Samuel George was born in September 1895 to parents John and Ruth Blakeley, and was baptised on the 2nd October at Christ Church, Greenwich. The family were living at 8 Lenthorpe Road, Greenwich. John was the eldest of 13 children. The Blakeley family had their roots in Greenwich but John's mother was from Grimsby. The family worked as labours in and around Greenwich and Poplar before moving up to Grimsby and Immingham in c.1907 and lived for part of the war in Cowick, East Yorkshire. In 1911 the family lived at 47 Spring Street, Immingham and worked in constructing Immingham Docks;  Samuel was an engineer cleaner. The family moved back down to Greenwich, living in Old Woolwich Road and Orlop Street, during c.1916 and finally settled back permanently in Greenwich during c.1918.

 

Samuel enlisted into the Army, in Greenwich, on the 11th August 1914. His youngest sister (my Nana) was told by family that Samuel served as a sniper in the army. Samuel served in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps and served on the western front from the 29th November 1911 before being killed in action on 27th September 1915. Amongst his items returned to his next of kin was a 1914 Christmas Tin, with its unopened contents. The tin survives with its packaging, addressed to 14 Orlop Street, Greenwich. Samuel also left 14s 4d.

 

Of the Blakeley brothers Samuel’s older brothers John died of wounds and James Frederick was injured and discharged from the Army. Samuel’s personal effects were passed onto to his mother and his medal and 1914 Christmas tin remained on display in my Grandparents house until my Grandfather's death in 2003. Upon clearing his house we discovered Samuel’s and his brother's death scrolls and photo portraits stored in an upstairs cupboard. A postcard sent from Samuel’s Grandmother to him during August 1915 was also found amongst a collection of family postcards. Samuel is commemorated in a Goole Times Roll of Honour and Roll of Honour located in Cowick Church. 

Stephen Walker