Private
| South Staffordshire Regiment | 39187 | 4th Battalion |
Biography
George was born in 1893. By 1911 he had left the area and was working in Durham as a domestic groom. George and his brother Thomas were born at Longway Bank. He served as a stretcher bearer with the South Staffs Regiment, once stretchering his cousin William Lee. He was taken as a PoW at Messines in 1918 and interned at Dülmen and Senne. Returning to Crich after demob, he never married and lived with his parents in the family home on Roes Lane. He worked as a collier at Wingfield Manor Colliery, Oakerthorpe. A newspaper report in the Derby Daily Telegraph dated 16th October 1922 reported on a fatal accident at the colliery. John Beresford and George Eric Lee were “ripping” when a fall of bind1 occurred injuring both men, but John Beresford died of his injuries
1 Bind is believed to be shale or clay.
Newspaper reports
Derbyshire Courier, 15 June 1918
Crich, Lea & Holloway
Welcome news was received by Mr and Mrs William Lee, of the Cross, Crich, on Wednesday, with regard to their son, Private George Lee, who had been officially reported missing on 10th April. A postcard written from an internment camp in Germany by privately informed his parents that he is a prisoner of war and unwounded. The card was posted on 27th of April. From several unofficial sources news had come to hand that he was wounded and missing from ninth of April. He was last seen on that date carrying in wounded, one of whom was his cousin, Private William Lee. Private Lee was a stretcher-bearer serving with the South Staffords.
PoW Records
Lee George 39187, 4 Bn South Staffs, Messines(?) 10.4.18, Dulmen, born 12.3.93 Derbys, The Cross, Crich, Matlock, Derby. Transfered from Dülmen to Senne.
Medal Index Card
He was awarded the Victory and Bitish War medals
George Lee's brother Thomas Lee is also on the Roll of Honour.
1901: Longwaybank
| Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William J | Lee | Head | 34 | Lead smelter | South Wingfield Park |
| Mary | Lee | wife | 36 | South Wingfield Park | |
| William | Lee | father (wdwr) | 69 | Crich | |
| Douglas | Lee | son | 11 | Crich | |
| Annie | Lee | daughter | 10 | Crich | |
| George | Lee | son | 8 | Wirksworth | |
| John A | Lee | son | 5 | Wirksworth | |
| Mary L | Lee | daughter | 3 | Wirksworth | |
| Thomas S | Lee | son | 2 | Wirksworth | |
| Hilda | Lee | daughter | 1 | Wirksworth |
RG13 piece 3234 folio 93 page 19
1911: Durham
| Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Erick | Lee | Boarder | 18 | Groom domestic | Longway Bank |
RG14PN29910 RG78PN1731 RD550 SD3 ED11 SN58
1918 Crich voters
George Eric Lee, Near Cross; absent on military service.
1939 Register: Roes Lane, Crich
George Lee (single) b.12 May 1893; miner, Wingfield Manor
William Lee b.26 September 1866; wireworker retired
Mary Lee b.10 March 1865
Oscar Lee b.27 January 1911; frame operator, hosiery manufacturer
James Lee b.30 March 1913; frame operator, hosiery manufacturer