Born: 1881, Caister,Lincs
Died: 6 April 1918
Buried: Houchin British Cemetery
Address: 44 Mount Avenue, Eccleshill
Parents: Charles & Anne, nee Johnson
Spouse: Mary, nee Richardson
Siblings: Jessie, Charles, Norah, Frank, Harry, Hilary
Occupation: Joiner
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park & St Luke’s
Children: Elsie, Louie, Norah, Nellie
Regiment: East Yorks
George Allan Whitham
George Allan Whitham was born in
1881 in Caister, the eldest of seven
children of Charles and Anne, nee
Johnson.
By 1901 George had left home and
was living as a boarder at 9
Donnington Street, Clee and
working as a joiner carpenter.
On the 29th September 1906 at St
Luke’s Church, Eccleshill, he
married Mary Richardson, 32 years
of age, living at 32 Stoney Lane,
Eccleshill, the daughter of James
Richardson, deceased. George was
25 years of age, a joiner living at
43 Mount Street.
They went to live at 44
Mount Avenue. Four
children were born, Elsie
in 1907, Louie in 1909,
Norah in 1915 and Nellie
in 1917.
George enlisted on the
24th July 1916 aged 35
years and 113 days. His
employment is shown as a
joiner and his papers
record that he had
previously served in the
Royal Engineers.
He became Private 36725 in the 6th
Battalion of the East Yorkshire
Regiment and in 1917
fought in the Operations
on the Ancre, at the
Battles of Langemarck,
Polygon Wood,
Brookseinde and
Poelcapelle.
In 1918 during the
battles on the Somme
21st March to the 5th of
April George was
seriously wounded in the
side and in both legs by
the bursting of a shell and he died
from his wounds on the 6th of April
1918. He was 37 years of age.
He is buried in the Houchin British
Cemetery which was opened in
March 1918 when the 6th Casualty
Clearing Station came to Houchin.
George left his effects to his widow
Mary who received £13.10.5d on
the 22nd June 1918 and a War
Gratuity of £7.10.0d on the 12th of
November 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
