George Wraith Harrison was born in Ryhope, County Durham, England, on the 4th July 1891, the son of George Edward and Elizabeth Harrison (née Cordingley). His father was a coal miner, and the family home at the time of his birth was at Davison’s Yard, Ryhope. His mother died in 1893, leaving his father to raise the family of five boys and two girls alone.
George became a miner, like most male members of his family, and on the 23rd September 1911, he married Caroline Wright in Ryhope. The couple established their home at 8, Thomson Terrace, Ryhope. In 1912, their son, George Edward, was born.
In July 1913, George left Ryhope to work in the coal mines of British Columbia, Canada. He settled in Fernie, British Columbia, which was rapidly developing as a coal mining town on the edge of the Crowsnest Coal Field. His wife was expecting their second child when he left, and in early 1914, their daughter, Jane H. was born. Unfortunately, she died shortly after her birth.
When the war broke out in 1914, George decided to come home to enlist in the Armed Forces, having been turned down by the Canadian Army for some unknown physical deficiency. Consequently, he booked a third class passage on the
Lusitania’s May sailing which was scheduled to depart from New York to Liverpool on 1st May 1915 and having left Fernie sometime in April, he joined the vessel on the morning of that date.
The liner’s departure was then delayed until the early afternoon, as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the S.S.
Cameronia of the Anchor Line and just after mid-day, she slipped her mooring from her berth at Pier 54 and sailed into the North River and out into the Atlantic Ocean.
He survived the sinking by the German submarine U-20, on the afternoon of 7th May, six days later, however, and according to a paragraph in
The Retford, Worksop, Isle of Axeholme and Gainsborough News of 14th May 1915, he: -
twice gave up a lifebelt he had secured, in each case to a young married woman with a child.
On his return to Ryhope, George was so affected by his experiences that he took up the cause of recruiting, and on 13th May 1915, attended an open air meeting at Seaham Harbour where he addressed the crowd. Part of his speech was reported in
The Yorkshire Post the following day: -
After a stirring speech by Mr. Grattan Doyle of Newcastle, Mr. George Harrison, a young miner from British Columbia, and a native of Ryhope, said he was one of the survivors of the Lusitania outrage. He was in the water three hours, and if he could make his hearers realise the cries of the women and children who were perishing, there was not a man around that platform but would soon get into uniform. He had only two brothers, and both had enlisted and he had only two sisters, and their husbands had enlisted. He had come over from British Columbia, and he was going to “have a bit” for his country, and try to get a bit of his own back.
Whereas he actually had four brothers, not two, his eldest brother, 13468 Private Thomas Harrison was killed in action on the Somme on 12th November 1916 serving with the 7th Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment, and is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, France.
George Harrison joined the forces, and was attached to The 63rd Northumberland Divisional Cyclist Corps and survived the war. In February 1916, it is known he was attached to the Red Cross Hospital at Bourne, Lincolnshire.
In July 1919, George returned to Fernie, British Columbia, accompanied by his wife and son. They remained there for a number of years, and while there, George was awarded $800 by the Canadian Claims Commission for the loss of his personal property in the sinking of the Lusitania. His claim was settled in April 1926.
It would appear that his marriage failed, and he and Caroline divorced, for in 1935, he married Jennie Hewitson in Auckland, Durham. The couple didn’t have children, and resided at 3. Snowdon Terrace, Burdon Lane, Ryhope.
George Harrison died in Ryhope on the 6th October 1961, aged 70 years, and was buried in Ryhope Cemetery.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Durham Marriages, 1891 Census of England & Wales, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, 1921 Census of Canada, 1939 Register, Canadian Passenger Lists 1865 – 1935, UK Outward Passenger Lists 1890 – 1960, UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878 – 1960, Cunard Records, Canadian Claims Case No. 866, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, IWM GB62, Newcastle Daily Journal, Retford, Worksop, Isle of Axeholme and Gainsborough News, Yorkshire Post, Graham Maddocks, Robert Dean, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.