Name
George Thomas Reynolds
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
George appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that he attended the school. Parish records suggest only one man of this name who could have served, and he was born on March 21st 1890 to Lewis and Mary Ann Reynolds (née Catterell). He would have been twenty-four at the outbreak of war. Baptism and census records list fifteen children, but by 1911, five had died: James (bapt 1870, d 1871, aged seven months), Clara (bapt 1872, d 1874, aged two years), Maria (bapt 1874), Jacob (bapt 1876), Peggy (bapt 1877), Daisy Emma (b 1879, possibly d 1900, aged twenty), Mary (b 1881), William (b 1883), Albert (bapt 1884), Abigail (b 1886), Sarah (b 1888), George Thomas (b 1890), Harry (b 1890 and George’s twin), Emily Agnes (b 1893) and Walter (b 1894).
By 1911, all but Walter appear to have left the family home, which was 3 Wesley Cottages - the group of cottages behind the terrace which now contains the village shop. George does not appear in the Pirton census, so must have been working or living away from Pirton at the time.ge shop. George does not appear in the Pirton census, so must have been working or living away from Pirton at the time.
A newspaper cutting from very late 1917, or perhaps early 1918, provides confirmation that George's parents were Mr and Mrs Lewis Reynolds of 3 Wesley Cottages. His father had a small-holding and his mother had been an invalid for several years. George was one of six brothers serving; the others were Walter and Albert, who both died and are listed on the Village War Memorial, and Jacob, William and Harry who survived. It is also recorded that they had at least one sister, whose husband was also serving. At the time of the report, George was serving as a private in the Suffolk Regiment, but had not yet gone to war, as he was helping his father.
A monument inscription in St. Mary’s churchyard records that George died on June 10th 1946, aged fifty-six. It also lists Mabel Florence Cook died April 27th 1988, aged ninety.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
