Arthur Edward George
Arthur Edward George (1875-1951), of Newcastle on Tyne.
Arthur was born on the 17th June 1875 at 29 Grove Buildings in Fordington, Dorset (near to Dorchester). His father, Edward, was born around 1847 in Moreton, Dorset and is described variously as a labourer, mason or (in one trade directory) a builder and shopkeeper around the time of Arthur’s arrival.
Arthur was married on the 24th November 1903 at the Castle Ward Register Office in Newcastle to a widow, Mary Jane Robson of 16 Woolley Terrace, South Gosforth.
In 1899 he went into business as an engineer, with premises at the junction of Forth Street and South Street in Newcastle next to Burrell’s iron foundry. Later he became a motor engineer, salesman and coachbuilder in partnership with Robert Lee Jobling (known as ‘Bob’), trading under the name George and Jobling. It was then they moved to 20 South Street, home of the firm for over 60 years.
In the early 20th century Arthur became quite a successful racing driver and later an aviator, designing and building his own aeroplane.
During the Great War (1914-18), Arthur served as a member of the Northumberland Motor Volunteer Corps, part of the Northumberland Volunteer Regiment. The London Gazette has him down as a temporary Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion in July 1917 and later notes his retirement from the regiment in January 1919 with the rank of temporary Major.
He died on the 8th September 1951 at the Duke of York nursing home in Bingley, Yorkshire