George Cottingham
and his twin brother William were born in Chailey in 1887, their births registered at Lewes in the December quarter of that
year. They were the sons of William and Esther Cottingham (nee Baker) of
South Common Chailey and the 1901 census shows George living at Chailey with his family.
The household comprised William Cottingham, head of the household, aged 53 and working as a tile maker, his 46 year
old wife Esther Cottingham and their five children: James [Louis] Cottingham, aged 16, a brickyard labourer, William Cottingham, aged 13, a brickyard labourer, George Cottingham, working as a carter boy on farm, Frederick [Samuel] Cottingham, aged nine, and finally Alfred Cottingham aged six. There were other children too who were obviously not at the family
address when the 1901 census was taken. In aged order they were: Ellen Cottingham (born in 1876), Alice Cottingham
(born in 1878), Emma Cottingham (born in 1880) and Edith Cottingham (born in 1886).
Although George
did not serve during the First World War, he was a regular soldier who had first enlisted with the Royal Sussex Regiment in
1904. He enlisted for three years with the colours and nine on the Reserve and
his papers survive in the WO 364 pension series held at the National Archives.
A brick maker
by trade, he enlisted at Lewes, Sussex on 23rd July 1904 aged 18
years and nine months. He was five feet six and a half inches tall and weighed
166 lbs. His complexion is recorded as fresh, his eyes blue and his hair red. His religion is noted as Wesleyan. He
was given the number 7979 and saw service with the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment.
He was awarded a Good Conduct Badge on 23rd July 1905 and two years later was placed on the Army Reserve.
During his time
in the army he remained in England and
was discharged in September 1914. His next of kin is noted as Mr W Cottingham,
Norman’s Brickyard, South Common, Chailey.
There is no indication
on his service record why, as a reservist, he did not proceed overseas with the Royal Sussex Regiment when war was declared. Chailey Parish Magazine though, helps fill in that detail. He appears there twice: once in a special list of attested men published in March 1916 and then again the
following month. Next to his name the words “medically unfit” are
written and he does not feature further.
George’s
four brothers all served during World War One and Frederick was killed in 1916 on the opening
day of the Battle of the Somme.
The five brothers were distantly related to Thomas Cottingham.
To view George's
service record on-line via the Ancestry website (it's in the WO364 Pension series), enter his names in the fields below.
Sources and Acknowledgements
- 1891 Census of England and Wales
- 1901 Census of England and Wales
- England and
Wales, Civil Registration Index:
1837-1983
- Chailey Parish Magazine
- David Lawrence
for information about the Cottingham family
