Name
George James Stavert
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/07/1915
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
London 9/3269
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Drake Bn., Royal Naval Division
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HELLES MEMORIAL
Panel 8 to 15.
Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Bushey Memorial, Clay Hill, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, St Paul’s Church Memorial, Bushey, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Wesleyan Methodist (now Bushey & Oxhey) Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Born in Bushey on 18 June 1893 and baptised on 8 October 1893 at St James’ church in Bushey, George James Stavert was the son of Robert Elliot and Annie (nee Timberlake) Stavert. His parents were married on 24 April 1879 in the Parish Chapel, St Pancras, London. Robert, a railway clerk, was 40 years old and a widower and Annie was 23 years old.
Robert had previously married Mary Summerfield on 1 February 1862 in the Cathedral and Parish Church of Manchester and, at the 1871 census, they were living in Park Road, Bushey. Mary died in 1878 in the Watford registration district. It is not believed they had any children.
At the 1891 census, Robert and Annie were living at 2 Bournehall Road in Bushey with four sons named Andrew, James, Robert and Francis. They were 11, 6, 4 and 7 months old, respectively. Robert, a railway clerk, was 54 years old and Annie was 35 years old. Birthplaces for the family were given as Scotland for Robert, Edgware in Middlesex for Annie and Bushey for the four boys.
Robert died, aged 61, on 4 August 1899 and was buried on 5 August at Vicarage Road Cemetery in Watford. By the time of the 1901 census, Annie had moved to 3 Bournehall Road in Bushey and George was seven years old. Three of his siblings, Andrew, Robert and Margaret Rose, were also present. Annie was ‘living on own means’ and Andrew was a railway clerk. Also present was a 27-year-old boarder, who was an art student.
At the 1911 census, Annie and four of the children, Robert, Charles, George and Rosa, were still living at 3 Bournehall Road. Charles was working as an insurance agent and the other three children were working as railway clerks. George, now aged 17, was working for the London & North-Western Railway at Euston station. George later moved with Annie to 14 King Edwards Road in Oxhey.
Wartime Service
George enlisted on 4 August 1914 with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was in the Machine Gun section from 22 December 1914. He served as Able Seaman (London 9/3269) with the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division. He was killed or died, aged 21, at Gallipoli on 14 July 1915, as a result of enemy action, and was buried in rear of Trench No. 11E marked with a cross. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals.
George is remembered with honour on the Helles Memorial, which stands on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. He is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial, at St James’ Parish Church, at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey and in the Watford Borough Roll of Honour.
There is an article about and a Death announcement for George in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 August 1915.
George’s pension card named Annie as his dependant, living at 14 King Edwards Road in Watford, and showed an award of five shillings per week for life. Annie died 4 December 1928 in Oxhey aged 93, and was buried 7 December at St James’, Bushey, Herts.
His older brother, Robert Eliot Stavert, was killed in action in France on 25 August 1918.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk).
His brother Robert died 25 August 1918 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour. There is an article about and a Death announcement for George in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 August 1915. After his death he was recorded as the son of Annie Stavert, of 14, King Edward Rd., Oxhey, Watford, and the late R. E. Stavert. His brother Robert died 25 August 1918 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour.
Additional information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
