Private George Alfred King

Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.

George Alfred King was born on 7^th April 1877 in Dorking, Surrey to shoemaker George and Harriet (nee Clark). He was baptised on 20^th May 1877 at St Martin’s church in Dorking, Surrey.

George’s father George was born in the 3^rd quarter of 1846 in Worth, Sussex to chairwoman Elizabeth born about 1801 in Burstow, Surrey. At the time of the 1861 Census, George was working as an agricultural labourer for farmer William Brooker. His mother Harriet was born in the 1^st quarter of 1851 in Horsham, Sussex to bay labourer John, born about 1801 in Slinfold, Sussex, and Sarah, born about 1814 in Horsham. George and Sarah married in the 4^th quarter of 1874 in Horsham, Sussex.

George King had one blood brother: Albert Edward who was born in the 4^th quarter of 1875 in Dorking and was baptised on 31^st October 1875 at St Martin’s Church. At the time of the baptism, the family lived at Church Street, Dorking and George was working as a shoemaker.

George King died in the 3^rd quarter of 1877 in Dorking. He was buried on 31^st July 1877 in Dorking Cemetery. He was 30 years old. At the time of his death he lived at East Street Cottages.

Harriet King re-married William Wesson, on 13^th February 1881 at St Philip’s Church in Kensington. At the time of the marriage, the couple lived at 70 or 75 Abington Villas in Kensington and William was working as a cordwainer (shoemaker]. George’s stepfather William was born on 21^st May 1846 in Broadwater by Worthing, Sussex to shoemaker James and binder Eliza.

George had three half siblings: Alice Louise born in the 3^rd quarter of 1881; Nellie born in the 1^st quarter of 1883 and Frederick Alfred born in the 3^rd quarter of 1889, all in Dorking.

At the time of the 1881 Census, the family lived at East Street Cottages in Dorking. William Wesson was working as a cordwainer and Harried was looking after her sons, Albert and George.

According to the 1883 National School Admission Register, George was admitted on 5^th November 1883 into the St Martin’s Church of England School in Dorking for boys. At the time of the admission the family lived at Cape Place in Dorking. George left the school on 13^th September 1889.

At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at 1 Cape Place in Dorking. William Wesson was working as a bootmaker and Harriet Wesson was looking after their children: Alice, Frederick and Nellie. The household further comprised of Harriet sons from her previous marriage, grocer’s assistant Albert and errand boy George, as well as a lodger, postman Steward Laverby.

George’s stepfather William Wesson died in December 1895 in Dorking and was buried on Christmas Eve, 24^th December 1895, in Dorking Cemetery.

William Wesson’s body was taken from the River Mole. George, William’s stepson identified the deceased and gave evidence at the coroner’s inquest. He said that “he last saw his father alive on the night before ‘he did it’. The family had noticed that he had been strange for some time. His eyes had looked funny and he had grown very sullen in his ways, and would not speak to them.” The Coroner asked what had caused this change and George replied that William came home from the Punchbowl Inn a month ago where he had a row and became worried he would be summoned by legal authorities. He got into a habit of telling people about it. As there was not enough evidence as to the state of his mind, the coroner returned an open verdict of ‘found drowned’.

According to the 1895 Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, George’s mother Harriet Wesson was, at the time of her husband’s death, invalid due to feeble health. She was shocked by the news and died at the same day that her husband was being buried on 24^th December. She was buried on 28^th December 1895 in Dorking Cemetery. Harriet Wesson left to her son Albert £51, 14s and 4d in probate.

At the time of their death, the couple lived at 1 Cape Place in Dorking.

At the time of the 1911 Census, George was boarding with his brother, grocer and off licence owner Albert at Leslie Stores in Dorking. The household further comprised of Albert’s wife Ethel and their three children. George was working as a baker. The accommodation had five rooms.

George re-enlisted on the 13^th of September 1915 in Maidstone into the 10^th (S) Battalion, the Royal West Kent Regiment. He enlisted for duration of the war. According to the 1916 Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser he was previously in the Army for nine years before his re-enlistment.

George was a Private with regimental number G/9984. At the time of his re-enlistment he was working as a baker at Cowden, Kent and lived with his brother Albert’s family at Leslie Stores in Dorking.

George was over 5ft tall and had a slight defect ‘lipoma on outer aspect of right arm’.

George served from 13^th September 1915 to 2^nd May 1916 on the home front. On 3^rd May 1916 he became part of the British Expeditionary Force and embarked from Southampton to France. On 4^th May 1915 he disembarked to Havre in France.

George was killed on the 1^st of July 1916 in France.

His body was buried at the Tancrez Farm Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, 2 miles north east of Le Bizet and 2 miles north-north east of Armentieres. His grave reference number is: I.H.34.

George was awarded the British War and Victory medals.

He left to his brother Albert £4, 16s and 4d on 30^th of October 1916 and a further £3 on 24^th September 1919 in Soldier’s Effects.

Born	Dorking
Lived	Dorking
Son of	George and Harriet (nee Clark) King
Regiment	10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
Number	G/9984
Date of Death	1st July 1916
Place of Death	Flanders
Cause of Death	Killed in Action
Age	39
Cemetery	Tancrez Farm Cemetery, Belgium