George Robert Playfair was born in Hampshire (Southsea or Portsea) in 1869, the son of John and Sarah Playfair. John was born in Ireland and had served as a soldier.
George enlisted in the Garrison Artillery in 1887 and rose to the rank of SQMS. He transferred to the Ordnance Corps in 1900 with the rank of Sub-Conductor (Warrant Officer).
In the 1901 census, he is listed as a Sub-Conductor. The 3 eldest children (ages 7, 6 and 4) all listed as born in Nova Scotia; the youngest child (aged 2) is listed as born in Devonport.
George appears to have been a Conductor in 1902
http://www.rlc-condu...torPlayFile.pdf
In 1908, he moves from Conductor to Assistant Commissary of Ordnance/Lt :
http://www.london-ga...s/8544/page.pdf
In 1911, he is in Dublin, with 2 additional children (1 born England aged 9, 1 born Dublin age 1). He appears to have been the Superintendent at the Royal Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park, Dublin.
His Medal Index Card, shows he entered a theatre of war (presume France) 13th August 1914. Ranks are listed as Hon Lt, Hon Capt, Hon Maj and then Capt. Address is shown as Room 169, War Office, London SW1
In June 1916 he appears in the London Gazette as Honorary Captain for the award of a Military Cross but no information so far about what the MC was awarded for. While George was in France, his eldest son George Alexander Playfair (aged 23) was shot during the Easter Rising and died of his wounds, 29th April 1916.
http://www.london-ga...upplements/5576
In August 1918, he is DCO (Deputy Commissary of Ordnance) and Captain; steps down from Honorary Major and role of C of O (Commissary of Ordnance?)
http://www.london-ga...upplements/9545
In May 1922, he is a C of O and Major once again
http://www.london-ga...upplements/3857
George was posted to Sierra Leone in July 1922 but appears to have died of heart failure in August 1922. He is buried in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
http://twgpp.org/inf....php?id=2109312
Hello, really pleased to find out all of this information! George Robert Playfair is my great grandfather. My son's history homework was to find out about any relatives who served during WW1 and this is amazing! I have a picture of him if this is of interest to you. Are you a relative? Thanks, Bonnie :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie. Thanks for taking the time to add a comment.
DeleteI'm not a relative, just a WW1/Easter Rising hobbyist.
Yes please to the picture if that's not too much trouble. My email address is doylejsd@gmail.com.
Johnny Doyle
Hi Johnny/Bonnie - George Robert Playfair is also my great grandfather - I have been doing some ancestry tracing. My grandfather Gerald Charles was one of his children. I would be very interested in speaking with Bonnie - do you have her e-mail address. Also she mentioned a picture - All of my dads family pictures were burned in a farm fire when he was very young and it would be great to have a picture of my Great Grandfather. Any help would be appreciated. Diane Chester (formely Playfair) my email address is ganaraskaranch@yahoo.ca
DeleteHi Bonnie,
DeleteI replied to this e-mail sometime ago, and did not hear anything. Perhaps you or Johnny Doyle did not receive it. George Robert Playfair was also my Great Grandfather. My father Lloyd Alexander was the son of Gerald Playfair, who originally was thought to be the child who died in the Easter Rising of 1916. I have been trying to trace as much of my ancestry as possible, and you mentioned you have a picture of our Great Grandfather. I would really like to connect with you to talk more about our family. You can e-mail me at ganaraskaranch@yahoo.ca. I do not know if you live in Canada but my phone number is 705-277-9929. Would really love to hear from you. Diane Chester (Playfair).