TOPIC:

LOCATION: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH,
MARKET PLACE,
CIRENCESTER,
GLOUCESTERSHIRE,
GL7 2PE,
ENGLAND.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SO0231402090.


St. John the Baptist Church.


As you walk through the small entrance door look left and you will see the church shop in an open corner to the left of the Weaver's Chapel.
Located on the wall are two brass plaques, the one on the right is dedicated to Corporal Cole.



The plaque is of brass construction mounted on a marble backplate. There is a simple three line margin with a roundel in each corner. In the top left hand side, there is the regimental badge of the 19th Hussars.
Inscription as follows:

"IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE FREDERICK COLE,
(19TH HUSSARS),
WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN LADYSMITH DURING THE SIEGE,
BORN IN THIS PARISH 5TH AUGST 1874, DIED 9TH DECBR 1899,
A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST."

4180 Lance Corporal George Frederick Cole was 25 years old at the time of his death due to enteric fever. Both Palmer (1999) and Watt (2000) record George's rank as Lance Corporal rather than Corporal as detailed on the plaque.
He is interred in Ladysmith, Intombi. Monument 1A..
For his service in South Africa he was entitled to the Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp Natal.

He is also commemorated at Gloucester Cathedral on a plaque beneath the east window.

As for his earlier life, the 1881 Census informs us that he was 6 years old and lived at Bagstone, Wickwar, Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire with his father Richard, a 40 year old Labourer. His mother Esther was 36, and other children of the family were; Henry (15), Ellen (13), Frederick (10) and Sarah Ann (8).
In 1891, George was now a lodger at 43 & 45 Cricklade Street, Cirencester with the Loveridge family, who also had 3 other lodgers at their home. George was now 17, single and a Porter by occupation.

I hope to add images of the plaque at Gloucester Cathedral to this post, maybe visit tomorrow.

Many thanks for posting these pictures of the plaques, Steve. Great pictures and very helpful transcription.

LOCATION: GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL,
12 COLLEGE GREEN,
GLOUCESTER,
GL1 2 LX.


George Cole's name is on the left hand panel, four up from the bottom.
Very stylised font employed for this memorial.