George Evans was born at Morton in Shropshire in 1879 and baptised on 16th September that year. He was the son of John Evans (born Donbrin, Shropshire) and Fanny (nee Strangwood) who had been born in Wistanston, Shropshire.
The 1881 Census of England and Wales shows that George was living in Withington, Shropshire with his parents and his older siblings, Jane(10), John (7) and Edith (5). His father was an agricultural labourer. He also had a brother Arthur, who was 14 years older than him, but not living at home.
By 1891, George was living at Kirksanton Crossing, Millom (in Cumberland), with his brother Arthur Evans and wife Sarah Ann (nee Atkinson), whom Arthur had married in 1886. Twelve-year old George was at school. Arthur and Sarah Ann had three children at this time: Edward (4), Edith (3) and John (10 months). Subsequently they had Herbert Atkinson and Agnes A.
George’s brother Arthur died in 1896 at the age of 31 years, in Bootle, Cumberland. Three years later, at the age of 21, on 22nd June 1899, George married his brother’s widow at the Wesleyan Chapel in Barrow-in-Furness. Sarah Ann was 10 years older than him. Their son George Ernest was born in 1899, followed by Percy Swainson in 1902 and Sarah Jane in 1903.
In 1901 George was living at Whicham Hall, near Bootle in Cumberland where he was working as a cattleman. Sarah Ann was living with some of the children in Millom. She was working as a charwoman.
He was still there in 1911, working as a farm labourer.
By 1915, the family were living at New Houses in Hatton. George enlisted (at Stockton Heath) in the 13th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 11th December 1915. He was 36 years and 4 months old and was described as a cowman. His service number was 46333.
George was on the Absent Voters list for Hatton in 1918 and Spring 1919. However he had died in action on 23rd August 1918, serving in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Daresbury War Memorial and on the family headstone. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His widow Sarah Ann lived on in Hatton until 1923. Her sons Herbert Atkinson Evans and John Frederick Evans also fought in the Great War: George’s stepsons and also his nephews.