George William Stainsby [sb.6.5.6]
George William Stainsby was the sixth child of William Stainsby & Jane Stephenson born January 26th, 1887 at 67 Newport Rd, Middlesbrough & christened March 4th, 1887 at Linthorpe.
In 1891 George was living at home at 67 Newport Rd, Middlesbrough. Also at home were children Thomas (14), Edith (12), Nellie (10), Joseph (8), Mary Emily (6) & John (1).
In 1901 George was still at home at 3 Leechmere Rd, Ryhope.
In his youth George was a keen footballer & played for his school, Valley Road, Sunderland Boys & Durham County Boys. At his position of outside left he was known as ‘the Dodger’ – a tribute to his trickiness as a player. (Sunderland Daily Echo, May 16th, 1947)
George studied history at Leeds University & graduated from there in 1910.
At the time of the 1911 census George was a theological student at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Dewsbury, Yorks. He was training to enter the church.
George enlisted at Jarrow, Co Durham in April 1915 in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was described as 5ft 10 inches with brown eyes & dark brown hair. His occupation was clerk in Holy Orders. On August 5th, 1915 Private George William Stainsby absented himself without leave from tattoo for nearly 9 hours until 6.20a.m. For this he was given 3 days C.B. (confined to barracks?) & deducted 1 day’s pay. George belonged to the 65th, Field Ambulance & acted as a stretcher bearer. He joined the British Expeditionary Force from September 1915 to March 1916. On the 14th March 1916 he was appointed to a commission as Chaplain to the Forces. This was announced in the London Gazette supplement of April 15th, 1916. George was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal & the Victory Medal.
George's medal card
George as army chaplain during 1st World War
On October 3rd, 1917 George married Ethel Marian Rhodes at St James, Hampstead Rd, St Pancras, London. Ethel was a 30 year old spinster of 8 George St, daughter of Alfred Rhodes (deceased), an accountant. George gave his occupation as priest &his address was 2/4 York & Lancaster Regiment, British Expeditionary Force.
After the war he became a vicar & was appointed to churches in the London area. According to Barber's Almanack of Littleport & District, George was curate at Littleport, Ely, Cambs from 1918-1920. The almanack also states that he returned to Littleport on July 6th, 1939 accompanied by the bell ringers of Christ Church, Southgate, London where he was the vicar.
George & Marian & had twin girls in 1918.
The 1939 register shows George & Ethel living at the Vicarage, Walters Wall, Southgate where he was a clerk in holy orders. With them were their twin daughters, Ethel’s widowed mother Hannah Rhodes, Eva M Rhodes, a nurse & Kathleen D Rhodes, a registry clerk.
Daughter Jeanne married Leonard W Causer in Oct-December 1942 at Edmonton, Middlesex.
Daughter Marian married Captain Lawrence Albert Stredwick of the Royal Engineers on November 20th, 1945 at the Parish Church, Southgate. Lawrence was born September 2nd, 1919, the son of Mr & Mrs A G Stredwick of Branksome Park, Bournemouth. Marian’s parents address at the time of the marriage was The Vicarage, Southgate.
Records for the Selborne Bowling Club, Southgate of 1944 reveal that:
‘In the late spring it was obvious that the war was entering its final stages, and a meeting was called to make preparations for a supply of bunting to be ordered in readiness for the cessation of hostilities in Europe. Later in May a Thanksgiving Service was held on the Club Verandah and conducted by Patron Rev. George Stainsby.'
George died January 12th 1951, aged 63, at The Vicarage, The Green, Southgate, London. Administration of his estate was granted to widow Ethel Marian & daughter Marian Joan Stredwick. George’s effects were £1,596.8s.8d.
Marian, aged 67, died on December 12th, 1953 at 103 Beltinge Rd, Herne Bay, Kent. Probate was granted to Kathleen Rhodes, spinster, & Marian’s effects were £280.8s.
The children of George William Stainsby & Ethel Marian Rhodes were:
sb.6.5.6.1. Jeanne M Stainsby born Oct-December 1918 in Ely, Cambridge
sb.6.5.6.2 Marian Joan Stainsby born Oct-December 1918 in Ely, Cambridge; died Oct-December 1966 at Middlesbrough, N. Yorkshire