THE search is on for the descendants of school children who wrote letters to a much-loved Warrington teacher after he went away to fight in World War 1.
Sadly, George Arthur Whitfield, who lived in Stockton Heath, was killed in battle and never returned to see his pupils or his family again.
But Warrington Museum has a collection of his belongings – including letters sent to him by pupils at a school where he taught in Arpley Street.
Now the Relationships Centre and Life Skills Academy are engaging with young people through a Heritage Lottery Project, “Us and Then and Way Back When” which looks at life for young people in Warrington during the years from 1912 onwards.
As part of their research they are looking at the lives and outcomes for young men who left Warrington to find in the Great War.
The academy is looking to trace descendants of the pupils who sent the letters to George when he was away fighting in battle. The letters no doubt cheered him up to a great extent as he in return sent letters back to the boys.
William Bibby, who lived at 17 Arpley Street, Jack Isaac who lived at 20 Crosfield Street, and Jack Murray who lived at 23 Wilson Patten Street were three of the boys who George was in contact with.
Jack Isaac and John Bayly Isaac who was born in 1906 may have been one and the same person , with parents named John Bayly Isaac, and Mildred Parry Isaac. The family lived at 20 Crosfield Street according to the 1911 Census.
William Bibby may have been born in 1905, and his parents were John and Emma. It is believed that some of the family went on to live in Sheffield.
Jack Murray and John Barrie Murray, born in 1905 – possibly one and the same person – may have been the son William Murray and Janet McEadin Murray.
Anyone who could be related to any of the above named boys, who sent such charming and insightful letters to George while he was on the battlefield is asked to contact Jackie Cooling, project worker, The Relationships Centre and Life Skills Academy, 19 Museum Street, Warrington. WA1 1JA Email: [email protected] or call 01925 576757 or 07920 132669.
George Arthur Whitfield
One of the letters
