Sergeant Major George Hare Lister

57th Foot / Army Ordnance Corps

Born about October 1858 in Gateshead, Co. Durham to George and Sarah . (Records show aged 58 and 8 months on 12th May 1917)

1878 Married Caroline Bagshaw (nee Wadhams)? On 24th June 1878 at Gillingham Kent (aged 21). This is Caroline’s second marriage.

1891 living at Grosvenor Road, Heston, Hounslow, Middlesex with Ann Bagshaw Step daughter (18) and William F Bagshaw (stepson) 14, Jane Ane Hare Lister (11) and Emma May Hare Lister (5) and Edith Bertha (3). Niece Selina A Wadham is also resident (14)

He married Caroline Bagshaw (nee Wadhams – her 2nd marriage) in Gillingham, Kent 24th June 1878 and subsequently had 3 children. Jane b.1880, Emma b.1886, Edith b.1888. They also had an adopted child, George b.1893.

In 1886, the family are posted to Calcutta as he was initiated into Freemasonry out there. The photograph shows the family in Calcutta dated 1889 . • Caroline Wadhams (b.1849), formerly Bagshaw • Daughter of John Wadhams & Elizabeth Ann Heathcote of Gillingham, Kent • second husband, Sergeant Armourer George Hare-Lister. • Her children are (left to right, standing): • Jane Hare-Lister (b.1880), Ann Bagshaw (b.1873), • Selina Elizabeth Bagshaw (b.1874) • (seated at left): Emma Hare-Lister (b.1886) • (seated on lap): Edith Hare-Lister (b.1888)

1903 onwards Comrades Lodge records show his residence in 1903 as 73, Wimpole Road, Colchester, but he moved between that time and 1907 to 32, Bourne Road, Colchester.

By 1907, upon discharge from the Army he was already residing at 3 Millbrook Road, Lowes, Edmonton N. with wife Caroline (60), daughters Emma May Hare (25) and Edith Bertha Hare (23), both dressmakers. Also living here is adopted son, George Fred Huggins Lister (18) He is listed as a Capstan Mechanic.

The family are together on the 1911, but Caroline died later that year.

George then married Fanny Paye on 1st June 1914 in Waltham Cross. George died 21st January 1930 in Rochford Hospital. His beneficiaries were his wife Fanny and his daughter Edith.

Military:

A short term attestation record exists amended to 1 Year of Colours service showing previously served until 8th August 1907, discharged at Colchester, and was an Army Pensioner. He had received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and his character is described as exemplary.

His service record shows him joining again, aged 56, with an annotation that he permits a third of his pay to go to his wife and family from date of enlistment (1914). It is the mark of a man that, after a full military career, that at the start of WW1 he is standing up to be counted. His skill as an Armourer is evidently required and, even though he was under Home duties, he served through the majority of the War. At the time of completing service he was about 59 which is, in military terms, very old indeed.

By April 1917, he had become ill and his medical record show this, leading to his discharge in May. Upon this final discharge he is granted a gratuity of £30, which is in addition to a life pension.

Masonic

He was a petitioner and Founder of Comrades Lodge and its first Worshipful Master, shortly followed by his petition of another Comrades Lodge. I think he must have had some say about the formation of Comrades Lodge in Colchester, when he was, or had been a member of an “original” Comrades Lodge (which still meets in Great Queen Street). He is one of the 25 petitioners not named individually on the Comrades Lodge No. 2976 Warrant of Constitution.

He must have been a Past Master of Noel Lodge as he is promoted in that Province to PPGSwdB (Surrey). By virtue of the fact that he was the first master of Comrades No. 2740, he was Past Master of that Lodge also.