George Courtney (1842 - 1930)

Born 8 Nov 1842 in Shoreham, Sussex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Emily Lydia (West) Courtney — married Sep 1882 in Midhurst, Sussex, England

Husband of Alice Ann (Elliott) Courtney — married 1903 in Steyning, Sussex, England

Died 15 Apr 1930 at age 87 in Lymington, Hampshire, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Darren Wiltshire [send private message]

Biography

George Courtney was born in Sussex, England.

George COURTNEY.^[1][2]

George was born 8 Nov 1842 to parents George and Sarah (WILKINSON) in New Shoreham Sussex, with the birth registered at Steyning. George was the youngest of 4 children, Frederick James, Eleanor and Mary Elizabeth.

By the time of the 1851 census Frederick James has probably gone to sea, George is still living in New Shoreham with his parents and 2 sisters. His father is listed as a 'Trinity pilot', it is understood this is a form of lighthouse keeper.

In 1861 George is at sea sailing on the 'Two Sisters', he is listed as an apprentice engineer, unmarried, and a visitor on the ship. The ship census was taken at Carmarthenshire in Wales. His brother Frederick Courtney is the master of the ship.

By the time of the 1881 census, this George is back in Sussex, he is now listed as a Brass founder employer, employing 21 men and 10 boys. He is now listed as unmarried and is living with his parents and his aunt Rebecca Wilkinson.

In the September quarter of 1882, at 40 years of age, George marries Emily Lydia West, at Midhurst, Sussex, she was a woman 15 years his junior, thee niece of the landlord of the pub next door who was working there as a barmaid.

By 1891 George and Emily are living at 139 Albion Street, Sussex Lodge, in Southwick Sussex. He is now listed as a Marine engine maker, yacht builder. His nephew George F COURTNEY age 22 (son of Frederick) is living with them. In 1901 George and Emily are now living at Spes Bona?, 6 Colebrook road, Southwick, Sussex. He is listed as an employer, managing director of a yacht company. By late December Emily has died. It is believed they had no children.

In June 1903, at age 61 George marries Alice Brazier, a widow, (nee Elliott), a woman 23 years his junior. By 1911, they are living in Lymington; at The Anchorage in Bath Road with Alice's son Wilfred age 11. George is working as the manager of the shipyards, building and repairing yachts, but is now listed as a worker.

George died of senility and heart failure on 15 April 1930 at Bath Road, The Anchorage, in Lymington Hampshire, with probate granted on 20 May 1930. His estate was valued at 199 pounds, and was granted to his wife Alice. The informant of the death was W.D. Brazier stepson.

The following article was provided by Vyvyan Jones

GEORGE Courtney, who took over the Shuttleworth shipyard from John Shuttleworth, was not a ship builder, he described himself as a foundry man and engineer, writes Ted Heasman. Mr Courtney already owned the Star Foundry in Brighton. I do not know when he came to Southwick, but John Shuttleworth built his last ship in Southwick in 1874, the Belle Isle, but, by 1878, George Courtney was mentioned in Kelly's Directory, so it is reasonable to assume that he came to Southwick in the middle, to late, 1870s.

By 1877, the yard was known as the Albion Foundry. By 1890, he had been joined by Percy Birkett, and the firm was then known as Courtney and Birkett. They described themselves as "yacht builders and engineers, steam and sail yachts built, steam launches built and repaired". Courtney and Birkett were responsible for the maintenance of the rolling stock and tracks of the horse-drawn trams that ran along the coast road. They also built a funicular railway that ran down the north side of the Dyke, to Poynings.

This railway was opened on July 24, 1897. It was 840 feet long and rose 395 feet. The gradient of it was not the same all the way up, as was usual with funicular railways. There were two cars, each of them able to carry 12 passengers and a conductor. The cars ran on a three-foot gauge and were hauled up by an oil engine, which was housed in the station at the top of the track. The brakes on the cars were automatically applied if at any time the cable was relaxed. This funicular railway went out of use about 1907. Even today, it is possible to see the scar where it was."

Unmerged match

There is a possibility that this may be the same Arthur George Courtenay/George William Courtney that is living with Abigail Paice Courtney in 1871 with their three daughters, Edith aged 4 and twin girls of 3 months, Abigail Ann Maud and Alberta Beatrice Emma. Whilst it is not conclusive that this is the same person, no other census record can be found for this George in 1871. There is evidence to suggest that George may have met Abigail via her sister Harriet PAICE. Sometime between 1861 and 1871 Harriet moved to Southwick, Sussex following her marriage to James TITHERIDGE and is living about 5 minutes walk away from George and his parents. An unmerged match has been created until this theory can be disproved.

Sources

1. ↑ Darren Wiltshire created WikiTree profile Courtney-330 through the import of Gasston_2013-04-14.ged on Apr 14, 2013.
2. ↑ Biography and sources updated by Veronica Williams 17:20, 5 December 2013 (EST).

• 1871 England Census (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), www.ancestry.com, COURTENAY Arthur G. Database online.

• 1861 Wales Census (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), www.ancestry.com, COURTNY George. Database online.

• 1881 England Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004), www.ancestry.com.au, COURTNEY George. Database online.

• FreeBMD, England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. © Crown copyright. Published by permission of the Contro), Ancestry.com.au, http://www.Ancestry.com.au, Database online.

• 1851 England Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005), www.ancestry.com.au, COURTNEY George. Database online.

• 1901 England Census (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), www.ancestry.com, COURTNEY George. Database online.

• 1891 England Census (Provo, UT, USA, The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), www.ancestry.com, COURTNEY George. Database online.

• England & Wales, Death Index 1916-2005 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007), www.ancestry.com.au, Database online.

• James McClelland, Irish Surnames and locations, Hawkesbury Library, 300 George Street Windsor, NSW, Book 32 and 32A.

• England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010), www.ancestry.com.au, Database online.

• IGI Index - England Births and Christenings 1538-1975, www.familysearch.org/, COURTNEY - Christening Shoreham I07615-2, parents George and Sarah.

• BDM - Certificates, COURTNEY George - Birth - GRO 212/1842.

• Email, Veronica Williams, JONES Vyvyan - 31 August 2010.

• 1911 England Census - Find my past, www.findmypast.com, COURTNEY George.

• Free BMD, Civil registrations, COURTNEY to West marriage - Midhurst 2b 667.

• Free BMD, Civil registrations, COURTNEY George to Brazier, Marriage, Steyning, Jun 1903 2b 661.

• BDM - Certificates, COURTNEY George - Death - GRO 391/1930.