Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.
George Sisley Boorer was born in the 4th quarter of 1873 in Dorking to upholsterer George Marshall and newsagent Catherine Boorer nee Cramp. He was baptised on 30th November 1873 in Dorking, where the family lived at the time.
On 28th March 1881 George jnr was admitted into the Dorking British School. At the time of his admission the family were still living in Dorking High Street.
At the time of the 1881 Census, the family lived in Dorking High Street. George was still a upholsterer and Catherine was at home. The household further comprised of their son George and his grandparents: accountant George Boorer and Ann Cramp.
At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at 103 High Street, Dorking. George was working as a printer and Catherine was a newsagent. The household further comprised of their children: painter George and Edith.
On 22nd of March 1898 George Boorer jnr enlisted into the Paddington Rifles. His regimental number was 6151. At the time of his enlistment he was working as a house painter. Later he was transferred to the 18th Middlesex Regiment and upon his retirement into the West Surrey Regiment
At the time of the 1901 Census, George was a boarder of Mary Ann Miles at Lambeth, London, where he worked as a house painter.
George married Elizabeth Hall on 10th June 1911 in Southwark, London. The couple had a daughter: Ruby Elizabeth, who was born on 24th October 1912 in Lambeth.
The 1914 Surrey, England, Electoral Register reads that George lived at 78b South Street in Dorking.
The 1915 Surrey, England, Electoral Register reads that George lived at 26 Church Gardens in Dorking.
George Boorer attested on 15th March 1915 into the 2nd Battalion, the West Surrey Regiment. His regimental number was 408556. At the time of his attestation he was a builder and lived at 26 Church Gardens. Later he was transferred into the 3rd Battalion the Hampshire Regiment. George served in France from 22nd June 1916 to 28th November 1917.
George entered the Royal Flying Corps on 27th February 1918 and the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918.
He qualified as an armourer on 21st April 1918. His regimental number remained 408556 and he was an Air Mechanic 2nd Class. He served in France from 3rd May 1918 to 7th January 1919. He was transferred into the RAF Reserve on the 10th of February 1919.
On 16th July 1918, George’s next door neighbour, Willie Lockyer died in Flanders; George wrote the following letter to Willie’s mother Matilda
The letter reads
A Flight
19th Squadron
RAF
31.7.18
Dear Mrs Lockyer
It was with the greatest sorrow that I received the news from my wife that your dear son had died from tubercular meningitis following the dreaded ‘PUO’. If there is any consolation to you to know it, you can rely that everything was done that was possible to save him. There is a large clearing station close to our squadron, and I have been down there to see several of our men suffering from the same complaint, for as perhaps you know, there have been thousands of men down with it in the army. Doctors and nurses working at their hardest and using every appliance known to science, much better than has ever been attempted in England during the time of peace. If you can let me know where he is buried, I will use every effort to get there and put some flowers on his grave in memory of his sorrowing mother and sister, and if possible send you a description of its his grave and its surroundings. Again expressing my deepest sympathy to Katie and yourself.
Believe me, yours very sincerely, (408556) G S Boorer.
The 1919 Surrey, England, Electoral Register reads that George lived in 26 Church Gardens.
George Boorer died on 7th February 1920 at the Cottage Hospital in Dorking as result of gassing.
He was buried on 12th February 1920 at Dorking Municipal Cemetery. His grave reference number is: 17.9457.
Photograph courtesy of Lois Leyland
George Sisley’s wife Elizabeth received £142 and 14s in the Probate.
Boorer Family History
George’s father George was born in the 1st quarter of 1845 in Dorking to bootmaker George, born about 1818 in Dorking, and Harriet, born about 1824 in Clerkenwell, Middlesex. George was baptised on 26th March 1845 at St Martin’s Church in Dorking, where the family lived. His mother Catherine Cramp was born in the 1st quarter of 1843 in St Leonards on Sea, Hastings, to gardener William, born about 1814 in Bexhill, Sussex and Ann born about 1814 in Rye Sussex. George and Catherine married in the 3rd quarter of 1868 in Hastings, Sussex.
George had a sister, Edith Kathy born about 1876 in Dorking.
At the time of the 1871 Census, the family lived in High Street, Dorking. George snr was still working as an upholsterer and Catherine, still, as a newsagent. The household further comprised of Catherine’s sister Fanny Cramp.
At the time of the 1901 Census, George’s family still lived at 103 High Street, Dorking. George was working as a house painter and Catherine was a tobacconist. The household further comprised of their daughter, music teacher, Edith.
At the time of the 1911 Census, the family lived at 77 South Street in Dorking. George was working as a painter and Catherine was a tobacconist. The household further comprised of their daughter Edith. Catherine stated that she had given birth to two children. The accommodation had five rooms.
| Born | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Lived | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Son of | George and Catherine Boorer of Dorking | |
| Husband of | Elizabeth Hall of Lambeth, London | |
| Father of | Ruby Elizabeth | |
| Regiment | Royal Air Force | |
| Number | 408556 | |
| Date of Death | 7th February 1920 | |
| Place of Death | Dorking | |
| Cause of Death | Gas Poisoning | |
| Age | 47 | |
| Cemetery | Dorking Cemetery |
