George Pierce (buried 1922)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Pierce
First name: 
George
Other Christian names: 
Elwyn
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
No
Burial number: 
1086
Born: 
30/11/1880
Died: 
11/06/1922
Buried: 
15/06/1922
Occupation: 
Stock Broker
Distinction: 
Throgmorton Street Broker
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
SES
Cemetery row: 
8
Cemetery plot: 
5
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/booth.cave.rivers
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
Yes
Headstone description: 
EndowedGrave: Keep tidy.
Headstone inscription: 
In Loving memory of GEORGE ELWYN PIERCE died June 11th 1922 Aged 41 Years. Peace

Warning: this record has been marked as potentially upsetting

The information published on this website will include research obtained from the public domain. It may sometimes include things you might find upsetting, such as the details of their death or any misdemeanours that might have happened in their life. We feel it is important however to tell their full story.

Life story

Life story

Charles Elwyn Peirce was born 1880 into a family of twelve siblings to Charles Alexander Pierce (Born Paris France) and Jane Annette Coles Whitman of London England. There is one child unaccounted for but 1911 Census states twelve children. 

His parents married in Chelsea London on 5 December 1871 and his father was a Stockbroker. Children: Charles Frederick Alexander 1872, Felicity Judith Annette 1873, Harold 1874 (Died at 3 weeks old), Twins girls Frederica and Georgina 1875 (both died at 6 Weeks), Maud Adelaide 1877, Herbert Seymour 1879 (died at 3 Months), George Elwyn 1880, Louis Claud 1882, Ernest Acton 1884, Cyril Patrick 1886, by 1911 6 children had died. In 1870 - 1875 there was a smallpox epidemic in England which may have claimed the lives of the children. 

Charles followed his father's occupation and became a Stockbroker along with his brother Charles and Louis. The brothers took over the father's business at Throgmorton Street, London, a Stockbrokers business called in Seymour Pierce and Co and worked at the Stock exchange. Seymour and Pierce focused on raising funds for Gas and Water Utility companies. 

During Georges life he completed his National service. George was gassed during this time and was said to not to be the same afterwards. 

George was living in Worthing at 80 Rowlands road and was well known in Worthing and at The Stock Exchange. 

George drowned in Worthing after swimming off the beach by West Buildings in Heene. The post-mortem was published in the local newspaper and that it was assumed that he may have had a heart attack and fainted which then led to him drowning. George was not thought to of been in a good state of health to be bathing in the sea. He was 41 years old.

The Last Will and Testament for George Elwyn Pierce was dated 22nd April 1922.

Burial researcher: 
Gail Warner-Clarkson

Further information

Birth
Gender: 
Male
Date born: 
30/11/1880
Address at birth: 
London
Parents
Mother
Mother's name: 
Jane Annette
Mother's maiden name: 
Cole
Mother's year of birth: 
1848
Father
Father's name: 
Charles Alexander
Father's year of birth: 
1841

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
11/06/1922
Age (at time of death): 
41
Cause of death: 
Drowning
Address at time of death: 
80 Rowlands Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

17 June Death notice Obituary PIERCE - On June 11 at Worthing, George Elwyn Pierce of Seymour, Pierce and Co and the Stock Exchange E.C

Personal effects
Executors: 
Louis Claude Pierce, Fairlight, Stansted, Essex. Brother: (Stock Broker) Ernest Acton Pierce, 5 Lothbury, Standsted, Essex. Brother; (Stock Broker)
Probate pounds: 
£2,124

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1881 census: 

Living at 92 Sloane Street in Chelsea. Father Charles 39, a Stockbroker, Mother Jane 32, Charles 8, Felicity 7, Maud 4, George 6 Months. They had a cook, Two domestic Housemaids and Two Nurses living in the household.

1891 census: 

No Census for George Family home - Living at "The Chesnuts" South Road, Clapham. Father Charles 49, A stockbroker agent, Mother Jane 41, Charles 18, Felice 17, Maud 14, Louis C 9, Ernest 7. There are 3 servants, a cook, a nurse and a Parlour maid.

