Drew, George

Singer

Collection date: Mar 1907

Area: Gloucestershire

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George Drew at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Glos (1843-1910): age 65, 1 song on 28 March 1907: George Drew sang a version of ‘The Unquiet Grave’ FT1268 (Click vwml link above). He was baptised on 5/2/1843 at Broadwell church, eldest child of John Drew, labourer and his wife Mary of Holwell village. Holwell is a village just across the county border, 3 miles south of Burford in Oxfordshire. George’s father died in January 1848 and his mother Mary was on parish relief in the 1851 census at Taynton village, looking after 3 young children.

George soon moved out to support himself as an agricultural labourer and married Elizabeth James on 27/6/1869 at Moreton-in-the-Marsh. Elizabeth was born in Moreton-in-the-Marsh and that is where the couple set up home in 1871 census. According to the 1911 census (RG14/188860) Elizabeth stated that she had borne 9 children, of whom only 2 (Arthur and Mary Ann) survived into adulthood – a rather distressing situation which makes George’s choice of ‘The Unquiet Grave’ particularly poignant perhaps. George Drew worked as a platelayer for the Great Western Railway according to the 1901 census (RG13/2946 f103 p16). He died January qr 1910 aged 67 (6d 433).