Name
George Frederick Upton
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
George Upton was listed in the Absent Voter Records for Abbots Langley in Autumn 1918, Spring 1919 and Autumn 1919. He was initially identified from the Absent Voter Records and was not recorded elsewhere in the Abbots Langley Parish records. In the Absent Voter Records George was listed serving with the Royal Navy and his address was given at 74 Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley.
The UK Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services noted that George was born on 9th September 1894 at St Pancras, London. At his baptism in 1894 only one parent, his mother Alice Upton, was present. The London School Admissions and Discharges Archives recorded that on 22nd July 1898, at the age of three George was admitted to Burghley Road School, Camden.
George was listed in the 1901 Census living with his 62 year old grandmother, Jane Upton, and her son Arthur Upton, at 21 Benham Street, St Pancras. Jane worked as a Charwoman and Arthur as a General Labourer.
The London Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records showed that between 1902 and 1906 George was initially admitted at the age of eight, and then discharged and re-admitted several times throughout this period. The listing for his first admission indicated that he had arrived from Leavesden – presumably the Asylum –but it is not known how he came to be there.
In the 1911 Census, taken on 2nd April, George was recorded as an Inmate aboard the Training Ship “Exmouth” moored at Grays, Essex. His occupation was noted as a Boy on a Training Ship. The “Exmouth” was managed by the Metropolitan Asylum Board. From 1870 a Training Ship for boys from all London Poor Law authorities had been located on the River Thames. Boys could join from the age of twelve and learned skills of sailing, rowing, sail and rope making, gunnery and signalling. They also continued with school work and took part in physical activities including swimming and gymnastics. The training helped equip the boys for service in the Royal or Merchant Navy. Later in 1911, on 19th June, George’s Service Record indicated that he joined the Royal Navy and that he was serving aboard HMS “Ganges II”, a shore establishment at Shotley, near Harwich. On 9th September 1912, at the age of eighteen, George signed up for a twelve year period of service with the Royal Navy. Throughout the Great War George served aboard HMS “Ganges II” before being transferred to HMS “Africa” a pre-Dreadnought class battleship. George’s Absent Voter Records indicated that he was serving aboard HMS “Lord Nelson”, however this was confirmed by his Service Record, which showed that after service with HMS “Africa” he was transferred to HMS “Caesar” and HMS “Defence”, before being demobilised on 28th June 1928.
In the Absent Voter Records George’s address was listed at 74 Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley, and it is not known how or when he came to be associated with this address.
George Upton survived the War.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
