Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George William Pinkney was the youngest of 9, of whom only 5 survived. His parents George Henry Pinkney born 1837 at Felling Shore, Gateshead, County Durham and Ellen Mordue of Amble, Northumberland, born 1842 were married in 1860 in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Their daughter Margaret Ellen was born in 1861, Robert 1862, Mary born 1865 and Ellen,1866, both died within 3 months, George William was born in 1871 whilst they were living at 11, Percy Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, George Henry Pinkney was a yeast importer (bread). Daughter Selina was born in 1873, less than a year later her brother George William died in 1874 aged 3 years and it was not until 1876 that Ellen gave birth again, another daughter Hannah and finally George William in 1879. George Henry in 1881 maintained his previous occupation however Robert (19) was an apprentice painter, Selina (7) and Hannah (5) were scholars, George William (2) remained at home with his mother but ten years later was also a scholar whilst his sister Selina was employed as a machinist and Hannah a saleswoman.
George Henry Pinkney died aged 50 years in 1897, his widow Ellen in 1901 was still at Percy Place but only Hannah (24) and George William (22) were still living at home, they supported their mother employed as a florist and pattern wood maker respectively, also living in the household was their uncle John William Pinkney, a crane-man at the foundry.
George William was married in 1902 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne to local girl, Elizabeth Agnes Wight born 1878. His mother Ellen Pinkney nee Morgue died during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1905 whilst his wife was pregnant with their first child, a daughter born July 6th 1905 whom they named Ethel Mordue Pinkney.
Elizabeth Agnes Pinkney died in 1909, only 31 years of age. To assist him in the home and with the upbringing of his young daughter he employed a servant by the name of Louise Ethel Armitage (29), born at Gateshead, County Durham, March 12th 1887. In 1911 they were living at 7, Ouse Street, Newcastle, George William employed as a joiner.
George William and Louisa Ethel Armitage were married at Gateshead, County Durham, December 25th 1912, settling at 1, Swan Street, Newcastle. Within less than two years, in August 1914, Britain had declared war with Germany and George William enlisted December 7th 1915, sent to Army ‘B’ Reserve until being mobilised. He had made a formal request to be assigned to the Northumbrian Divisional Royal Engineers Territorial Force this was accepted his skills as a joiner having been tested by an independent in June 1916, he was assigned as Sapper 3585 George William Pinkney.
Sapper Pinkney departed with the British Expeditionary Force from Southampton, October 11th 1916 arriving at Le Havre the following day joining the Territorials at the base depot in France. Transferred with the new service number of Sapper 461363 he was assigned, January 21st 1917 to the 6th Reinforcement Coy joining them at their base from where, May 19th 1917 he joined the 153rd Coy Royal Engineers attached to the 37th Division which in spring 1917 had participated during the Battles of Arras and was now on its way north to the battlefields of the Ypres salient in Belgium.
Louisa Ethel’s brother Private Charles William Armitage was also serving in France in 1917 where he was killed in action July 15th 1917, two weeks later, July 30th 1917, she received the devastating news, in the form of a letter, from the Regimental Paymaster, T. F. Association, 6, Eldon Square, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, that her husband had also been killed, date of demise to be confirmed. A letter from the Royal Engineers Records Office at Chatham, dated August 2nd 1917, reads as follows, “Madam, With reference to Army Form B. 104-82 forwarded to you on the 30th ulto notifying the death (date not stated) of your husband, No. 461363, Sapper G. W. Pinkney, Royal Engineers, I have to inform you that a report has now been received from the War Office that he was killed in action on 17th July 1917. I am Madam, Yours faithfully, Captain for Colonel i/c R.E. Records.”
Sapper Pinkney is deemed to be at rest within Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, special memorial H. 23. The cemetery, begun in 1914, was located within the grounds of the chateau and used by many divisions fighting in the southern sector of the salient until March 1918. The cemetery was taken by the Germans during the conflict and re-taken by Allies but in the interval was badly damaged by shellfire which destroyed much of the cemetery.
As his widow Louisa received all monies owed to her husband by the Army, after the production of their marriage certificate and the birth certificate of his daughter, a weekly pension, also his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 1, Swan Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
Louisa Ethel Pinkney re-married in 1919 to Robert William Thompson, born August 29th 1885, who took up residence with her at Swan Street and with whom she had a son, Gordon R Thompson born March 7th 1924. In 1939 they were living at Two Ball Lonnen, Robert was employed as a general labourer whilst Gordon (15) worked as a solicitor’s office boy, his half-sister Ethel Mordue Pinkney had married in 1927 to Robert Anderson of Newcastle, born 1902. Gordon R. Thompson also married in 1946 to Marie S. Le Brocq at Northumberland Central.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George William Pinkney is possibly remembered as G. Pinkney at Newcastle on NUT181
