SIR GEORGE MOODY - THE FATHER OF CLEETHORPES

Post date: Nov 21, 2016 4:43:50 PM

“Sir George Moody, whose funeral took place yesterday, was one of the men who made modern Cleethorpes. Like so many of his fellow townsmen, his interests were in the Grimsby fishing industry, but they never became Grimbarians. The true “Meggie” as Cleethorpes natives are known, would as soon think of moving over the border into Grimsby as a Jew would of returning to Germany to-day. Sir George Moody held practically every public office open to him, and perhaps the happiest day in his long life – all of which he thoroughly enjoyed – was when Cleethorpes received its charter of incorporation as a borough, which put an end to fears that some day Grimsby would succeed in extending its borders to include Cleethorpes.”

TELEGRAPH AND INDEPENDENT – 26 SEPTEMBER 1939

George Edward James Moody (pictured left) was born in the last quarter of 1859 in Cleethorpes, the son of Walker Moody (1823-1888) and Catherine Bancroft (1822-1904), and was christened at Old Clee Church on 29 January 1860. He was the second son, older brother Frederick (1858-1915) having arrived the previous year, but was born into a very female-dominated household, having five older sisters, Sarah Jane (1846-1860), Ann Elizabeth (1849-1934), Ellen (1850-1907), Emma (1853-1931) and Fanny (1855-1936), with two more to follow, Alice (1864-1932) and Clara (1866-1914).

George’s father Walker Moody had started out as an agricultural labourer in Gayton-le-Wold, but moved to Cleethorpes in the 1840s, becoming a fisherman. He lived in Ranter’s Row (later Primitive Row) in Cambridge Street in the 1850s, but the family’s eventual long-term home was 28 Albert Road (originally Albert Street). In the mid-1850s he was an oyster dealer and carter and directories transcribed by the late local historian Betty Watkinson describe him as a fish merchant from the early 1860s. Despite being poorly educated, he became a highly successful businessman, operating grocery and basket making businesses and becoming a fishing smack owner. He was the chairman of the Great Grimsby Steam Trawling Co.Ltd, when it was incorporated in 1881.

In the early 1880s, he divided his businesses and the fish merchant side was sold to his sons Fred and George in 1882. Unfortunately, things did not end well for Walker. He was declared bankrupt in 1887 and died the following year, but this should not detract from the significant part he played in the development of the Grimsby fishing industry.

By the time George and his brother took over the fish merchant business, he had been married for three years to Olga Christofine Sass Krause (1859-1921), pictured

right, who was born in Copenhagen. In 1881, they were living in St Peter’s Road with the first of their four children, Katherine Mareea (1880-1917). She was followed by George Walker Godfried (1882-1933), Gladys Olga (1885-1964) and William Bancroft (1888-1958).The family had moved to the Moody family home in Albert Road by 1891 and remained there until 1898 when they moved to Knoll House on the opposite side of Knoll Street to The Knoll, which was built that year and became the family home of his sister and brother-in-law, Ann Elizabeth and Henry Kelly. The Moody brothers and Henry Kelly were the founders of Moodys & Kelly, fish merchants, auctioneers and smack owners.

Success in industry was only part of what made George Moody the remarkable man he was and the obituary, which appeared in the Grimsby Telegraph on 25 September 1939, gives a good summation of his life:

BUILDER OF GREATER CLEETHORPES

Death of Sir George Moody, Charter Mayor

An outstanding personality in the Grimsby trawling industry and the most prominent figure in the development of Cleethorpes, Sir George Moody, J.P., died on Saturday at his home, Knoll House, Cleethorpes, at the age of seventy-nine.

Although Sir George had an illness about two years ago, he made a good recovery, and his death on Saturday came as a shock to the inhabitants of the town. He had been out for a drive in his car on Saturday afternoon, and on returning said he did not feel very well. He was taken to his bedroom, where he collapsed and died almost immediately.

Sir George, who was the father of Cleethorpes Council, had a remarkable record of public service to his credit, having been in public life since 1882; he was chosen as the Charter Mayor when Cleethorpes was granted the status of a borough, and last year his name was placed as the first upon the new borough’s roll of honorary freemen.

ENTERPRISE IN INDUSTRY

The son of the late Mr Walker Moody, one of the founders of the Grimsby fishing industry, Sir George became the senior partner in Messrs Moodys and Kelly, fish merchants and trawler owners, of Grimsby and Fleetwood, and it was due to his enterprise that the business was extended at Fleetwood, for he realized, more than others, the great possibilities of the western port.

His abilities were utilized by many auxiliaries of the trade. He was a director of the Coal, Salt and Tanning Company, one of the founders of the Grimsby Fishing Vessels Mutual Insurance Company, and a director of the Great Grimsby Ice Company and of the Cordage Company. He was also a member of the National Sea Fisheries Committee, and during the last war a member of the War Risks Association.

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

Although taking a prominent part in politics – he was chairman of the Grimsby Unionist Association for many years – he never aspired to Parliamentary honours, although his name was mentioned in that connection at one period.

