George Henry Downer

Company Serjeant Major George Henry Downer – Royal Garrison Artillery

Early Life

George Henry Downer was born in 1859, originally registered under the surname Butcher. He was the son of Charles Butcher and Ann Wickens, who had married in 1843.

1861 Census

The 1861 Census records the family living at 2 Prussia Cottage, Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight. Charles, aged 42, was working as a milliner, while Ann, 39, earned her living as a laundress. Their eldest daughter, Louisa, 17, also worked as a laundress. Other children at home included Emily, 9, and Mary Ann, 8, both attending school. George, the youngest, was just one year old. The household also included Charles Holbrook, a 13-year-old nephew employed as a farm labourer, and James Harwood, a 74-year-old lodger, also working as a farm labourer.

1871 Census

By the 1871 Census, the family had changed their surname to Downer. They were then living at Frecluice Cottage, Carisbrooke. Charles, 51, was recorded as a labourer, and Ann, 49, kept the home. George, then aged 12, was already working as a labourer, an early start to working life that was typical of the era.

Military Career and Marriage

George enlisted with the 7th (Mountain) Battery, 1st Brigade, Northern Division, Royal Artillery, and saw action in the Third Burmese War (1885–1887). His career in the army would shape much of his life.

1891 Census

While serving in India, George married Agnes Emily Dyer in 1890 at Simla, Bengal. By the time of the 1891 Census, George and Agnes had returned to Britain, settling at 345 Burrows Road, Swansea. George, then aged 32, was recorded as a pensioner of the Royal Artillery, while Agnes was 24. They had one son, six-month-old Mervyn.

1901 Census

The 1901 Census records George, aged 42, living at 7 Marlborough Road, Brynmill. He was listed as a Company Serjeant Major, Royal Artillery. Agnes was 32, and their children were Mervyn George (10), Joseph (6), Vera (4), and Charles (2). Also in the household was George’s father-in-law, Frank Dyer, a 73-year-old widower.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, George, then 52, was living at 29 Alexandra Terrace, Brynmill. His occupation was recorded as Army Pensioner, Labourer at Safety Fuse Works. Agnes, 43, was keeping the household, and their children were Vera Pauline (16), Aubrey Francis Charles (12), Arthur Wilfred (7), Isabel Mary (4), and Leonard Hugh (2). Also, present was Agnes Martha Silly Dyer, a 76-year-old aunt recorded as a Pensioner, Board of Education.

Return to Service in the First World War

Attestation Papers

Despite his age, George returned to uniform during the First World War, enlisting once more with the Royal Garrison Artillery. His long experience made him a valuable addition to the corps at a time when manpower was stretched thin.

Death and Burial

George Henry Downer died on 24^th of February 1919, aged about 60. His death came only a few months after the armistice, part of the tragic wave of post-war casualties whose service extended beyond the battlefield.

George Henry Downer
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

He was buried with full military honours at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea. The funeral reflected his long and distinguished service, both in the British Empire overseas and later in the Great War.

Legacy

George’s story bridges the Victorian and modern eras of the British Army. From the campaigns in Burma to the battlefields of the First World War, his service spanned decades and continents. His grave at Danygraig not only marks his own sacrifice but also reminds us of the older generation of soldiers who returned to serve again, even after long careers, and who paid the ultimate price in the aftermath of war.