George Albert Coleshill

This story  and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher

George Albert Coleshill was born on the 24th February 1906 in the Fulham registration district, the son of Henry & Isabella Coleshill (née Daley), who had married in St. John’s Church, Fulham on the 18th of May 1902. Henry was working as a Labourer and his father had worked as a Navvy whilst Isabella's father was a road sweeper.

We see the young couple on the 1911 census, where we find them living at 19, Walham Avenue, Fulham. This census is the first one that the householder had to fill in the census form, and Isabella Coleshill was the one who completed it. Henry was working as a General Labourer (Contractor) and they had four children: Henry Coleshill, 10; Phoebe Coleshill, 7; George Coleshill, 5; and Isabella Coleshill 18 months old. Henry's father was also living with them.

Emily Prentice, who was to marry George Coleshill in later years, is also seen on the 1911 census, living at 43, Heckfield Place, Fulham. Her father, Charlie Prentice served in WW1, and he was awarded the Military Medal on the 24th of December 1917. His service papers, show that he was a strong character, often rebellious, and was once charged with wounding himself in the left hand with his rifle shortly after he had won the Military Medal.

The 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, shows George's family still living at 19, Walham Avenue. His father was working as a General Dealer on his own account, and three of his children, including George were in employment but out of work. George had been working as paper boy at a newsagents. The family had also grown as a fifth child, Thomas Coleshill, had been born.

George Coleshill married Emily Prentice in the March quarter of 1929. We next see Emily Coleshill on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 19th of September 1939. I cannot find George on the Register anywhere but his wife is listed as head of the household, living at Fowl Hall, Hoppers Hut, Beltring, Maidstone, Kent. I believe that Emily was with her family and working at gathering the Hops and was a Cleaner at the Hop Farm.

Sadly, I have no information on George Albert Coleshill, neither his early or teen years, but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. George Coleshill was serving with the 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Research into the regiment's casualties suggest that he was wounded on the 11th July during the battle for Hill 112. He was evacuated back to the UK and sent to the Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton but he died of his wounds on the 13th August 1944.

Emily Coleshill was to remarry in the September quarter of 1948 to Myles Ferrie in the Fulham registration district.