He has been the principal legislator in the local government of Cleethorpes. His period of service dates back to 1882, when he became a member of the Cleethorpes Local Board. He became a member of the Cleethorpes Urban District Council when that body was formed by Act of Parliament, continuing as a member all through the life of that body with but one short break, and on eight occasions he was elected as chairman of the Council.

WORK IN WAR TIME

Naturally, it was to him that Cleethorpes looked principally in the days when the Cleethorpes Improvement Act was being sought, and he was the chief witness for Cleethorpes when the Grimsby Town Council sought to incorporate a great portion of Cleethorpes.

During the Great War, he was chairman of the Cleethorpes Tribunal, of the local Food Control Committee, and the East Coast Distress Distribution Fund. He was an overseer of the poor for Cleethorpes, a member of the Old Age Pensions Committee, and a Justice of the Peace for both the Grimsby Borough and the Grimsby County Benches, in addition to which he held quite a multitude of other positions.

His wealth of service for the public good were recognized in 1926 when he received a knighthood, and it can be said with truth that the people of Cleethorpes regarded the honour as a very fitting and well deserved one.

CHARTER MAYOR

When Cleethorpes secured its charter of incorporation Sir George was chosen as the charter Mayor, his daughter, Mrs Dudley Nelson, acting as Mayoress, Sir George being a widower.

The latest honour to be conferred upon him came last year when he was given the Freedom of the Borough. He was the first, and as yet, the only Freeman on the honorary roll.

Among his semi-private duties was that of chairman of the Cleethorpes Gas Company.

A man of striking personality, a clever raconteur, and gifted with a fund of humour, Sir George was popular with all classes wherever he went. He was always urbane and courteous, never eager to lead, yet his knowledge of things and his innate capability inevitably made him the central figure in most companies.”

The following day, the Mayor of Cleethorpes, Alderman F. Rhodes, also paid tribute to Sir George in the Telegraph:

“Today Cleethorpes is mourning the passing of one of her illustrious sons, who, during the course of a long and eventful life, has let slip no opportunity of doing good to the town of which he was so justly proud.

TRANSFORMATION

Sir George Moody’s life has been lived during the time that Cleethorpes has grown from a little fishing village into a municipal borough, and during that time of change and transformation, Sir George has always been to the front in seeking to secure the best possible advantages for his birth-place.

As one who has been a colleague of Sir George Moody’s in the local government of Cleethorpes for approximately sixteen years. I gladly avail myself of this opportunity of testifying to the greatness of his work in local government, and to the value to the town of Cleethorpes of the loyal and unstinted services which Sir George so ably rendered.

During my association with Sir George Moody, I have been struck by his outstanding qualities and more especially by his ability as a negotiator and an administrator, and the experience which I have had in this way has been a great help to me in my local government work.

SERVICE WITH DIGNITY

We all remember the splendid services which Sir George Moody rendered to the town during the time he acted as Chartered Mayor.

Such services reflected great dignity on the town at a time when Cleethorpes was celebrating the vote of confidence which had been expressed in the granting of a Municipal Charter.

As before mentioned, I am glad of this opportunity of testifying to the services of Sir George Moody to the town of Cleethorpes, but I greatly regret that we shall no longer be able to rely upon those services which have meant so much to the town in the past.”

It is evident from the newspaper reports written about Sir George Moody (pictured left with Charles F. Carter, father-in-law to Sir George’s niece Annie Elizabeth Kelly) that he was a real character, with a fine sense of humour and so it seems fitting to end this article with a couple of examples of this. First comes this snippet from The Daily Independent in November 1935:“FIREWORK IN COURT

A firework was let off in Grimsby County Police Court yesterday.

A Cleethorpes woman appeared on a summons alleging that she sold fireworks to a child under 13, and Sir George Moody, from the Bench, asking if the fireworks caused annoyance to people, suggested that one should be let off.

Police-constable Taylor thereupon lit a small firework, known as a “flash bomb” and threw it on the solicitors’ table, where it exploded with a loud report and concluded the demonstration by hurling itself in the direction of one of the solicitors, narrowly missing his face.”

Meanwhile from the Evening Telegraph in May 1939 comes this tale of mischief, the victim of which was Bertie Collinson who, with his band, was responsible for the amusement and dancing at the first pier pavillion and was musical director at Cleethorpes for 28 years.

“BECAME A REAL MEGGIE

During 1907, Mr Collinson, in recognition of services rendered for many years, was presented with a gold watch. Mr Geo. Moody, now Sir George, made the presentation at the Pavillion. When replying, Bertie said that he had been there so many years he presumed he could consider himself a “Meggie”, whereupon Sir George asked with serious mien,

“Have you swam Conyers brick pond yet?”

Colinson replied, “No.”

Next morning he got up early and hieing to the pond entered the baptismal water and swam across.

A few days later he met Sir George and told him of his feat.

“More fool you,” said Sir George, laughingly.”

Sir George Moody – a true Meggie, whether he swam Conyers brick pond or not!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

www.ancestry.co.uk

The British Newspaper Archive on www.findmypast.co.uk

Betty Watkinson archives (held by FOCH)

Moody family photographs courtesy of Liz Bonsall