Regiment: Royal Fusiliers
Service No: 52398
Date and place of birth: 2nd qtr 1879 in Warfield, Berkshire
Date and place of death: 31 August 1920 (aged 41), Fulham, England
When the initial research into the Midhurst War Memorial was completed in 2018, it had not been possible to identify George Wilmot’s military service, nor the circumstances of his death. One puzzle was that he is commemorated on the war memorial, but not identified as a war casualty on the memorial in Midhurst Parish Church.
Family background
George Wilmot was the first son of Charles and Harriet Wilmott (sic) of West End, Warfield. Charles was a shoeing smith. In 1891 Charles (42), now a blacksmith and Harriet (37), were living at Brock Hill, Warfield, with their children George (11), Ernest (10), Frederick (9), Albert (6), William (3) and Edwin (1).
By 1901 the family had moved to Spion Kop, Sunning Hill, Berkshire, but without George. He was aged 21, single and boarding at Shere, Surrey, and working as a butcher journeyman.
On 23 May 1904, George Wilmot married Florence Lamboll in Petworth, Sussex. Florence was born in 1872 in Petworth, the daughter of George and Tryphena Lamboll. He was a carrier and general dealer living at Market Place, Petworth.
In 1891 Florence was working as a parlourmaid for Rear Admiral Robert Molyneaux at Wardour Lodge, Sunningdale. Ten years later she was at Round Down, Shere, working as a parlourmaid for a solicitor, Beresford Hatton.
In 1911 George and Florence Wilmot were living in North Street, Midhurst, Sussex, and he was a butcher’s assistant. They had two sons: Edward George (4) and William James (3).
Military service
The Royal Fusiliers medal roll lists George as a private with the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, but seconded to the Royal Army Service Corps. He enlisted on 24 November 1915, and first saw service on 25 February 1916. He was discharged on 6 June 1918 with a damaged vertebra following a gunshot wound, and declared a paraplegic and hence unfit for service.
Death and commemoration
He would have spent the remainder of his life in a nursing home; he died at The Lindens Nursing home, Fulham on 30 August 1920.
George Wilmot is commemorated on Midhurst War Memorial and Memorial Panels in Midhurst Parish Church. He is not recognised as a war casualty by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Subsequent family history
Florence Wilmot died in 1958, aged 86, in Guildford, Surrey.
Edward George Wilmot married Blanche Barker at Stoughton, Guildford on 25 August 1934. He was an electric arc welder by trade and died in Guildford in July 1978.
William James Wilmot married Winifred Westbrook at Stoke, Guildford on 19 April 1930; at the time of his marriage his occupation was given as “viceman” (a smith who works at the vice instead of at the anvil). He died in Surrey in January 2000.