George Henry Starkey
Private 14214 - 2nd Battalion
Lincolnshire Regiment
Enlisted: Sutton-in-Ashfield
Killed in Action Flanders 9th May 1915 : Aged 19
Ploegsteert Memorial - Panel 3
Private 14214 George Henry Starkey was born Q3 1894 in Hucknall-under-Huthwaite. Parents 1875 marriage between Yorkshire coal miner Mr John Starkey from Bedworth Warwickshire, and Miss Annie Parker begins family life in mothers Worksop Notts.
George Henry Starkey appears in 1901 Hucknall-under-Huthwaite census following family move onto Sutton Road. Following father and elder brother into coal mining, the 1911 census reveals local confusion concerning town boundary changes. Their entire Starkey household had then been given Huthwaite Road address inside Sutton-in-Ashfield borders headed by John 55. Wife Mrs Annie Starkey 56, mothers Joseph 26, Mary Ciceley 20, George Henry 16 and Clara Wright 10 months.
Private George Henry Starkey voluntarily enlisted for duty at Sutton-in-Ashfield joining the Leicestershire Regiment as Pte 13796 G H. Starkey. Transferal to the 2nd battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment offers remembrance to Pte 14214 George Henry Starkey having entered the theatre of war in France on 26th March 1915 to be killed in action 9th May 1915, aged 19 without a grave.
The war has claimed two more Huthwaite young men as victims. They are Private John Walter Lee, ..., and Private George Henry Starkey, son of Mr. J. Starkey, Sutton road. The former was only 19 years of age and the latter 21, and both enlisted early in September last. ... The news of both fatalities has been sent to Huthwaite by regimental chums of both heroes.
On Sunday evening in Huthwaite Parish Church, a memorial service was held in honour of Private J.W. Lee, 8th. Notts and Derbyshire, and G.H. Starkey, 2nd. Lincolns, both of whom have been killed in action. There was a large congregation, and the military element was represented by the Sutton Citizen Army (under Mr. C.O. Wright) Sutton Cadet Corps (Lieutenant Wilson and Sergeant-Major Robinson) and Huthwaite Scouts, Boys’ Brigade, and Cadets (Sergt.-Major Hall). The Rev. Beswick conducted the service.
The death of Private George Starkey (son of Mr. J. Starkey of Sutton Road) which was unofficially, though positively, reported last May and was contradicted in certain quarters, has now been placed beyond all doubt by the official intimation from the War Office, which states that Private Starkey was killed on May 9th, 1915. The usual messages of sympathy from the King and Queen and Lord Kitchener have also been received by his father.