Bonner, George James (George)
Rifleman
No. 8509, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own)
Died of wounds on Saturday 15 May 1915 (aged 32)
Buried:
Le Treport Military Cemetery, France (Plot 2 Row D Grave 3)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Holywood and District War Memorial (where his initials are inscribed as G.F.)
Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Philip & St James)
Holywood Masonic Hall
Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque
Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
BIOGRAPHY
George James Bonner was born on 24 October 1882 in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, and he was baptised on 8 November 1882 in Aston Church of England Church, Warwickshire. He was a son of George William and Margaret Bonner (nee Bassett) who were married on 5 January 1882 in St Peter and St Paul Church of England Church, Aston, Warwickshire. George William Bonner (aged 28), an office clerk from Aston was a son of Frederick Parsons Bonner, an office clerk. Margaret Bassett (aged 30) from Birmingham was a daughter of James Bassett, a gentleman. They had four children, one of whom died in infancy:
George James (born 24 October 1882 in Warwickshire)
Ellen E. (born around 1885 in Warwickshire)
Margaret A. (born around 1888 in Birmingham)
Dorothy (born around 1891 in Birmingham)
When their mother Margaret died in June 1912 her address was 227 Gray’s Inn Road, St Pancras, London.
George James Bonner was living in London and working as a car man when he enlisted on 8 May 1901 in London. It was noted that he was just under 5 feet 5 inches tall, and he served with the 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade (No. 5293).
In the 1911 census return, on the night of Sunday 2 April, he was living in Irish Street, Downpatrick, and he declared his age to be 28 years 5 months. George James Bonner was a well-known figure in Downpatrick where for a time he worked as Club Steward at the Country Club.
George James Bonner and Sarah Jane Herron were married on 21 August 1911 in Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church. George James Bonner (aged 29) from the Country Club, Downpatrick was a son of George William Bonner, a clerk. Sarah Jane Herron (aged 24) from Shore Street, Holywood was a daughter of Robert Herron, a gardener.
George and Sarah Jane Bonner (nee Herron, sometimes Heron) had three children:
George Robert (born 25 June 1912 in Shore Street, Holywood)
Annie Hinchcliffe (born 8 February 1914 in Shore Street, Holywood)
Albert French (born 25 January 1915 at 22 High Street, Holywood, at which time his father was in France serving with the Rifle Brigade)
Before the war, George Bonner worked as Club Steward in the North of Ireland Yacht Club at Cultra. He was a member of Masonic Lodge 403 in Holywood and a member of the Orange Order.
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War, George Bonner was Drill Instructor for the Holywood contingent of the Ulster Volunteer Force.
George Bonner was an accomplished singer and appeared in many local amateur theatrical productions.
During the war it was reported in the Press that Rifleman George Bonner (No. 8509) was commended for distinguished conduct in the field.
Rifleman George Bonner (No. 8509) was 32 when he died of wounds in hospital at Treport on 15 May 1915 and he was buried in Le Treport Military Cemetery in France.
Rifleman George Bonner (No. 8509) is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial; in Holywood Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Philip & St James); in Holywood Masonic Hall; on Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque, and in the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club at Cultra.
George Bonner’s widow married Robert McAdam on 5 January 1928 and lived at 19 Church Street, Holywood. In pension records Sarah Jane was described as ‘guardian’ of her three children.