Sergeant George Dooley
R10404 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
George Dooley was born in 1878, the son of George Dooley born Stockport and his wife Sarah (nee Whitehouse) born West Bromwich, Staffs. In 1901 the family was living at 23, Casson Street, Ironville, by which time his mother Sarah had re-married George Clarke. George had siblings: Sarah b. 1880, William b. 1882, Lizzie b. 1883, and Joseph b. 1886.
George married Edith Maud Howard born Norfolk in 1910 and in 1911 they were living at Edward Avenue, Jacksdale with Robert Ernest Howard, born Jacksdale, step-son. George was working as a gas works labourer. They had children George W. b. 1911, Edith M. b. 1917, Gladys b. 1919, Frank b. 1921 and Florence A. b. 1925
George volunteered to serve in WW1 and he was a recipient of the 1914-15 Star, the British War and Victory Medals. Theatre of War - France.
In 1934, George tragically took his own life, a consequence of him being wounded during WW1. The Notts. Evening Post reported as follows:- ‘Worried Over War Wound. - Jacksdale Man Who Was Found Hanging In Bedroom. A verdict of “Suicide by hanging as the result of a mental condition brought about by wounds received in 1915,” was recorded by Col. H. Bradwell at an inquest held at the Portland Arms Hotel, Jacksdale, yesterday, on George Dooley, 56, of Edward Avenue, Jacksdale, who was found dead in his bedroom on Saturday night.
The widow said her husband was last employed as a labourer at Riddings Gas Works. He was with the King’s Royal Rifles during the War, and was wounded by shrapnel in the shoulder and leg in 1915. He had a disability pension and had been off work for over a year. On Saturday he spent the afternoon in bed as usual, and had a cup of tea at 5.30pm, when he appeared to be alright. He only complained about the pains. “He was always complaining,” witness added. Witness’s daughter found him hanging by the bedroom door. Replying to the coroner witness said her husband had been in hospital two or three times. Dr. T. Heffron, Ironville, said he had attended deceased for six years off and on, first for a gunshot wound in the shoulder, which did not take away the use of the arm altogether. Witness had seen shrapnel come out of the wound once. He noticed a deterioration in Dooley’s mentality during the past year. Witness saw him a week before, and he was steadily getting worse, and mentioned to witness that he wished he had been killed during the War, and that he were dead. ‘ 1934 May 29th. Notts. Evening Post.
Photo: George with son Frank
George is buried at St. Mary’s, Westwood.