George Cliffe was born on the 29th March 1898  in Hartshill, Stoke on Trent, the eldest son of George and Mary Emma  nee Price he was christened on the 21st April 1898 at Hartshill. 

George Cliffe senior was born circa 1866 at Hartshill, Staffordshire and Mary Emma Price was born 26th December 1869 at Baswich, Staffordshire. They were married on the 3rd August 1895 at Holy Trinity Church, Hartshill. George Cliffe senior was living with his widowed father John at 59 Stoke Road when he married Mary Emma Price. George’s mother Mary née Dimmock had died in 1875 aged 36. 

The 1881 census shows George (Snr) aged 14 living at 59 Stoke Road Hartshill with his widowed father John a Potters Slip Maker aged 40, his brothers Richard aged 17 and Thomas aged 7 , Sisters Mary Jane aged 12 and Eliza aged 9. 

The 1871 census shows George (Snr) age 4 living at 18 Stoke Road with both his parents John a Potters thrower aged 30 and Mother Mary with Older Brother Richard aged 8, sister Mary Jane aged 2 and baby Eliza. 

The 1871 census shows Mary Emma Price aged 1 year living in Frog Hall Baswich with parents George Price aged 30 working as a Millar born Salop Rindleford. Emma Mary aged 22 was a housewife born Cheswardine Market Drayton. 

The 1881 census shows Mary Emma now 11 living at 193 May Street Newcastle Under Lyme with both her parents and siblings Elizabeth aged 9 George Lea aged 6, Martha aged 3 and John aged 1 month. 

The 1891 census shows 21 year old Mary Emma working as a Machinist living with both her parents , her father George now working as a publican. Her siblings George Lea aged 16 Martha 13 John 10 Thomas 6 and Miriam 3 .

 After their wedding George and Mary Emma Cliffe can be found on the 1901 census living at 39 Stoke  Road Hartshill, George Cliffe working as a potters slip maker aged 34 Mary. Emma not in employment aged 31 their daughter Mary Emma age 4 and George age 3 and one boarder Emma's brother George L Price age 26 working as Potters china presser. 

The 1911 Census records George Cliffe age 44  Emma Mary age 41 George Cliffe age 13  a t school , Emma Mary age 14  a Apprentice Dressmaker, a further brother John Price Cliffe aged 6 and a relative Samuel Peake aged 26, a Bricklayer, born Newcastle Staffs all living at 642 Hartshill Road, Hartshill. George senior is still a Potters Slip Maker. On the 1st of November 1911 further child Thomas Richard was born .  

Service papers for George Cliffe provide us with a brief history of his military service. We are informed that he enlisted at Lichfield on the 23rd May 1916 when his given address is 642 Hartshill Road, Hartshill. His occupation is a Block Printer. He was allocated service number 45610 and posted as a Private to ‘D’ Company of the 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment. 

He entered the Western Front on the 6th October 1917 He was then recorded as being killed in action on the 2nd December 1917 The battalion war diary for that date tells us his battalion were in the front lines near Ypres, Belgium. Specifically at a place called Norfolk Farm which held the battalion HQ.  There is no record of fighting however on this day there were 6 ordinary ranks killed, most likely a result of enemy shelling. 

 For his service he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. 

 His death is reported in the Staffordshire Sentinel on 2 occasions. Firstly in a list of casualties dated 10th January 1918 and secondly on the 26th December 1917 where a brief article tells us he was the son of Mr and Mrs George Cliffe of 642 Hartshill Road and prior to enlistment George had worked at Messrs Doulton, Burslem. 

The WW1 Pension cards show his next of kin as Mary Emma Cliffe  of 642 Hartshill Road, Hartshill, tragically his father George Cliffe senior had died of TB on Christmas Eve 1917. Leaving Mary Emma and her remaining children grieving for both Husband and Son, Father and Brother. 

 George is remembered on the Tyne Cot Cemetery memorial panels 124-125 as well as on the Hartshill War Memorial. George is also lovingly remembered on a family headstone in Hartshill Cemetery. 

The 1921 census shows George’s widowed Mother Mary Emma  now aged 51 living at 642 Hartshill Road with Mary Emma aged 25 years working as a dressmaker, 16 year old John Price Cliffe working as an apprentice bricklayer, 9 year old Thomas Richard and 23 year old border William Arthur Brooke working as a  railway clerk.

 The 1939 register shows widowed Mary Emma Cliffe living at 29 Minton Street with single daughter Mary Emma still working as  dressmaker and single son Thomas Richard working as a builders  foreman and ARP warden duties. 

John Price Cliffe married Elsie May Atkins on the 14th August 1937 and twins John and Derek were born in 1940 . 

Thomas Richard Cliffe married Doris Ecclestone 25th October  1941 in Hartshill Stoke on Trent.  

Sources: 

Parents marriage : Ancestry.com. England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

G. Cliffe Birth and Christening : Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Christening Index, 1530-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.

1871 census: Ancestry UK

1881 census: Ancestry UK

1891 census: Ancestry UK 

1901 Census : Class: RG13; Piece: 2610; Folio: 73; Page: 37

1911 census The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911

Private George Cliffe | War Casualty Details 1629050 | CWGC 

1921 census The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; 1921 Census Returns; Reference: RG 15/12684, ED 3, Sch 323; Book: 12684

1939 register The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/5299A

Service records for TR Cliffe :The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; War Office: The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Other Ranks: Service Records; Reference Number: WO 420/960