#Chatham #Dockyard #England #Kent #Military
George2 William John CONSTABLE was the third of six children born to George1 CONSTABLE (1848 – 1909), a Carpenter, and Jane MARSH (1844 – 1925).
The families seem to have been based in villages around Dover and his parents then married in Capel-le-Ferne on 20 June 1870. They were both in their mid-20s.
He had four sisters – Edith Mary CONSTABLE (1871 – 1946), Ethel Harriett CONSTABLE (1874 – 1901), Lillie Gertrude CONSTABLE (1882 – 1966) and Dora CONSTABLE (1888 – 1960).
He had a younger brother Albert Edward CONSTABLE (1885 – TBA). Most information regarding the siblings has not been researched properly but some definitely married and had offspring.
In the 1871 Census George2’s parents and eldest sister are living at Pimlico which is described as being in the parish of Alkham. At this time his father is described as a Dairyman.
They appear to be somehow sharing the property with grandparents William CONSTABLE (1805 – 1872) and Mary PREBBLE (1806 – 1872) as well. There’s some history in the Alkhan Monthly Newsletter 1from September 2020.
They have had another child in Alkham then moved to the Isle of Thanet as George2’s birth was registered Q3 1879 in Thanet District. According to other records he was born on 22 June 1879 and baptised on 09 May 1880 at St John the Baptist in Margate.
In 1881 they are living at 13 Vicarage Crescent in Margate. His father is now employed as a Carpenter, his two sisters are Scholars and his age given as two. Three more siblings were born in Margate but then they must have moved again after Q2 1888 when Dora was born.
By the 1891 Census they are living in Buckland area of Dover. The six of them are now found at 8 Oxford Cottages which I presume has been demolished since unable to find more detail. George is now the eldest child at home and at eleven he is listed as a Scholar.
When turned 15 though it appears George2 left home and joined the Navy as a Blacksmith’s mate. Between joining on 17 July 1894 and update aged 18 he grew a few inches and his hair went darker but kept his fresh complexion.
As can’t imagine him starting with them he seems to have gained quite a few tattoos over the 8 years he served. It seems HMS Impregnable was the training establishment / ship which makes sense that would be his first position.
He then also served on HMS Black Prince, HMS Vivid I, HMS Pembroke I, HMS Ramillies, HMS Camperdown, HMS Sans Pareil, and HMS Excellent. Ships did get renamed and it is likely that some of the places listed were actually barracks not ships.
HMS Vivid I seems to have been the naval barracks in Plymouth and HMS Pembroke I a ship that became shore barracks at Chatham a couple of years after he left the service.
In the 1901 Census, age given as 22, he is onboard HMS Pembroke I along with another 920 or so men and boys. At this time it is based in Chatham Dockyard.
He then seems to have received his discharge papers on 06 September 1902. During this period of employment it is unlikely that he saw much conflict if any. His service number was 180748.2
George2 moved to London and on 02 September 1906 married Jane Amelia BEAN (1887 – 1972) at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, London. He was 27 and she just 19. It was registered in Q3 1906 for St Olave District which is the abbreviation for St Olave Bermondsey.
They have three children between 1907 and 1911. These were all registered in St Olave District so either they haven’t moved or not very far over the last 5 years.
Per the 1911 Census George is a Night Watchman, aged 32, and he is living at 87 Princes Road in Plumstead, London. With him are wife, the three children and a 71-year-old widow as a boarder in 4 rooms. It does not appear that this location exists any longer.
Five more children come along with four being registered in Woolwich District and one in Malling District so would appear that perhaps during WWI some of the family at least moved out of London for safety.
Don’t believe I have made an error but the final two children were born after a large gap with the last three coming along in 1920, 1927 and 1931. Jane would have been 44 at the time and their eldest child already 24.
A short while after they had their seventh of nine their daughter Margaret died aged 7 in Q4 1920. Have not investigated the cause but must have been a difficult time for them.
No evidence that George2 returned to the military during 1914 to 1918 but I may be wrong. He would have been mid to late 30s. The next record is an Electoral Register entry from 1919 which has them living at 1 Fore House, High Street, Woolwich.
According to the 1921 Census he was a Messenger in the Inspection Department, Royal Arsenal so likely a role he had during that time and kept on afterwards. The family are found at 107 Princes Road, Plumstead.
This is just down from where I lived when worked in the Royal Arsenal complex for my University Placement. It must have been a fairly treacherous place in his time there as even decades later we had to get away from windows a few times as unexploded ordinances were found and safely detonated.
There is a gap in records actually relating to George2 but able to get some picture from other family movements. Eldest child moved away and got married Q3 1925 in Burton-Upon-Trent District in Staffordshire.
Next child married in Q3 1938 but this was in Stepney District so stayed in London for longer. In the same quarter third child’s nuptials were registered in Woolwich District.
In the 1939 Register though we find that George2, Jane and one of their younger offspring are living with another couple at 56 Cantwell Road, Woolwich. His role given as Messenger C.I.A ? Arsenal.
This means he was employed by Chief Inspector of Armaments Inspection Department I believe. And would appear that this is where he has been settled since 1921 if not before for work.
From correspondence with a direct descendant it appears that one of their other children went of to New Zealand to live and for some reason changed surname for which his descendants don’t seem to have any reasons.
Not sure when they went but must have been by the 1940s since that is when I believe their first child was born. Of the others I found one moving around a bit, no confirmed marriage, and documented in Liverpool and later Southampton.
Two others stayed more local and got married Q1 1941 and Q3 1952 in Woolwich District. The final wedding took place in Q3 1960 under Southampton District for registration.
Due to the big age gap between the first and last child their grandchildren came along from 1926 to 1958. So, if the wider family did get together for gatherings it would have been difficult to distinguish who belonged to which generation.
Not found any other records until notification that George2 died on 15 March 1966 at the age of 86 and was buried 22 March 1966 in Greenwich, London.
Jane lived another six years without him but most likely moved in with or near some of her offspring since she died in Southampton aged 85 in Q2 1972.
He was a 2C 4R.
Footnotes –
Most research undertaken using Ancestry, FreeBMD and Google Maps. Additional resources listed below if utilised.
- Alkham Parish Council – https://www.alkhamparishcouncil.org.uk/shared/attachments.asp?f=bd73400a%2Ddaf5%2D49a9%2D9ab0%2D00f88e566622%2Epdf&o=September%2D2020pdf%2Epdf ↩︎
- https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/records/22281462/george-william-john-constable-royal-navy/ ↩︎
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