George Avis was born, 14 April 1853, in Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, to Thomas Avis & Sarah Shepherd.
In 1871 George was a servant baker living with Henry Pond and his family in Newmarket, Suffolk. Living in Windhill and working as a baker, George married Elizabeth Chapman, 14 April 1872. She was born, 1 November 1853, in Bury St. Edmonds. They had 11 children. In 1881 they were living at 32 Aire Street, Windhill, with George working as a drayman. In 1891 they were living at 24 Jane Street, Saltaire with George working as a warehouseman.
They lost their daughter, Ivy Evelyn, when she died, 31 March 1899, aged just seven. She was buried in Nab Wood Cemetery, Shipley. In 1901 the family where living at 71 George Street, Saltaire, with George working as a warehouseman. They lost their daughter, Clarice Mabel, when she died 31 October 1901 aged just three years and seven months. She was buried with her sister. George died 18 November 1901.
Report in the Shipley Times 22 November: -
Sudden Death at Saltaire.
An inquest was held on Tuesday (19 November) afternoon, at Sir Titus Salt's Hospital, before Mr Coroner Hill, on the body of George Avis, aged 49 years, warehouseman, of 71 George Street, Saltaire.
From the evidence given it appeared that the deceased had never had occasion to call in a doctor and had not complained of feeling unwell except during the last three weeks. Recently a daughter died, which seems to have preyed on his mind somewhat, and he had been very depressed.
He left home on Monday (18 November) morning, about 9 a.m. and returned just after 7 in the evening, His wife asked him if he would have his tea, when he replied that he had had it, but as his clothes were rather wet he would go upstairs and change them. Accordingly he went upstairs, and after he had been absent about hour Mrs Avis sent a child to see if her husband had changed his mind and gone to bed. The child came down and told her mother that father was on the bedroom floor. Mrs Avis at once went upstairs and found her husband laid on his back on the floor, quite dead, and all that he had done was just to unbutton his waistcoat, so that he must have fallen almost immediately after getting upstairs.
Dr Emerson was sent for but being out at the time he arrived in about half-an-hour, but all he could do was to pronounce life extinct. The doctor stated that the excessive grief of the deceased on the death of his child might have aggravated the disease of the heart from which he might be suffering, and thus have accelerated death, which in the doctor’s opinion was due to syncope. Dr. Emerson said he was quite sure that deceased had not caused his own death.
The jury were satisfied that death had taken place from natural causes and returned a verdict that effect.
George was buried in Nab Wood Cemetery alongside his two daughters. By 1929 his was widow was living at 3 East View Terrace, Otley. She died here, 5 March 1940, and joined George and their daughters. In her will she left £1,717 10s 7d.
Two of their spinster daughters were buried with them when they died at 3 East View Terrace – Sarah Elizabeth, 10 May 1960, aged 87 and Edith Mary, 18 August 1961, aged 78.
