William Gayton, 20, an off-licence assistant, born in Twickenham, Middlesex
Edmund James Gayton, 19, an office lad for the London and South West Railway, born in Twickenham, Middlesex
Harry Bird Gayton, 17, a shop assistant, born in Battersea
William Robert Gayton, 12, born in Lambeth
Alfred Ernest Gayton, 7, born in Lambeth
The family lived in 4 rooms at 51 Clifton Street, Clapham.