George Henry Hartwell was born on 26th April 1884 at Delamere. He was the son of John and Mary Styles Hartwell who were originally from Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire respectively. The father was a gardener in Oakmere.
The family had had five children before George: Hannah (Annie) who was born c.1869 but who died in 1872, Thomas William born c. 1862, Sarah Emma born c. 1864, Charles Edward born c. 1875 and Daniel born c. 1882.
By the time of the 1891 Census there were only Charles Edward, Daniel and George left at home with their parents who were now living on Warrington Road in Sutton Weaver. John was working as an agricultural labourer and Charles Edward was an apprentice gardener.
In 1901 George was living with the Ormson family at the post office in Sutton Weaver. He was an agricultural labourer. His parents were living elsewhere in the village, all their children having now left home. Mary Styles Hartwell passed away in 1904.
On 2nd December 1908 George married Alice Maud Davies at St Mary’s church in Denbigh. She had been born in Denbigh and was four months younger than her husband.
George and Alice would have three children: Vera Mary born in 1909, William Henry born in 1911 and May born in 1920.
By 1911 George was working as a platelayer on the railways for the London and North Western Railway. The family were living at 3, Railway Cottages in Sutton Weaver.
Service records for World War 1 for George recorded that he was a sapper in the Royal Engineers Railway Troops Department. He was given the service number 149368 when he joined at Longmoor in Hampshire for training on 14th January 1916. In May 1916 he embarked for France. On 19th August that year he was admitted to a hospital, but it is not known where or for what reason. He rejoined his unit on the 26th August 1916 and served on through the next two years. He was admitted again to a hospital on 13th July 1918, rejoining his unit two weeks later. He returned to England when hostilities ceased and was sent to Prees Heath in January 1919. Prees Heath was an army camp in Shropshire from 1915 until 1920. He transferred to Class Z Army Reserve on demobilisation at London on 19th March 1919.
George’s widowed father passed away in 1925.
George continued to work on the railways and in 1939 was recorded as living with his wife Alice and their two daughters at 3, Station Terrace in Sutton Weaver. George was a ganger carrying out railway maintenance, Alice looked after the home and family and Vera and May did daily domestic work. William Henry had married and left home.
Alice Maud Hartwell died on 11th April 1954 at the age of 69 years.
George Henry Hartwell died in 1979 in the Vale Royal registration district at the age of 95 years.