George Wildin 1887-1916

George Wildin from the Barnsley Chronicle 29 July 1916
(with thanks to Barnsley Archives)

Born:
8 April 1887 20 New Scarbro' Wombwell, Yorkshire

Son of:
David Wildin b. Oct 1843, Baptised 29 Oct 1843 in Newhall, Derbyshire
d.21 Oct 1892 at New Scarbro' (as Wilden aged 49, 9c 129) Buried in Darfield All Saints Cemetery, grave number 483.
1891 census: 20 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell Coal Miner
who had married on 17 April 1870 in St John's Church, Newhall, Derbyshire to
Hannah (maiden name Smith) b.Oct 1851 Swadlincote, Derbyshire
d.Jun Q 1932 in Barnsley RD (9c 236)
She remarried in March Q 1894 Barnsley RD (9c 323) to John Morgan (b.1861 Wolverhampton RD) who had been the family's lodger in 1891.  
He died in Barnsley in Dec Q 1932.

Position in family: The 7th of at least 9 children to Hannah's first marriage
1. Sarah Ann b.1870 Burslem, Staffordshire
2. Daniel Wildin b.1873 Darfield
3. Joseph Wildin b.1875 Darfield
4. Jane Wildin b.1879 Wombwell
5. William Wildin b.1881 Wombwell
6. Edith Wildin b.1884 Wombwell
7. George Wildin b.1887 New Scarbro' Wombwell WW1 KILLED
8. John Wildin b.1889 New Scarboro' Wombwell  WW1 SERVED Royal Naval Division KW/197 as Weldon
9. Ellen Wildin b.1891 Wombwell
 
10. Thomas Weldin b.24 October 1893 (Thomas appears to have been conceived after David Wildin's death making him George's half brother)  WW1 SERVED 13th Y&L Service no. 13/683 as Weldin.  He died in Leeds in 1948.

Home address, age and occupation:
1891: 20 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell age 4
1901: 41 Elliotts Terrace, Wombwell age 13 Horse Driver Coal Mine below ground
1911: Brins Buildings, Great Houghton age 23, Timber Drawer Underground

Marriage: He was married
In Barnsley Registration District Jun Q 1907
to Norah (maiden name Jennings) b.1888 Gawber, Yorkshire

Children:
1. Hannah Wildin b.1908 Wombwell
2. Thomas Wildin b.1909 Wombwell
3. Florence Wildin b.1913

Military Service:
Enlisted: 1914 Barnsley
Regiment and Battalion:   13th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Service number and rank:  13/682 Private
Awards: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death:    1 July 1916
Buried at: Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps
Grave Reference: I. A. 37.

Remembered: 
Ardsley, Christ Church, Christ Church Parishioners - WW1 Plaque 

Notes:

Lives of the First World War entry 

Relative Andrew Wildin has been researching George and has submitted most of the above information for this soldier story.  With our grateful thanks!  His Ancestry Family Tree entry for George Wildin can be seen here.

The entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for George previously listed him as Weldon, Andrew was able to get this updated to Wildin in 2015.

Barnsley Chronicle 15 July 1916
(thanks to Barnsley Archives)

This cutting from the Barnsley Chronicle clearly states George's name as Wildin and gives his home address as Stairfoot, explaining why he is on the Ardsley Memorial Plaque.

"A Stairfoot First Barnsley Battalion man to fall is Private G. Wildin, of 17, Albion Road, who prior to the war worked at Dearne Valley Colliery.  He leaves a wife and three children.  He has a brother, Private T. Wildin, in the same Battalion, and in a letter home the latter says he assisted to carry his dead brother, who was killed instantaneously."

There is more information in the Sheffield Telegraph on 17 August 1916 under the heading "Wombwell Casualties".

"The death is also reported of Private George Weldin, who formerly resided in Elliot's Terrace. Deceased was killed in a simple manner of a small piece of sharpnel entering his side. None of his pals thought that such slight a wound would cause death, but passed peacefully away a few minutes later."

Norah, George's wife, remarries in Sept Q 1920 to Walter Scarfe and has at least three children with him, George, Walter and Alice.