Updates - Cookstown War Dead

Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch

Updates for 2nd Lieutenant George Henry Powell

Date	Information

01/05/2020	02266
29/01/2017	Second Lieutenant George Henry Powell, Machine Gun Corps, killed in action on 29th April, was the only surviving son of the late Dr. G H Powell and Mrs Powell, Cookstown. He received a commission on 25th October 1916.
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29/01/2017	From the Belfast Newsletter dated 11th May 1917:
30/12/2015	2nd Lieutenant George Henry Powell joined he joined the 14th London Regiment as Pte. Number 2431. George transferred to Machine Gun Corp on 24th October 1916. George had been in France from 24th November 1916.
30/12/2015	Dr. George Henry Powell was the Medical Doctor in Toomevara, Nenagh district for 14 years. He died September 12th 1896. in Toomevara, Nenagh,
30/12/2015	Family: George Henry Powell (born 22 Apr 1857, died 12 Sep 1896), Susan McCutcheon Powell (born 25 Oct 1854), Charlotte Powell (born 18 Dec 1882), George Henry Powell (born 20 Jan 1884), Thomas Powell (born 21 Mar 1885, died 25 May 1885), James Powell (born 25 Jan 1887), Frances Powell (born 04 Jun 1889).
30/12/2015	George’s mother, Mrs. Susan Powell, moved to live in Cookstown after the death of her husband.
30/12/2015	George Henry Powell was educated in Cork.
30/12/2015	George Powell moved to live in the Dublin Working Boys’ Home and Harding Technical School at Lord Edward Street, Dublin on the 12th November 1898. He was 14 years old. He was originally employed as a clerk working for Messrs Beckett, earning 3 shillings per week.
30/12/2015	The 1901 census shows George Henry Powell to be still living at the Dublin Working Boys’ Home and Harding Technical School at Lord Edward Street, Dublin. He was 17 years old. He was now working as a stationer.
30/12/2015	George was not deaf, but the Dublin Working Boys' Home was mentioned on the irishdeafhistory.com website: and in the book, "The Avenue" by Rachel Pollard for the primary reason that a few male former pupils of the Claremont Institution for the Deaf were sent to Dublin Working Boys' Home for lodgings while apprenticed in Dublin.
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30/12/2015	The 1901 census shows Susan Powell living in William Street Cookstown. She was working as a district nurse. While she had indeed qualified as a practicing nurse, she had done no nursing at all from 1882, when she married Dr. Powell, until after his death in 1896.
30/12/2015	George Henry Powell was the son of Mr. George Henry Powell M.D. and Susan McCutcheon Powell. George was born on 20th January 1884 in Nenagh, County Tipperary.
30/12/2015	The 1911 census shows Susan Powell now living in the Burn Road, around the corner from William Street. She was still working as a nurse.
30/12/2015	2nd Lieutenant George Henry Powell was killed in action on 29th April 1917. George was 33 years old. The CWGC incorrectly lists him as 27 years old.
30/12/2015	He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay 10.
30/12/2015	It is believed that 2nd Lieutenant George Henry Powell nor any of his brothers or sisters ever lived in Cookstown, which would explain why he is not listed on any of the local memorials.
30/12/2015	Susan Powell appears to have died in England in 1939.
30/12/2015	Email from Rachel Pollard, 18 June 2013
30/12/2015	“I checked the DWBH register book and I am pleased to confirm that George Henry Powell, as mentioned in the document from the website, cookstownwardead.co.uk, was indeed a resident in the Dublin Working Boys's Home. The details are as follows: No. 745 // Date of Admission: 12th November 1898 / Name: Powell, George Henry // Age: 14. // Last Birthday: 20th January (1884) // Place of Birth: Nenagh // Where educated: Cork // Employment: Clerk // Wages: 3 shillings per week // Employer's Name: Messrs Beckett // Parents living? Mother. This person was not deaf, but the Dublin Working Boys' Home was mentioned on our website: irishdeafhistory.com and in my book, "The Avenue" for the primary reason that a few male former pupils of the Claremont Institution for the Deaf were sent to Dublin Working Boys' Home for lodgings while apprenticed in Dublin. I am not sure if there is a memorial plaque in memory of the dead soldiers/ex-residents. Many thanks for sharing the wonderful and interesting piece of history involving the "Harding". Best wishes, Rachel Pollard Researcher / Author: "The Avenue" Website: irishdeafhistory.com”
30/12/2015	Email from C Wood, 18 June 2013
30/12/2015	“Some of the information in the site was obviously taken from my research into the Powell family. However, there are some inaccuracies in the Further Information Section. Dr. George Powell was not survived by his 5 children, rather his son Thomas had died on 25 May 1885 at the age of just 2 months. The remaining 4 children did survive Dr. Powell. (inaccuracies corrected). What we have never been able to figure out is why Susan wound up in Cookstown. While she had indeed qualified as a practicing nurse, she had done no nursing at all from 1882, when she married Dr. Powell, until after his death in 1896. It has always been a family puzzle as to why she would have gone to Cookstown, as both her family and Dr. Powell's family were fairly well off, and there would have been no need for her to return to the nursing profession to support herself or the children. We can only assume she did so out of a dedication to the profession. But why Cookstown, so far from her own roots and the roots of her children. Additionally, it appears that the children never lived in Cookstown with her, as we've surviving family records that place the children in school in Dublin or with other family members from roughly 1897 onwards. We've also always wondered at how long Susan remained in the Cookstown area, as it appears she died in England in 1939! So, several family puzzles abound! The remaining children left no descendants themselves for us to ask!”
30/12/2015	There lies a mystery as to why Susan wound up in Cookstown. While she had indeed qualified as a practicing nurse, she had done no nursing at all from 1882, when she married Dr. Powell, until after his death in 1896. It has always been a family puzzle as to why she would have gone to Cookstown, as both her family and Dr. Powell's family were fairly well off, and there would have been no need for her to return to the nursing profession to support herself or the children. We can only assume she did so out of a dedication to the profession. But why Cookstown, so far from her own roots and the roots of her children. Additionally, it appears that the children never lived in Cookstown with her, as we've surviving family records that place the children in school in Dublin or with other family members from roughly 1897 onwards.