George Henry WEBB

George Henry WEBB

Male 1898 - 1944  (46 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name George Henry WEBB 
    Birth 9 Feb 1898  21, Flint Street, Walworth, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Baptism 5 Jul 1899  St. Marks, Walworth, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    1901 Census 24, Flint Street, Southwark, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    At 1901 Census, he is 3 
    1911 Census 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    At 1911 Census, he is 13 
    1921 Census 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    At 1921 Census, he is 23y 4m, occ "Turner, out of work" 
    Occupation Machine Turner and Tailor. It is not clear which of these came first and they may have been influenced by skills needed around the time of WW1  [6
    1939 Register 38, Chatteris Square, Southwark, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    At 1939 Register, he is "Machine Operator (?XXXX?), also AFS 3237 (presumably reg number) 
    Individual Note George was Paul's father's Paternal Grandfather. 
    Individual Note 2 He started at Lyndhurst Grove Sch on 26/8/1902, address given as 43 ?Manaton? Road, and left 3/10/1904  [8
    Death 30 Oct 1944  Guys Hospital, Southwark, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Person ID I1  Webb
    Last Modified 1 Jun 2025 

    Father George Benjamin WEBB,   b. 21 Dec 1870, 5, Union St., Jamaica Level, Bermondsey, Southwark Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Feb 1942, "Jocelyn", Yorkletts, Whitstable, Kent Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 71 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother Emma MERRINGTON,   b. 2 Apr 1873, Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Jun 1926, 6, Etherdon Street, Newington, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 53 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 2 Jun 1895  St. Marks, Walworth, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Marriage Note Both were living at 5, Flint St at the time of their marriage.  [9
    Family ID F1  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mabel Henrietta DESBOROUGH,   b. 23 Jan 1893, 82, Lorrimore Street, Newington, Surrey Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Feb 1975, 6, Stream Park, East Grinstead, Sussex Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years) 
    Children 
     1. Private WD1 WEBB  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     2. Private WD2 WEBB  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     3. Private WD3 WEBB  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     4. Private WD4 WEBB  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F260  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 1 Jun 2025 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 9 Feb 1898 - 21, Flint Street, Walworth, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - 5 Jul 1899 - St. Marks, Walworth, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google Maps1901 Census - At 1901 Census, he is 3 - - 24, Flint Street, Southwark, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google Maps1911 Census - At 1911 Census, he is 13 - - 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google Maps1921 Census - At 1921 Census, he is 23y 4m, occ "Turner, out of work" - - 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google Maps1939 Register - At 1939 Register, he is "Machine Operator (?XXXX?), also AFS 3237 (presumably reg number) - - 38, Chatteris Square, Southwark, Surrey Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 30 Oct 1944 - Guys Hospital, Southwark, Surrey Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    George Henry Webb
    George Henry Webb
    He moved to Morden when their flat was destroyed in 1940.

  • Notes 
    • A family member says:-
      He joined up aged 16 and was a POW in Germany following the battle of the Somme. His father got him out of the army once or twice (?), and after that essentially disowned him, and the money from his father's estate did not come to him.

      The military history that I have found is as follows:-
      He lied on most of the documents to join up and put DOB as 9/2/1896 (ie 2 years older than he actually was)
      He joined the RGA or RFA as a gunner/bombadier in Mar 1915, his reg number was L/6511 (or 6551?). He went AWOL (or his father encouraged him so to do) in Aug 1915, and then joins the 1st East Surrey reg (reg number 12673, transcribed 12675 by the red cross). I cannot find out when he joined, but the family story has him being gassed and then taken prisoner at the Somme. This is certainly consistent with the ICRC records that have him in ?Oppy?, Lille in 8/5/17 or Fresney(?) 8/5/17 (not sure I know how to read these records), and is repatriated arriving back in Hull on 29/11/18 aboard SS Takada. The Forces War Records site records a field hospital (I think) with him having inflammation of connective tissue and feet (presumably gas) on 3/9/16. This implies 6 months in theatre and 18m in service, though I am inclined to not take this as too accurate. The war diary for the 1st East Surrey Reg does not give any indication of a gas attack around 3rd Sept, nor in the preceding month.
      The final part of the story is that he then signs up with the RAF 26/4/19 and stays with them till 21/4/21, when he is discharged as "no longer physically fit for active service". The RAF sheet gives a number of 329156 (is this a reg number?), and says his service in the East Surreys finishes the day before he joins up. Nobody in the family has heard of the last part, and I am intrigued by somebody who possibly missed the camaraderie of military service enough to keep going, even after his time in the trenches.

      At the 1921 Census (19 Jun 1921) sees him as an out of work Turner, lodging at another address in Newington. His place of work is given as "H M Forces".

      Data from electoral rolls gives GHW living as follows (all electoral rolls are Oct of the given year)
      1919, 6, Etherdon St, with Emma, also Alfred PALMER and Richard and Florence WILLSON. George is given as absent in HM Forces (as is Richard WILLSON, but not Alfred PALMER)
      1920, as 1919... Richard is now back at home
      1921, as 1920, now living at home
      1922, as 1921
      1923, 55, Sayer St. Also there is Harold NORMAN. Note that Mabel (his wife) is not there. My understanding now of the rules is that women over the age of 30 were entitled to vote (until 1928, when it dropped to 21). So she was 30, but I cannot find her easily anywhere else, so maybe given the fact that she was only 30 meant she forgot, did not bother etc.....
      1924, as 1923, with Mabel also listed
      1925, as 1924
      1926, 40 Chatteris Sq. This is consistent with the info given on Emma (MERRINGTON)'s death certificate. William and Christina SMITH were at no 38.
      1927, as 1926
      1928, as 1927
      1929, as 1928 - note this means EAW born in No 40, not 38...
      1930, 38, Chatteris Square. At No 40 is William and Elizabeth HUGHES
      1931-4 inclusive, as 1930
      1935-1939, as 1930, but also Ethel Edith EDWARDS appears - this makes sense, born 1914 she would be 21 and therefore on the voter list
      There were no rolls for 1940-44.

  • Sources 
    1. [S42] Birth Certificate :- George Henry Webb (1898).

    2. [S201] Baptism register :- St Marks Walworth (1899).

    3. [S31] 1901 Census :- 24, Flint Street, Southwark, Surrey.

    4. [S36] 1911 Census :- 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey.

    5. [S2640] 1921 Census :- 192, East Street, Walworth, Surrey.

    6. [S54] Information from the family.

    7. [S400] 1939 Register :- 38, Chatteris Square, Southwark, Surrey.

    8. [S245] Lyndhurst Grove School, Southwark, admission records 1902.

    9. [S55] Marriage Certificate :- George Benjamin Webb-Emma Merrington.