1901 census: 

Living at "The Chesnuts" South Road, Clapham. Father 60, Stockbroker, Mather Jane 53, Charles 28 Stockbroker, Maud 24, George 20 Stockbroker clerk, Louis Claud 18 Stock job hand clerk. The family have two Housemaids, a cook and a parlour maid.

1911 census: 

Living at 112 Christchurch Road, Tulse Hill, Norwood, Surrey. Mother Jane 66 a widow. Charles 38 Stockbroker, Maud 34, George 30 Stockbroker, Louis Claud 28, Stockbroker clerk. There is one General servant living with the family.

1921 census: 

Not found.

Miscellaneous information

Article in Worthing Gazette 14th June 1922

Drowned while bathing -Stockbrokers sad end - Coroner's investigation yesterday. -The remarkable immunity from bathing fatalities which Worthing generally enjoys was broken on Sunday afternoon, when George Elwyn Pierce, a well-known local resident and member of the Stock Exchange, was drowned while bathing opposite West Buildings. Deceased who was 41, had only been in the water a few minutes when he was noticed by his friend to be floating face downwards, and he was brought ashore unconscious. Artificial respiration was tried without success. The West Sussex Coroner, Mr F W Butler, with a jury, yesterday afternoon conducted an enquiry at the Central Fire Station. LOUIS CLAUDE PIERCE of Fairlight, Stansted, Essex, said deceased was his brother and was a stockbroker. His general health had not been so good since his war service as before, and he Was Very Nervy. He had been gassed, and if anyone banged a door it made him jump. He was a good swimmer. HAROLD PERCY LINDLEY, 48, Gratwicke Road, said he had known deceased intimately for about 6 months. He had been living at 80 Rowlands Road but left there on Friday evening to stay at the Marine Hotel. Witness called for him at a quarter past Three by arrangement, to go for a swim. They entered the water together and witness saw him start to swim, and he gave him the impression that he was a competent swimmer. Witness accordingly swam out for nearly his usual distance, which was about 200 yards, and on turning back he noticed that the deceased was floating face downwards. Witness swam back as quickly as he could, got hold of deceased round the waist, and carried him ashore. A man who was in charge of the bathing machines joined him almost at once. Deceased was unconscious but the Coastguard who arrived at the same time as the bathing machine attendant took charge of the body and tried artificial respiration. The sea was not rough. Deceased was perfectly sober when he went into the water. By the Foreman: The deceased was not of temperate habits. FRED SHATTOCK, of 18 Bridge Road bathing machine attendant, in the employ of Mr. Shanly, said his attendant called out that they were bringing someone out of the water. He at once ran down the beach and saw a gentleman there, with the coastguard, trying artificial respiration. Witness sent for a doctor, and assisted with the artificial respiration, which was continued for over an hour. By the Foreman: Witness issued the tickets to deceased and his friend, and they both appeared to be quite alright; he was almost most particular. Drowned in a faint Dr BERNARD HAIG found the coastguard performing artificial respiration very efficiently, and he said the bathing attendant continued to do this under witness until he was satisfied that life was quite extinct. A post-mortem examination showed that the heart was enlarged, the muscles being degenerated though the valves were not deceased; there was an enlarged cirrhotic liver and the stomach was dilated with a considerable quantity of fluid and undigested food. The kidneys also showed signs of chronic inflammation. Witness thought the deceased had had some form of heart attack while swimming; it was not an ordinary case of drowning, although death was due to drowning. The state of his organs was not such as to make the man a fit subject to bathe, especially after a heavy meal. The Jury's verdict: Replying to the Coroner Dr Haig said the deceased was really drowned while in a faint. The jury after a brief deliberation in private found that deceased was accidentally drowned through fainting in the water while bathing after a heavy meal, and the Foreman said they wished to congratulate the witnesses and especially the coastguard and bathing attendants on the prompt efforts made to bring the deceased round. The deceased's brother said how much he appreciated the kindness and courtesy which the police had shown him.

Article in Worthing Gazette 14th June 1922: Courtesy of The British Newspapers Archive