Returning home to Rugeley

On the 10^th April 1916 Acting Sergeant George Hollins returned home to Rugeley, his time in the army having expired. George had been serving in the 1/6^th North Staffordshire Regiment arriving with the rest of the Territorials in France on the 5^th March 1915 originally as a private before being promoted to acting sergeant.

George Hollins

George Hollins (my second cousin twice removed) was the youngest child of William and Sarah Hollins (nee Wood) and was born in 1886 in Rugeley, Staffordshire. He had 3 brothers; William (born 1875), Horace (born 1879) and Charles (born 1884) and two sisters Mary Ann (born 1877) and Harriet (born 1881).

Horace was serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and had been out in France since September 1915, William had been a member of the old Territorials and was now working on munitions and Charles had been discharged from the army, Mary Ann’s husband Fred Williscroft had been discharged from the army in September 1914 and Harriet husband James Fisher had been killed on 13^th October 1915 during the assault on the Hohenzollern redoubt.

George had married Emily Mary Hiley in 1907 at St. John the Baptist, Armitage. In 1911 they were living at 24 Queen Street, Rugeley with their had two children George (Born 1908) and Sarah (Born 1911), with George working as a bricklayer. 

At that time (1911) most of George’s family were living close by. His parents William and Sarah lived at 64 Queen St, with his sister Harriet, his brother Charles lived at 45 Queen Street and his sister Mary Ann was living at 66 Queen St with her family.

George's father, William, was a well known local bandmaster and all the family were members of the local territorial band.

Rugeley - Early days

Through this blog I am endeavouring to bring to life what was happening to my ancestors 100 years ago to the day, there will inevitably be some events which research only reveals after that milestone has passed. So this would seem an ideal time to mention three other ancestors and their Great War experiences in 1914.

Frederick Williscroft was the husband of Mary Hollins my 2nd cousin twice removed. He had enlisted with the 6th North Staffordshire Regiment on the 30th July 1914. At 5ft 8 ½ inches and 35 years 10 months old, Frederick was employed as a tanner working in the same Tanyard, Stokes and Negus Phoenix Tannery, as his father in law William Hollins. William Hollins and his family lived at 64 Queen Street, Rugeley. 

Frederick Williscroft

Frederick was discharged from the army on September 28th 1914 due to being medically unfit.

Frederick’s wife’s first cousin, Horace Wilson was born in 1897 in Rugeley and was the son of Shem and Elizabeth Wilson. Shem was the adopted son of my great, great grand uncle William Hollins and step brother to Mary’s father William Hollins. Horace was the fourth eldest of eight children (4 brothers and 3 sisters)

Horace lived at 60 Queen Street, Rugeley and enlisted with the Grenadier Guards on the 1st December 1914. He was 19 years and 3 months old, 5ft 10 inches, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

Horace was discharged from the army on the 12th December 1914 on the grounds of being inefficient.

William Hollins other daughter Harriet Hollins married James Fisher, a coal miner from 40 Brereton Rd, Rugeley between Jan-March 1914. Harriet was 33 and James 26 was the oldest son of James and Mary Anne Fisher (nee Glaze). Their son James was born between September and December 1914.

James’ younger brother Albert Fisher, also a coal miner before the War, had been discharged from the 1/6th North Staffordshire Regiment on the 18th January 1915