Private George Plowright
Birth
George Plowright was born in 1893. His birth was registered at Bourne in the September Quarter indicating a birth between July and September of that year.
Family History
George was the son of Mary Ann Plowright a spinster from Morton. Mary Ann Plowright was born c1872 and was the daughter of James Plowright b c1833, a Scissor Grinder from Eastgate Bourne, and his wife Eliza.
In 1891 Mary Ann had left home and was working as a domestic housemaid at a temperance hotel, The Willoughby Hotel in South Street Bourne.
In 1893 Mary Ann gave birth to her son George Plowright.
In 1901 Mary Ann and George were found living in Victoria Place, Bourne, working as a charwoman.
Mary Ann Plowright married Edward John Fowler, originally of Morton, in the Bourne area on the 15th of May 1905.
Edward fowler was the son of Edward Fowler, b c1843 in Morton and Susannah Marvin b c1843 in Hanthorpe.
Edward John Fowler was a soldier in the Lincolnshire regiment and next appears on a census in 1911 with his wife Mary Ann in Blaby, Doncaster. Edward is listed as a labourer, platelayer and army pensioner. The children of Edward Fowler and Mary Ann Plowright were born in Morton Lincolnshire, Kamptee India and Doncaster Yorkshire indicating that Edward and Mary Ann must have moved with the Lincolnshire regiment to India when they were posted there in 1908.
In 1911 George Plowright was living in Morton and working as a milkman on the farm of John Rodgers.
At the time of his enlistment George Plowright was listed as living in Doncaster.
The start of the Great War had an effect on the family with George signing up and being posted to the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. His step father, Edward Fowler, rejoined his old Regiment at the age of 41 and after being promoted twice to the rank of lance sergeant, was responsible for training the 11th reserve battalion eventually retiring in 1917.
Military History
We are unable to trace George Plowright through his WW1 service records or Pension records as these are not listed. It is highly likely that these are part of the burnt records.
From the medal rolls we know that Private George Plowright of the Yorkshire Light Infantry entered the French theatre of war on 14th April 1915
The following has been compiled with the help of the archives for the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, The Yorkshire office of the Rifles.
The 5th Battalion of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry arrived in France on the 13th April 1915 and by the end of the month were in trenches near Bois Grenier, a small village 3km south of Armentieres.
Over the period of George’s death the battalion were cutting new trenches which came under artillery fire. Twelve men were killed and eleven wounded during this.
Private George Plowright, “C” Company 1st/5th Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Regiment was killed in action aged 21 on the 25th May 1915.
Private George Plowright, Regimental Number 1917, was eligible for the following medals:-
Victory Medal
The British Medal
1915 Star
Memorial
Private George Plowright,5th Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, is remembered with honour at the Bois-Grenier Communal Cemetery. Grave Ref H3
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