Architect known for his war memorial designs. Born Devon. Married Jessie Naismith Morton (sister of Sarah Reid Anderson) in Edinburgh and they had seven children, the third born was the architect James Morton Lethbridge. The family, who were Presbyterians, lived in Highgate, at 205 Archway Road.
George Lethbridge was born on 9 January 1848 in Bickleigh, Devon, the second of the five children of Robert Lethbridge (1815-1864) and Susan Lethbridge née Giles (1815-1862). He was baptised on 10 March 1848 in St Mary the Virgin Church, Bickleigh, Plymouth, Devon.
In the 1851 census he is shown as living in the village of Jumps, Bickleigh, Devon, with his parents, two siblings: Robert Giles Lethbridge (1845-1893) and Anne Lethbridge (b.1850), together with a female house servant. His father was described as a 'clerk to land agent'.
The census returns of 1861 show him as one of 13 pupils living in 'Heathfield', Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth, Devon, the family home of Edward S L Holloran who was the curate of Trinity Chapel, whilst his parents were living at 19 Tiverton Road in the hamlet of Jumps, Bickleigh, Plympton, Devon, with his four siblings: Robert Giles Lethbridge; Anne Lethbridge; Helen Lethbridge (1853-1922) and John Lethbridge (b.1857), together with a female house servant. His father was described as 'Land agent clerk to Petty Sessions; Clerk to Commissioners for Land Assessed & Income Tax'.
He served his articles with the architect William Henry Reid (1831-1900) of Plymouth and commenced independent practice in London in 1870. In the 1871 census he is described as an architect & surveyor residing at 31 Great James Street, Holborn, London.
On 2 April 1874 he married Jessie Naismith Morton (1848-1936) in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland and they were to have a total of nine children. He continued to be shown as an architect & surveyor in the 1881 census and was living at 9 Cholmeley Villas, Archway Road, Hornsey, Middlesex, (now Greater London), with his wife and five of their children: Robert Morton Lethbridge (1875-1923); Annie Scott Lethbridge (1876-1947); James Morton Lethbridge (1877-1943); George Lethbridge ((1879-1924) and Jessie May Lethbridge (1886-1969), his sister, Helen Lethbridge, who was a governess, together with three female domestic servants.
He was still an architect & surveyor residing at 9 Cholmeley Villas in the 1891 census with his wife and seven of their children who were all shown as scholars: Robert Morton Lethbridge; Annie Scott Lethbridge; James Morton Lethbridge; George Lethbridge; Jessie May Lethbridge; Helen Mary Lethbridge (b.1882) and Dorothy Lethbridge (1888-1976), together with a female general domestic servant.
The 1901 census confirms he was still an architect residing at 9 Cholmeley Villas, with his wife, the same seven children as in the 1891 census, together with a cook and a housemaid. His sons: James Morton Lethbridge was described as an architect's assistant, and George Lethbridge as a commercial clerk.
On the night of 1911 census he was visiting the home of James Farquharson Whyte (1857-1950) a retired tea dealer and his wife Agnes Farquharson Whyte (1857-1948) at 'Monaltrie, Heene Road, Worthing, Sussex, together with his wife and two of their daughters: Jessie May Lethbridge and Dorothy Lethbridge.
There is some confusion about his date of death. According to his Wikipedia page he died, aged 76 years, on 26 February 1924, a date they have derived from the image of his gravestone in Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ while the Deceased on Line website claims he was buried the following day. However, probate records state that he died on 27 February 1924. that his address had been 205 Archway Road, Highgate, Middlesex and when probate was granted on 24 April 1924 jointly to his widow and son, James, his effects totalled £5,632-4s-9d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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