George Joseph Bell (1890-1917)
South Shields glassmaker served as a stoker in the Royal Naval Reserve
George Joseph Bell was born on 9 October 1890 in South Shields. His father, George Bell (b 1867), was a boilermaker from Chatham, Kent. His mother was Eleanor Bell (b 1867) from South Shields. He had three brothers. At both the 1891 and 1901 censuses the Bell family lived at 103 Palmerston Street, South Shields but at the time of the 1911 census George and two of his brothers were boarders at 138 Commercial Road, South Shields. He was working as a pressed glassmaker at the “Edward Moore and Co Tyne Flint Glass Works” at the time. George married labourer’s daughter Harriett Bell (nee Shield) in South Shields in 1912.
George was a member of the Royal Naval Reserve. He was rated as a stoker with the service number 4872/S. On the night of 3/4 September 1917 he was at HMS Pembroke, which was the Naval Barracks at Chatham, Kent. It was attacked by German Gotha bombers which dropped 46 bombs, half of which fell on or near the base. George was killed on the night of the raid, one of 131 men killed and 90 injured. He was buried in New Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent.
George Joseph Bell was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.
Civil Parish: South Shields
Birth date: 09-Oct-1890
Death date: 03-Sep-1917
Armed force/civilian: Navy
Residence: 103 Palmerston Street, South Shields (1891 & 1901 census)
138 Commercial Road, South Shields (1911 census)
Family: Family:
Parents: George Bell (b1867), Eleanor Bell (b 1867)
Siblings: Robert Taylor Bell (b 1888), John S Bell (b892), Matthew Thompson Bell (b 1896)
Spouse: Harriett Bell nee Shield (b 1892)
Military service:
4782/S
Stoker
Royal Naval Reserve
HMS Pembroke
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): New Cemetery Gillingham Kent
Gender: Male
Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham