Person

George Herbert Kendall was born between January and March 1878 in Dewsbury, Yorkshire. His father, also called George, was from Dunnington, Yorkshire. His mother Margaret Kendall, nee Carlton, was from Appleby, Westmorland. George’s parents married in the first few months of 1876 in Dewsbury and had 11 children in total, seven of whom were still alive in 1911. George Herbert was the oldest of these children.

In 1881 the family were living at 11 Leeds Road in Dewsbury, at which point, George’s father was working as a police constable. In 1891 they were still living in Dewsbury but at 10 Earnest Street. George’s father was then listed as a police sergeant and George, along with three of his siblings, was a scholar. By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved again within Dewsbury to Battye Street, with George junior working as a clerk.

George junior married Bertha Greenwood on 29 April 1902 at the Parish Church in Dewsbury. At this time, George junior was working as a pawn broker and his father was now a police pensioner. George and Bertha had two daughters, Nellie and Margaret Kendall. Nellie was born on 5 March 1903 in Dewsbury, being baptised on 12 April. By the time Margaret was born in 1904, the family were living at 66 Alma Street, Birmingham. By 1911, the family had moved again to the North East of England. The exact address is unclear on the 1911 census but the family lived somewhere in Stockton.

George’s wife Bertha died in the first few months of 1913. George returned to live very close to his family in Dewsbury and was remarried on 13 October 1913 to Nancy Audsley. Nancy was a 36 year old nurse from Dewsbury. At some point George and Nancy must have moved back to the North of England as we know from military records that he was living at Spennymoor when he enlisted into the army, enlisting in Ferryhill.

George served as a private in the 1/9th battalions Durham Light Infantry (DLI), with service numbers 9/7564 and 325912. He died on 23 April 1917 during the battle of Arras. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory medal for his service in World War One. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, as well as several memorials in his home town of Spennymoor.

Two of Georges’ brothers also served during the First World War. Reginald served in the machine gun corps with service number 34924. Georges’ brother John Carlton died of wounds on 15 May 1917 whilst serving in the King’s own Yorkshire light infantry with service number 26922.

Civil Parish: Whitworth

Birth date: 1878

Death date: 23-Apr-1917

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 11 Leeds Road, Dewsbury (1881 census)
10 Earnest Street, Dewsbury (1891 census)
Battye Street, Dewsbury (1901 census)
66 Alma Street, Birmingham (1904 baptism record for Margaret Kendall)
Stockton (1911 census)
Spennymoor (Military records on enlistment)

Employment: Clerk (1901 census)
Pawn broker (1902 marriage records)
Pawn broker manager (1911 census, 1913 marriage records)

Family: Parents: George Kendall, Margaret Kendall (nee Carlton)
Siblings: Mary Kendall, Charles Kendall, Harold Kendall, Maggie Kendall, Robert B Kendall (died as a child), Alice Kendall, John Carlton Kendall, Reginald Kendall (1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 census)
Spouses: Bertha Kendall nee Greenwood (married 1902-1913), Nancy Kendall nee Audsley (married 1913)
Children: Nellie Kendall (b 1903), Margaret Kendall (b 1904)

Military service:

Private 1/9th battalion DLI
Service numbers 9/7564, 325912

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Arras Memorial, Bay 8
Cenotaph 1914-18, 1939-45 Afghanistan Cheapside, Spennymoor. Ref: S131.02
ROH 1914-1918 St Paul’s, Spennymoor. Ref: S131.03
Book Of Remembrance 1914-18 Town Hall, Spennymoor. Ref: S131.11

Gender: Male

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham