Colour Sergeant GEORGE GARTON Grenadier Guards (1835-1902)

6723 Colour Sergeant GEORGE GARTON Grenadier Guards (1835-1902)

Born c 1835, one of some 15 children of William Garton, a labourer, and Ellen (nee Burbridge) of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, George Garton was baptised there on 26 July 1835.

His obituary states that he “took the Queen’s shilling in 1854, and served for nine months in the Crimea.”

From discharge records, it is possible to calculate that he joined the Grenadier Guards at some time in February 1854 and, after 21 years 29 days service, was discharged on 10 March 1875. He could have had a few years “underage” service as a boy soldier although in 1851, aged 16, he was living with his parents and described as a gardener.

However, no record has so far been found of him being awarded a Crimea Medal.

George Garton was married at Biggleswade on 8 September 1859 to Charlotte Jemima Halloway. The couple had at least 8 children, the first 7 born at or near various barracks: Dublin (1860); Westminster (1862), Windsor (1864), Westminster (1866), Ireland (1868), Tower of London (1870), and Westminster again (1872). The last child was born in Reigate not long before George left the Army and where he was to live until his death.

He was “a soldier” in Windsor in April 1861 and was a colour sergeant at Wellington Barracks in 1871.

In 1881, the census records describe him as a “Chelsea Pensioner and ??? Volunteers”.

Again, according to his obituary “He came to Reigate in the year 1873, and immediately joined the local Volunteers, then the old 5th Surrey, and in connection with which the formation of a second battalion was largely due to his exertions.”

He was Sergeant-Major of A and B Companies, 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment for most of the 17 years he was with the volunteers until his retirement on 24 March 1890.

After retirement, Horse Guards gave permission for him to hold the honorary rank of Sergeant-Major and to wear the uniform of the Corps.

In about 1883, he was appointed school attendance officer in Reigate, a position he held until his death in 1902. He appears to have acted as drillmaster at the Philanthropic Society’s Farm School, Redhill, from before 1888 to after 1899.

He died on 6 June 1902, aged 67, and was buried at St Mary, Reigate, on 11 June. His estate was valued at £482 17s with his son, George Charles Garton, appointed executor.

The Surrey Mirror and County Post, Friday, June 13, 1902.

DEATH OF SERGT.-MAJOR GARTON

Although not wholly unexpected, the news of the death of Sergt.-Major Garton, at Reigate, on Friday morning, came as a great shock to the inhabitants of the borough. The name of this veteran soldier has long been inseparably associated with the town of Reigate, and the active interest he has displayed in almost everything concerning the welfare of the community, had earned from him the highest esteem of all with whom he came in contact. His demise came with almost painful suddenness, his illness being of but a week’s duration, and up to within a week or two of his illness he retained all his extraordinary vitality and energy, which was so remarkable in a man of his years. Sergt.-Major Garton took the Queen’s shilling in 1854, and served for nine months in the Crimea. It will be interesting to know that shortly before his death the deceased soldier received an invitation to join his old comrades, the Crimean Guardsmen, at Waterloo Palace on the occasion of the forthcoming Coronation procession. He came to Reigate in the year 1873, and immediately joined the local Volunteers, then the old 5th Surrey, and in connection with which the formation of a second battalion was largely due to his exertions. For the past 19 years he has efficiently carried out the arduous duties appertaining to the post of Attendance Officer. He has always shown a great willingness to assist in any local organisation, and took special interest in horticultural work in the borough. He was for a good many years the drill instructor to the boys at the Farm School, and was also the secretary to the Soldiers Entertainment Committee. Mr. Garton was in his 67th year.

THE FUNERAL.

An exceptionally large gathering of the residents of the borough, public officials, and representatives of the various institutions with which the deceased was connected, testified to the popularity of Mr. Garton, and the respect and esteem in which he was held, at the funeral, which took place on Wednesday afternoon in the Reigate Cemetery was fixed for five o’clock, and by that time a crowd of extraordinary dimensions had assembled to await the arrival of the cortege. In Reigate there were many manifestations of sorrow and regret. The preliminary portion of the service was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. F.C.Davies, and the Parish Church was crowded with mourners and sympathisers. The coffin was borne from the approach to the cemetery to the church, and thence to the grace, on a bier by six of the deceased’s comrades from the 2nd V.B. The Queen’s, viz Sergts. Young, Legg, Godbeer and Smith and Col.-Sergts. Young and Binfield. The ceremony was not in the nature of a military funeral, but, though there was no beating of the drums nor firing of the guns, there unmistakeable evidence of the deceased’s association with military life. The coffin was draped with a large Union Jack; the funeral procession included a posse of the members of the 2nd V.B. The Queen’s in uniform, and a strong contingent of the lads from the Philanthropic Farm School, who present a soldierly appearance. The principal mourners were the three sons of the deceased, George Charles, Harry Herbert, and Arthur; the daughters, Mary and Florence; the grandson Mr Arthur Richmond Garton, representing his father, Capt. W.G.A.Garton who is out in South Africa; Mr William Garton and Mr Charles Garton, brothers of the deceased; Miss Ellen Garton, sister; Lizzie, Gertrude and Nelie, daughters-in-law; and Jendei, sister-in-law; Mr E. Penfold jun., Mr Thomas Penfold; Sergt-Inst Moir and Mrs G Heather; while the deceased was also followed to his last resting place by the Mayor of the Borough (Mr F.E.Barnes JP CC)….

(the rest of the article enumerates all the other mourners and details of all the wreaths and other floral tributes)

 Military careers of George Garton’s sons and grandsons

George and Charlotte’s eldest son, William George Alfred Garton (1860-1929), also joined the Grenadier Guards, at some time before 1881. Clearly his was a rising star, as he was a lance sergeant by the age of 21 (1881 census).

When he married on 16 October 1888 he was described as drill sergeant. He was married at St Peter Ad Vincula, the Tower of London chapel, and his bride, Fanny Baker, was a daughter of a Yeoman Warder.

William Garton served in Sudan (Egypt medal with Sudan 1885 clasp, Khedive’s Star, mentioned in dispatches as Colour-Sergeant); in South Africa (QSA with Wittebergen, Cape Colony and Transvaal clasps, KSA); and came out of retirement to serve in France during WW1 (1914 Star and clasp, War Medal, Victory Medal). He also was awarded the Silver War Badge.

On 1 May 1897, Sergeant-Major William George Alfred Garton, Grenadier Guards, was appointed Quartermaster, with the honorary rank of Lieutenant. He was promoted to Quartermaster and Honorary Captain in 1901 and retired 1 April 1910.

When war broke out in 1914, for some reason Quartermaster and Hon Captain W.G.A. Garton was attached to the Life Guards and arrived France on 8 October 1914.

When his next two promotions were gazetted, it read “Qr.-Mr. and Hon. Capt. W. G. A. Garton, R.H. G-ds., ret. pay, to be Hon. Maj. 9 Sept. 1916.” And “Qr.-Mr. & Hon. Maj. W. G. A. Garton (Ret. Pay), Household Cav.” to be Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel. 10 August 1917.

He was awarded the SWB while a major.

After the war, The London Gazette of 12 December 1919 reported that “Garton, Qr.-Mr. & Lt.-Col. William George Alfred, G. Gds.” was to be an Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, “in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war.”

He died at home – Cragarhan, Reigate Road, Ewell, Surrey – on 4 March 1929 and the executors of his estate, valued at £544 17s 9d, were his widow and son Wilfred.

His other two sons – Lieutenants Arthur Richmond Garton, 6th Battn Northumberland Fusiliers, and Reginald William Garton, 11th Battn South Lancashire Regiment – were killed in action in 1915 and 1916 respectively.

Of George and Charlotte’s other sons, George Charles Garton (1862-1921) and Harry Herbert Garton (1866-1946), both joined the Reigate Volunteers and both reached the rank of Sergeant.

G/3907 Lance Corporal George Edward Garton, 6th Battn East Kent Regiment, eldest son of George Charles Garton, was killed in action in France in 1915.