Edwin George Aitken was born on 10th February 1892 at Aston and baptised on 10th April of that year at St Peter’s in Aston-by-Sutton. He was the son of Edwin George Aitken who was born in Warrington in about 1850 and his wife Martha (nee Holland) who was born at Barrow near Chester in about 1853. The father was a blacksmith.
Edwin was the youngest of their seven children, with two older brothers (James born around 1879 and Ernest born around 1884) and four older sisters (Eliza born around 1875, Frances May born around 1880, Gertrude born around 1885 and Annie born around 1888). Sadly, Gertrude died as an infant in her first year.
The 1901 Census recorded the family as living at the smithy in Sutton Weaver, by Halton Railway Station. The father was employed as a general blacksmith and James was a cycle maker. Eliza had left home and was a servant in Chester and Frances May was a servant for a doctor in Frodsham. Ernest was living with a family in Ashley near Hale and training to be a wheelwright. Annie and Edwin George were at school.
On 24th August 1903 Edwin started at Frodsham Endowed School where he obtained his secondary education.
The 1911 Census showed the Aitkens to still be living at the smithy. The father was a shoeing and general smith and Edwin George junior was working in the smithy with him. Annie had married and left home in 1909.
Edwin George junior attested to serve in the Great War on 31st May 1917, at the age of 25 years. He was by then a motor mechanic. He entered service on 11th October 1917 and was assigned to the RAF on 1st April 1918. He was 5’5’’ tall. He was given the service number 104187. When the war was over he was transferred to the RAF Reserve in February 1919.
His father passed away in 1919 and his mother in 1930.
In late 1923 he married Sarah Millicent Bate who was born in 1891 to a farming family in Frodsham. They would appear to have had no children.
The 1939 Register recorded the couple as living on Bellemonte Road in Frodsham. Edwin was working as a motor lorry driver for a haulage contractor.
Sarah died in 1958 at the age of 67 years.
Edwin died in 1971 at the age of 79 years.