George and Henry Avery

George (1833-1891)

Henry (1839-1918)

In the ’41 Census. George and Henry were living with their parents, John and Hannah, and their elder brother David (already, at the age of 10, an agricultural labourer) at Daisy Green. Both were baptised in the Congregational Chapel in the village.

Ten years later, three younger brothers, and a younger sister were in the household. Henry was still living with his parents, but George was a farm servant in Portbury, Somerset. Henry continued living with his parents until the time of the 1891 Census, when he was recorded as lodging with a family in Barrs Lane in the village. He was living in Dursley Workhouse at the time of the 1911 Census, He died, aged 80, in in 1918.

***********************************************************************

Meanwhile George was working on the railways. An employment record shows him starting as a fireman in 1856, then working his way through to an ‘engineman’ at Oxford, Wolverhampton and Leamington stations.

He married Elizabeth Piper in 1865 at Redbourn, Hertfordshire, aged 32, and the couple had four children. His work meant that he had to live away from home – in the 1871 Census, Elizabeth is living in Wolverhampton while George is lodging in Leamington. The family are prosperous enough to have a live-in servant.

In 1881 the family are living together in Leamington, with George’s sister, Mary Ann, who is working as a grocer’s assistant. In 1891, they are still in Leamington, though without Mary Ann.

George died of consumption in June 1891, aged 58. His personal estate amounted to £161. His widow was given £100 by the company.

Elizabeth became a lodging house keeper, assisted by her daughter Augusta. She died in 1919, aged 74, leaving £758.