Lt George Stephenson, Devonshire Yeomanry

[Stephen Nulty]

The printing firm of T Stephenson & Sons Ltd., was formed in Prescot in the 1890's and still operates from the same address today, albeit from rebuilt premises.

Two of the sons served in the Great War. Charles William Stephenson served as Captain in 1/5th South Lancs, and I already have quite a bit on him. He was Managing Director of the family firm when he died in 1957.

But I have little on his younger brother, George Stephenson, beyond a mention in his undated obituary (he died c. 1956) which states that he served as a Lieutenant in the Devonshire Yeomanry during the Great War.

I have been unable to advance from this small piece of information and would be grateful if anybody who knows anything about the Devonshires can perhaps tell me anything about him or his service

Cheers

[roughdiamond]

Nothing obvious on the NA MIC's Stephen, either he didn't serve abroad or he served with a different unit, in the latter case I doubt that Unit wouldn't be listed.

Sam

[ralphjd]

Also nothing obvious on Ancestry MICs,death registered Liverpool North 1957 age 77 approx. Ralph.

[roughdiamond]

One for you to check on the census here Stephen, found this in a search for Stephenson, Lieutenant and Devonshire, this maybe your man but not as George but Basil, maybe George was the name he was known by in the family?

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

Sam

[apwright]

Possible hits from the London Gazette:

LG 30327, 5/10/17:

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

YEOMANRY.

Cadet George Stephenson to be 2nd Lt. 16th Sept. 1917.

LG 31307, 22/4/19:

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

YEOMANRY.

Royal 1st Devon.— 2nd Lt. G. Stephenson to be Lt. 16th Mar. 1919.

Adrian

[Stephen Nulty]

Cheers for that, gents, a few things to be going on with.

I like the look of the LG entries, Adrian, as they perhaps support Sam's contention that he didn't serve overseas. He was not in the local newspaper article of 1915 which listed all those local men serving with the forces (his brother CWS was listed), so again, could have been late in joining up.

Ralph - I have him aged 10 on the 1901 census, then aged 64 when he died in Huyton. The obituary is undated but given his reported age I'm guessing it's c. 1955/1956. Not sure how this ties in with the entry you have listed - Liverpool North wouldn't include Huyton. I'll have a further look at that one.

I'll check further and report back, all interest much appreciated

Another brother was Revd. Claude Stephenson. Nice picture of him online (found via Google) in a Leeds archive which refers to service overseas, but again I haven't found anything (Mind you, I started looking about an hour ago !!!)

[ralphjd]

Stephen. My mistake, I matched him up to a George Stephenson born 1880 died 1957 age 77, obviously not your man. Ralph.

[ralphjd]

Could it be George Stephenson death registered 1955 Prescott age 64 vol 10f page 238 ? Ralph.

[roughdiamond]

This maybe your padre Stephen

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...;resultcount=75

[Phil Evans]

Stephen,

C Stephenson, Chaplain 4th Class, entered France March 1917.

The address on the back of his MIC is Queen's Gardens, Bayswater, W2.

There is a service record for him in WO 374/65177, by the looks of it.

Phil

[Stephen Nulty]

Ralph - yes, that's the one

Sam - great find, much appreciated

Phil - The address is interesting - I need to do a bit more digging to confirm if this is the right Claude.

Thanks for all your help. I'll report back in a few days when I've done some background reading

[David_Underdown]

Assuming he would have been a Church of England chaplain, which the photo would suggest he was, Crockford's Clerical Directory will give you more information. Most large libraries should have it.

[David_Underdown]

Managed to lay my hands on Crockfords myself.

Claude took a BA at Liverpool 1910 (not sure if this is date of start of finish), then trained at Ridley Hall Cambridge 1913 (which perhaps makes the Liverpool date more likely ot be matriculation, rather than graduation). Ordained deacon 1914, priest 1915 (Diocese of Ripon). Curate of Keighley 1914-17. Temporary Chaplain to the Forces 1917-19. Curate of Ingrow With Hainworth 1920-21. St Chad, Far Headingley 1921-21. Vicar of Brownhill 1923-33. Vicar of Staincliffe 1933-40. Vicar of Woodkirk (AKA West Ardsley) 1940-62. Then retired to Grammar School Lane, Newton, West Kirby.

If you have access to the Times archive, you may find reports of both ordinations there.

[Stephen Nulty]

I've summarised what I (and you, my GWF Pals) have found on the Stephenson brothers and updated my web site here

As always, thanks for the help and support in bringing this together.