George Sydney was the son of Joseph Turton and Sarah Turton née Collyer.
George's father Joseph was born in 1850 in Calverton, the son of George, a framework knitter, and his wife Dinah. Before his marriage, Joseph lived with his family, first at Bottom Buildings (1851), Calverton, and then on Main Street. George's mother Sarah Collyer was also born in Calverton, birth registered 1844 (J/F/M Basford). She was the daughter of John Collyer, a builder, and his wife Sarah (nee Windle) and lived in Calverton with her family until her marriage.
Joseph and Sarah were married in 1873 (O/N/D Nottingham) and had five children: Sarah Frances b. Calverton 31 July 1874 (J/A/S Basford) bap. 29 March 1904 St Laurence Long Eaton, John (Jack) Roderick b. Calverton 24 July 1875 (J/A/S Basford), Eleanor Mary b. Bulwell birth registered 1877 (J/F/M Basford) bap. 9 April 1905 St Laurence Long Eaton, George Sidney b. Bulwell 1878 (J/A/S Basford) and Mabel b. Basford 1881 (A/M/J Basford) bap. 29 March 1904 St Laurence Long Eaton.
In 1881 Joseph (30) a builder, and Sarah (36) were living at the Manor House, Bulwell, Basford, with their four children, Sarah Frances (6), John Roderick (5), Eleanor Mary (4) and George Sydney (2).
The family had moved to Vernon Road, Basford, by 1891. Joseph (40) was still working as a builder. Joseph and Sarah's five children were in the home on the night of the census: Sarah (16), John (15) Eleanor (14), George (12) and Mabel (9); all the children were still attending school.
The eldest child, Sarah Frances, married Robert William Roberts in 1900 (J/F/M Shardlow) at St Laurence church, Long Eaton. Her husband was born in Chesterfield in 1875 (O/N/D Chesterfield/Jones).
Joseph died on 30 March 1899 aged 48 and in 1901 his widow, Sarah (57), was living at 169 Station Road, Long Eaton, Derbyshire. She was living on her own means. Also in the home on the night of the census were her married daughter Sarah (26) and son-in-law Robert (25), a lace draughtsman, and her youngest daughter Mabel (19) of no occupation. Also in the household was a boarder, Fred Bairstow (23) b. Leeds, a bank clerk.
George and his brother John have not yet been traced on the 1901 and 1911 Census. It is possible that John joined the army in 1896 while George joined the Sherwood Foresters in March 1900 and later emigrated to Canada.
Sarah was still living at 169 Station Road in 1911 with her two unmarried daughters, Eleanor (34) and Mabel (29); neither of whom was employed. Also in the household was a boarder, Matthew Strangeham (31) b. Oxton Cheshire, a bank clerk.
The CWGC record also gives Sarah's address as 169 Station Road, Long Eaton.
Sarah died on 29 February 1928 aged 84. She was then living at 6 Grange Road, Long Eaton. Administration of her will was awarded to her son John and daughters Sarah and Mabel. Both Joseph and Sarah were buried in Calverton where they were born.
Of George's siblings:
Sarah Frances (Roberts) was living at 23 Walton Street, Long Eaton, in 1911 with her husband Robert William (36), a Leivers lace draughtsman, and their daughter Frances Winifred (3, b. 29 August 1907, bap. 25 September 1907 St Laurence Long Eaton). Robert died aged 63 in 1939 (Long Eaton) and at the time of the England & Wales Register of 1939 his widow and her daughter Frances, an uncertificated infant teacher, were living at 159 Station Road, Long Eaton. Sarah died on 19 July 1944; she was still living at Grange View, 159 Station Road. Her daughter Frances Winifred died unmarried in 1993 (O/N/D Ilkeston Derbyshire).
John Roderick probably enlisted in the Yorkshire Regiment (5207) in 1896 when he was 21 years old and later served in France in the war. He married Elsie Redford (b. 26 March 1896) in 1919 (O/N/D Shardlow Derbyshire) and in 1939 they were living at . John was working as a joiner and builder. Also in the household were their three daughters: Elsie (b. 29 September 1920) and Margaret A. (b. 19 November 1922) who were both tobacco workers at John Players, and Doreen M. (b. 21 March 1925) an office girl. There was also probably a son, Roderick George Allan b. 1927 (J/A/S Bourne Lincolnshire/Redford, d. 10 October 2014/2014 Nottingham). John died on 17 April 1958; his home address was then 11 Roderick Street, Basford. His wife survived him.
Eleanor Mary and Mabel have not yet been traced after 1911 although Mabel was an executor of her mother's will in 1928.