GEORGE MANSON PHILLIPS (30 MARCH 1891 – 27 OCTOBER 1915)

George was born at 5 East Bridge Street, Perth on the 30th of March 1891. He was the second eldest of four sons born to Jane (Jeannie) Manson and James Phillips. James was employed as a domestic coachman.

By the time the 1901 census was taken the family had moved to Brahan Cottage, Tibbermore in Perthshire. James continued working as a domestic coachman while George and his brothers William, James and David all attended the local school. On the 8th September 1906 Georges’ father, James Wilkie Phillips, died of ‘Heatstroke – 9 days and Acute Yellow Atrophy – 5 days’. It was William, George’s elder brother, who, at 16 years of age, notified his father’s death.

The family then made the move to St Quivox, Ayrshire, the place of Jane’s birth, and in 1911 Jane and two of her sons, George and James, are recorded as living at 40 Main Street, St Quivox. James, who is 16 years old, was working as a van boy while his elder brother George was noted to be a Drapers Assistant, aged 19 years.

On the 3rd of January 1912 George, who claimed to be 21 years old when in fact he was only 20years, married Helen Scott, a 21-year-old dressmaker. At the time of their marriage George was living in Bearsden and still working as a Drapers Assistant. They were married by the Rev. Marcus Dill, minister of Alloway, at The Orchard, Alloway, Helen’s home address.

The couple had two daughters. Violet Helenore Scott Phillips was born on the 1st April 1913 in Buckhaven, Fife while her sister, Lilian Manson Phillips, was born on the 18th of August 1914 in Leith. Their father George by now had risen to become a Clothier.

George enlisted in the Private Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line, 1st Battalion of the Lovat Scouts in Edinburgh. He became known as Private Phillips, 2459.

He was 24 years old when he died of his wounds in Egypt and was buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Cemetery, grave ref. F13.

The following was printed in the Ayr Advertiser and Galloway Journal on the 2nd December 1915.

‘Mrs Phillips, The Orchard, Alloway, has received unofficial intimation that her husband, Trooper George Manson Phillips, Lovat’s Scouts, died of his wounds on, October 27. Trooper Phillips was the second son of the late Mr Jas. W. Phillips, and of Mrs Phillips, Whitletts. He enlisted in Lovat’s Scouts in October, 1914, and was drafted to the Dardanelles early in September last. He was wounded on October 21, and was put on board a hospital ship the following day, suffering from a fractured thigh, and a very severe wound. He was taken to the 21st General Hospital, Alexandria, on October 26, and died the next evening at seven, being in a very weak and exhausted condition when admitted there. He was 24 years of age, and prior to the war was employed by Messrs J. W. Manclark and Sons, clothiers, Leith.'

George is also remembered on the grave marker of his wife Helen’s family in Alloway cemetery, grave ref. P3, although his age is noted to be 25 years – perhaps he never did lose that year he gained on his wedding day! His wife ‘Nellie’ is also buried there. She remained in Ayr all her life and in 1930 was still living in the home on Craigie Avenue that is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves site.

Poignantly George’s grave marker in Egypt bears the inscription ‘Regretted by Mother, Nell, Violet and Lily’.

Note: 1. Violet died in Ayr in 1997, aged 84 years. She married David Muir Stewart Irving in 1939 and they had two children, Helenore Scott Irving, born in Ayr in 1943, and David Muir Irving, born in the district of Monkton and Prestwick in 1947. Violet’s husband David died in 1983, aged 71 years.