George Mount, 1851-1923
George Mount is mentioned in a column by ‘Felix’ in the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald of 8th September 1923:
A Real Old Timer
There has recently passed away at 154,High Street, Cheriton, in the person of Mr. George Mount, a somewhat remarkable man. He first saw the light of day in a little cottage on the slopes of the hillside near the chalk pit at Newington. During the seventy-two years that he lived Mr. Mount was for the most part an agricultural labourer, his last employer being Mr. Church, builder, of Cheriton. But “good old George,” as he was popularly known, had more than local fame. He was indeed known over a wide area of East Kent. He had one great hobby—and a good one too. Although in a humble walk of life, he formed a taste for following the hounds. To listen to the huntsman’s horn on a cold and frosty morning was often too much for George. Hunting on foot was in his blood.
“The dusky night rides down the sky and ushers in the morn,
The hounds all join in glorious cry,
The huntsman winds his horn
When a hunting we do go”1Old George Mount, when he heard the sound of the horn, has been known to “down tools” and run off to follow the quarry on foot, such was his passion in this respect. Over hill or dale, through dense thicket, or on the breezy upland, there our friend would make his way in all weathers, and, what was more, with his knowledge of devious paths and short cuts he would generally manage somehow or other to get in “at the death,” even if it had been a fast run across country for the hounds. Not for thirty years did old George miss a meet of the Foxhounds at Elham. Successive masters of the Hunt and also its prominent members have in turn greeted George as a humble supporter. He had no peer for cross country travel in these parts perhaps, with the exception of Captain D’Aeth, who was also a great supporter of the Hunt and a mighty walker, with a big stride into the bargain. What George did not know about foxes and their habits was not worth knowing.
Rollicking Songs.
Well I recall the old fellow too singing at those old-time harvest home suppers given to their men by Alderman Quested, J.P., and Mr. F. Graves. It did not matter if after the cloth had been removed professional singers came on the scene; it was George Mount’s songs that were the gems of the evening. After I had listened perhaps a day or two previously to singers of world-wide reputation, it was a change indeed to listen to some of our hero’s efforts. One of these was known as “The Shop-walker.” It had just forty verses, each with a refrain. At times old George’s memory would play tricks with him, and when he had arrived at, say the twentieth verse, he often broke down. No, the words would not come. Then a voice would probably be heard: “Go back twenty verses,” and old George would go back as desired and start afresh. There was another ditty too entitled: “I’ll sing you one, O.” That also was a long effort. But perhaps his greatest success was “The Cuckoo,” and the manner he gave effect with his strident voice to the following lines was something to remember:
“The cuckoo is a pretty bird,
She sings as she flies;
She brings us good tidings,
And tells us no lies.
She sucks little birds’ eggs
To make her voice clear;
She never sings ‘Cuckoo,’
Till summer is near.”
George Mount was baptised at St Martin’s, Cheriton, on 28th September 1851. He was the first child of Mary, née Fisher, and George, who been listed in the census that year as “Bricklayer employing 2 men”. The couple lived at Limekiln Cottage, Danton, near Cheriton. The 1861 census shows George Senior was working as a gamekeeper, living on Cheriton Hill. Two more sons are shown on the census return, but in fact there was another son, Richard, just a baby, who was being looked after by William and Harriet Bailey at Otteringe. George was now a widower, Mary having died earlier in the year – possibly in childbirth. The household in Cheriton included his sister-in-law Ann Clayson, who was shown as house keeper, her young son George, and a niece, Sarah Fisher.
George remarried in 1867. His new bride was Harriet Harman, herself a widow, whose maiden name was Taylor. At the time of the 1971 census the family was living at Denton Pinch, Cheriton. There were four sons from George’s first marriage, one from his marriage to Harriet, and another from Harriet’s previous marriage. George Senior’s occupation was now builder; George Junior, now 19, and his 17 year old brother Charles were both working as bricklayer’s labourers, presumably for their father.
In the summer of 1872 George Junior married Eliza Taylor, and they had two daughters, Rosa and Eliza. George’s wife Eliza died in 1876, again, quite possibly in childbirth. George was married again on 15th October 1877, at St Mary the Virgin, Elham, to Mary Jane Raines. By 1881 they had set up house at Bank House, Newington Next Hythe, with two year old Georgina joining the two daughters from George’s first marriage. George was now working as an agricultural labourer.
In 1891 George’s occupation was “General labourer”. The family has grown again – one daughter and four sons are living in their home at Uphill Cottage, Uphill, near Hawkinge. By the start of the twentieth century the family had moved back to Cheriton, and George had returned to the building trade. In 1901, with another two daughters and a son, he was working as a carpenter’s labourer, living at 9 Park Road, Cheriton. His 16 year old son Sidney was also a carpenter’s labourer.
In 1911 and 1921 George and Mary were living at 154 High Street, Cheriton. In 1911 George was shown as “Labourer brickyard”, in 1921 his occupation was given as “General labour”, employed – as stated in the newspaper article quoted above – by Mr Church, Builder, High Street Cheriton.
He died at the age of 71, and was buried on 10th August 1923, in the church where he had been baptised, St Martin’s, Cheriton. The article by ‘Felix’ in the Folkestone Herald for 8th September 1923 concluded
George loved the hunt above all things, and he loved his fellow men. No millionaire ever got more innocent enjoyment out of his existence than good old George Mount, and because he has now passed away, there is one less cheery soul in the world. He was laid to rest where he would wish to be, in the shadow of those hills he loved in life so well. With his widow and seven children considerable sympathy is expressed. Two of his sons, I may say, laid down their lives in the Great War.
Songs
- The Cuckoo (Roud 413)
- I’ll sing you one, O (Roud 133)
- The Shop-walker (Roud V29204)
- Verse written by Henry Fielding (1707-54), from Don Quixote in England (1733) Act 2, Scene 5 ↩︎
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