George and Selina Parmley
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Parmley was born 1889 at Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland the son of Samuel William Joseph Pinkney Parmley (known as Joseph) of Barnard Castle born October 25th 1857 and his wife Margaret Hannah Anderson born 1857, village of Ramshaw, near Bishop Auckland. They were married in the district of Auckland in December 1884 and went on to have 11 children (including George) 7 sons and 4 daughters, 2 sons deceased in infancy. George’s father was a stone dresser and later a miner living at Garden Lane, Evenwood and also Provident Terrace. Aged 21, in 1911, George worked at the colliery as a putter, later that same year November 11th he married Selina Harriet Robinson at St Anne’s Church, Bishop Auckland. Selina had a child from a previous union, Maud aged just one year when she married George and went on to have a further 3 children, George Jnr born July 8th 1912 and John Joseph November 7th 1913 in the district of Bishop Auckland. Between 1913 and 1918 they had moved to the Heworth/Felling/Pelaw area of Gateshead. George must have had leave in England during June 1916 as Selina, who was pregnant at the time of her husband death gave birth to Thomas William, March 14th 1918 at Gateshead.
George Parmley enlisted during 1915 at Walker, a suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was assigned as Private 240683 1st/4th Northumberland Fusiliers. His record was one of the 70% destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is therefore impossible to follow his exact movements. During his service, he did rise through the ranks to Corporal, transferred as Corporal 246683 to the 1st/4th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry a Territorial Force and went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force as of January 1916 as indicated by his medal card. Spring 1916 preparations were underway for the Battles of the Somme during which the KOYLI participated attached to the 148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division at the Battle of Albert in July 1916 and the Battles of Pozieres, Guillemont and Flers-Courcelette during September 1916. In 1917 they were involved in the Operations on the Flanders coast and at the Battle of Poelcapelle which began October 9th 1917.
During the ensuing battle, Corporal 246683 George Parmley King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was wounded. Taken by Field Ambulance to the hospital centre at Wimereux he died October 16th 1917, he was 28 years old.
Corporal Parmley was interred at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave VI. D. 16. Due to the sandy conditions and lie of the land the graves in this cemetery are laid flat. The cemetery is also the resting place of Lt.-Col. John McCrae author of the poem “In Flanders Fields”.
His widow Selina received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. A lump sum of 14 pounds was also paid to a Mary A. Mossop as George’s guardian, relationship unknown. Selina Parmley nee Robinson died February 22nd 1919 of influenza, leaving her mother to raise her 4 children who were all under 10 years old.
Of their 3 sons George Parmley Jnr died aged 14 in 1926, John Joseph in 1937 aged 24 and the youngest Thomas William aged 77 in 1995. Maud Robinson passed away aged 85 in 1995.
George’s father Samuel William Joseph Pinkney Parmley died at Bishop Auckland in 1923, his mother Margaret Hannah Parmley nee Anderson living at 6, Swan Street, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland died February 8th 1932 leaving probate in the sum of 180 pounds to her sons Sydney and Frederick Parmley, coalminers.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Parmley is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and at Evenwood on E69.01 and E69.04
