SIDLEY BLOG No 2

An Unlikely Hero - continued...

My great grandfather George Thomas Sidley was born in Ealing, Middlesex, England on 4th March 1878. He was the son of George and Elizabeth (Jones) Sidley and was christened at St. Mary’s Church, Ealing, on 8th November 1878 by the Rev. Alfred Relton. 

St Mary's Church, Ealing, Middlesex, England

In the 1881 Census George and Elizabeth and family, including 3 year old George Thomas, were living with his maternal grandmother Charlotte (Powell) Sidley at No 7 Church Terrace, South Ealing and they were still there in 1888.

Most of the men in the Sidley family were tradesmen of some sort – George Senior was bricklayer and his brother Benjamin was also one, although he later became a general builder. George Thomas was described as a carpenter when he married Louisa May Chapman on 16 May 1897 at St Peter’s Church, Hammersmith.  Their first child Florence Hilda was born just six months later on 22 November 1897, and by then the family were living at 20 Coningsby Road, South Ealing where they remained for a few years.

Coningsby Road was not ‘up market’, quite the reverse, although now it is being ‘gentrified’. In the early 1900’s there were two and three families living in one house.  Families rented these houses and tended to move a lot. When their second child, my maternal grandmother Ada Annie Maude was born on 5 April 1899 they were living at 1 Coningsby Cottages in a little lane off Coningsby Road and they were still there when Doris Evelyn Pretoria was born on 8 April 1900. 

No 20 Coningsby Road, Ealing

No 1 Coningsby Cottages, Ealing

Just 12 days after Doris died aged 311 days, George Thomas signed a short service (one year with the colours) attestation at 48 Duke Street on 25th February 1901.

NA W0128

When George left England Louisa was already pregnant with their fourth child George Thomas Edward Sidley who was born on 7 October 1901 whilst his father was in South Africa.

When he signed this attestation (in NA WO128) on 25 February 1901, he indicated that at this time he was in the 2nd Middlesex Rifle Volunteers and wanted to join the Duke of Cambridge’s Own

This is what Wikipedia has to say about it.

“The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th (West Middlesex) and 77th (East Middlesex) Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.” (Wikipedia)

How and why did an ordinary carpenter, from the London suburbs, have experience with shooting a rifle and being in a volunteer rifle unit?  Was it like being in the Territorials?  Another research opportunity!

His physical description was aged 22 years, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighed 147 pounds,, chest 36 inches, fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. A member of the Church of England.

The signature of the attesting officer is very difficult to read.  I think the JP signature reads Presley.

Is anyone able to identify them?

The story continues in SIDLEY BLOG No 3.