George William Greenwood
Hospital Convoys and Air Raids
George William Greenwood was born on 27th March 1886 in Oxenhope, Keighley. He was one of eight children whose parents were Edwin and Mary Greenwood (I believe her maiden name may have been Townsend). All but one of those children survived to adulthood.
In 1891 they lived at Lowertown in Oxenhope. Edwin worked as a warp dresser in a worsted mill. The children were John Henry (nine), Edith Alice (six), George (five), James Arthur (three) and Bertie (eight moths).
The Greenwood family on the 1891 census
Still at Lowertown in 1901, there were two more children - Sarah Amy (four) and Marion Gertrude (one). The older children were working. John as a mason's labourer, Edith as a worsted drawer, and George and James as worsted spinners.
The 1901 census
In 1909 George married Blanche Normington. They remained very local - their address at the time of the 1911 census was 20 Lowertown, and they had a one year old daughter, Emily. George's occupation was 'Late caretaker Oxenhope cemetery'.
From May 1916 until May 1919 George worked at Morton Banks War Hospital, undertaking hospital convoys and air raid work. He worked 1,350 hours during those three years.
Of his brothers, John Henry was serving in the 3rd Battalion West Riding Regiment. He was discharged due to disability, and was awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge.
He appears to have lived in Oxenhope all of his life. Electoral registers show them living at Lowertown and later West Croft House on Hebden Bridge Road, and they are shown there on the 1939 Register with daughter Edith (born in 1913, working as a warper in worsted spinning) and son Harry (born 1917, a plumber). Sadly their daughter Emily had died in 1932. George was working as a spring maker by then.
The 1939 Register
George died in Keighley during the first quarter of 1959 at the age of 72, Blanche had died a year before.
Sources:
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
UK, British Army World War 1 Service Records, 1914-1920
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
1939 England and Wales Register
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
