GEORGE ASHTON ELLIOTT
1877 - 20 July 1916
At School 1887 - 1893
L/Cpl 8249 20th Royal Fusiliers
George was born in Manchester and, in 1881, aged 3, was living at 129 Bishop Street, Moss Side, Manchester with father Edward, a book keeper for a shipper, mother Sarah, one older brother and five older and one younger sisters. By 1891 the family had moved to 177 Stamford Street, Stretford and George was attending School. On leaving School George joined William Deacon's Bank and by 1901 was working as a clerk in the Mosley Street, Manchester branch. The family had moved again to 10 Sefton Street, Chorlton-cum-Hardy. By 1911, George's mother had died, and he was still living at the family home, now at 3 Totnes Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
On the outbreak of war George enlisted in the 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, the 3rd (Public Schools) Battalion. His army number of 8249 suggests he joined later than his compatriots but still before the end of 1914. The Battalion initially trained at Epsom and Leatherhead and it is likely that George arrived there in late 1914 or early 1915. In May 1915 the Battalion moved to Clipstone Camp near Mansfield and in August to Salisbury Plain for final training before departure for France. Final leave was granted shortly in the month prior to embarkation and George took advantage of this to marry Alice Colclough at the Parish Church, Urmston on September 20th.
In mid November the Battalion entrained to Folkestone and on the 14th crossed the Channel to France, landing at Calais and then moving to rest camp in Boulogne.
THE HULMEIAN - December 1916
Lance-Corporal GEORGE ASHTON ELLIOTT, Royal Fusiliers, younger son of the late Mr and Mrs Edward Elliott of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, was killed on July 20th. He entered the School in September 1887 and left in 1893. Before enlisting in 1914 he was in William Deacon’s Bank, Mosley Street.