George Grote was born on 20 June 1888 in Whitechapel, Middlesex (now Greater London), the fourth of the eight children of Alexander Grote (1857-1896) and Ellen Grote née Fowler (1858-1900). His birth was registered as George Grote in the 3rd quarter of 1888 in the Whitechapel registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 15 July 1888 he was baptised at Christ Church Spitalfields, Commercial Street, London, E1 6LY, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth and in which he is shown as George Thomas Grote living with his family at 6 Butler Street, Spitalfields (now renamed as Brune Street, London, E1). His father was shown as a bricklayer. This is the only record showing him as George Thomas Grote. All other records have him listed as just George Grote.
In the 1891 census he is shown as aged 2 years, living in a General Shop at 2 Coventry Street (now renamed as Coventry Road), Bethnal Green, London, with his parents and four siblings: Henry Alexander Grote (1881-1934); Alice Mary Grote (1884-1947); Ellen Grote (b.1886) and Elizabeth Jane Grote (1890-1970). His father was now described as a grocer.
On 21 September 1891 both he and his sister, Ellen Grote, were admitted into the Berner Street Infants School, where in the admissions register his father was shown as a publican and their address was Lord Nelson P.H., Berner Street, Whitechapel, London (pub closed in 1897). He left this school on 13 February 1893.
His other three siblings were: Louisa Grote (1891-1963); William James Grote (1893-1895) and Grace Agnes Grote (1895-1957).
On 10 September 1900 he attended the Hague Street School, Bethnal Green, where in the admissions register he was shown to be living with his paternal uncle, John Thomas Grote (1860-1931) at 41 Arundel Street, Bethnal Green. He stayed at this school until 21 July 1902.
He is shown as aged 23 years and a carman in the 1911 census living with his sister, Grace Agnes Grote at the home of their sister, Alice Mary Day and her husband Edward Sydney Day (1880-1918), together with their two daughters in three rooms at 6 Waterloo Terrace, Bethnal Green.
In the 2nd quarter of 1912 he married Maud Emma Steel (1890-1977) in the Mile End Old Town registration district and they had one child: George Henry Grote (1912-1981).
He initially enlisted as a Private in the Wiltshire Regiment, service number 13103, but transferred as a Private into the 6th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers, service number 2886 and entered The Balkans theatre of war on 9 July 1915. He died of disease, aged 28 years, on 3 April 1917 in the Mile End Military Hospital, Bancroft Road, London, E1 and his body was buried on 10 April 1917 in Grave R.1368 in The City of London and Tower Hamlets Cemetery, Southern Grove, London, E3 4PX. As he has no headstone he is commemorated as 'Serjeant G. Grote' on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Screen Wall.
On 25 June 1917 his army effects totalling £10-13s-10d were sent to his widow who was living at 14, Burgess Street, Limehouse, London and on 11 October 1919 she was sent his £14-10s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website and on The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park website that gives his date of birth as 5 July 1888.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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