BRIGHTON George

The birth of George Brighton is registered in the December Quarter 1892 under the Bromsgrove Registration District. He was the son of Thomas and Alice Brighton and in 1901 the family, who were all born in Bromsgrove, were resident at Staple Flat, North Bromsgrove:
Thomas Brighton, head, aged 30, bricklayers labourer
Alice Brighton, wife, aged 27
George Brighton, son, aged 8
Alfred Brighton, son, aged 6
Jessie Brighton, daughter, aged 2
Laura Brighton, daughter aged 1

In 1911 the family resided at Staple Hill, Bromsgrove:
Thomas Brighton, head, aged 40, Motor works labourer
Alice Brighton, wife, aged 38, married 18 years, 6 children, all still living
George Brighton, son, aged 18
Alfred Brighton, son, aged 16
Jessie Brighton, daughter, aged 12
Laura Brighton, daughter aged 11
Rose Brighton, daughter, aged 9
Phoebe Brighton, daughter, aged 6

In the June quarter of 1916 George Brighton married Cissie Wagstaff in the Bromsgrove Registration District.

George Brighton’s service records have not survived so it is not known when George enlisted as Private 171857 in the Machine Gun Corps but as he was only awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, he did not serve overseas until after the 1st January 1916. After his death from wounds on the 3rd November 1918, his widow Cissie, resident Hinton Fields later amended to Beehive Cottage, Golden Cross Lane, Catshill, Bromsgrove, received a pension from the 28th May 1919 for herself and their two daughters, Vera Brighton born 27th November 1916 and Gwendoline Brighton born 10th December 1917.

Cissie married George H. Jones in Bromsgrove in the December Quarter 1934. In 1939 the couple are resident in Woodrow Lane, Bromsgrove with their two children, George A. Jones born 26th April 1935 and Connie M. Jones born 22nd February 1937.

In 1939 George’s parents, Thomas, born 26th February 1872, and Alice, born 14th November 1875, are resident at Malvern View, Staple Hill, Bromsgrove.

The following information is courtesy of Steve Mason, great grandson of George Brighton:
George didn’t join up until around July 2018 and he didn’t get to France until early October, he would of only been in the battle for approximately 3 weeks, His youngest daughter Gwendoline who was my Grandmother was only 11 months old when he died.

Bromsgrove Messenger 1918
PRIVATE GEORGE BRIGHTON, M.G.C., Hinton Fields, Catshill.
Private George Brighton, Machine gun Corps, of Hinton Fields, Catshill, died of wounds on November 3rd. Deceased, who was 26 years of age, was wounded in the head by shrapnel on the day of his death. He had been in the army since April last, up to which time he worked at Austin’s. Deceased leaves a widow and two little children.

Pommereuil British Cemetery. Photo courtesy & copyright of Steve Mason