Name
George Virgin (Served As Baker)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
G/4099
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 13 to 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, St Paul’s Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
Born in the Watford registration district on 22 April 1889 and Christened in Oxhey on 28 June 1889, George Virgin was the eldest son of George (Snr.) and Sabina Elizabeth (nee Thackham) Virgin. His parents were married on 21 December 1885 at St Mary’s in Watford.
At the 1889 Census, the family was living at 10 Villiers Road in Bushey. George (Snr.) and Sabina were 27 and 32 years old respectively and George (Snr.) was working as a labourer. George was 2 years old and had two sisters, 3-year-old Ada and 1 month old Sarah. Also present was Annie Virgin, the sister of George (Snr.), who was working as a general servant. Birthplaces are given as Marston Shelton in Bedfordshire for George (Snr.), Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire for Sabina, Watford for the three children and Pinner in Middlesex for Annie.
At the 1901 Census the family was still living at 10 Villiers Road and George (Snr.) was still working as a general labourer. George was aged 11 and now had three sisters and two brothers. Elizabeth, who had not been present at the 1891 census, Ada, John, William and Emily, who were aged 14, 12, 8, 6 and 4 years respectively. Annie was no longer living with the family. Watford was given as the birthplaces given for all of George’s siblings.
By the time of the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 17 Vale Road in Bushey. George was 21 years old and, like his father, was working as a general labourer, but for the permanent way department of a railway company. Four of his siblings, Ada, John, William and Emily were also living at home. Ada and Emily were employed as general domestic servants and John and William were grocers’ assistants. The census record states his parents had eight children, one of whom had died in childhood.
George (Snr.) died, aged 50, in 1913 in the Uxbridge, Middlesex registration district and was buried on 5 November at St James’ Church in Bushey. Sabina died, aged 86, in 1944 in Bushey and was buried on 27 March, also at St James’ church.
Wartime Service
George volunteered in August 1914 as Private G/4099 with the Royal West Surrey Regiment, serving under the alias of George Baker. He was then living with his mother at 41 Vale Road in Bushey.
He was later promoted to Corporal and served in France with the 2nd Battalion and took part in heavy fighting on the Marne and in the Ypres sector. He was reported wounded and missing in September 1915 during the battle of Loos and was later presumed killed in action, aged 26, on 25 September 1915. He was entitled to the Victory, British and 15 Star Medals, his qualifying date being 21 April 1915.
George is remembered with honour on panels 13-15 of the Loos Memorial in France and is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial, at St James’ Parish Church and at St Paul’s Church in Bushey.
His pension card names his widowed mother, Sabina, as his Dependant. She was living at 41 Vale Road in Bushey and received a pension of 5 shillings and 6 pence per week with effect from 26 June 1917.
The National Roll of the Great War also shows an H Virgin of 41 Vale Road, Bushey also served as a Trooper with the Essex Dragoons. He joined in 1918 and served with his unit in Ireland, but was unable to obtain a transfer to a theatre of war before the end of hostilities. He was demobilised in November 1919.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
