Norman George Anstey (b 1897)

by Gary. M. Anstey, chief researcher of the Anstey story project.

See ‘Anstey: A Complete History From the Norman Invasion to World War One‘ for much more on the Dyrham Ansteys. In addition to biographies of various Anstey individuals who make up this sub-branch, the book contains a plethora of Anstey research and statistics, including an analysis of how the Dyrham Ansteys fit into the pedigree descendent from Hubert de Anesti, the 12th century originator of the ‘Anstey’ surname.

DY 82. Norman George Anstey: He was born in 1897 in Keynsham to parents George Anstey (DY 52) and Henrietta Florence Stokes. He was brought up in Beeston and Mapperley Park, Nottinghamshire. In the 1911 Census, he was living with his family at Sefton Drive, Nottingham.

Right at the outbreak of World War One, on 14 September 1914, he volunteered for active service abroad with the 7th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire And Derbyshire Regiment) as a Private (Service Number 2534 & later 265538). On his Attestation Form he stated that he previously been a Corporal in the OTC (Officer Training Corps, part of the Territorial Force) in Solihull and was living at 3 Sefton Drive, Mapperley Park, Nottingham with his parents.

He was appointed Acting Sergeant later in September 1914 but demoted to Acting Corporal in August 1915 for “neglect of duty” and then reverted to Private in December 1915. In January 1916, whilst “on duty on ordinary military service“, he was kicked in the abdomen by a horse, necessitating surgery at Birmingham General Hospital at the end of January 1916 for a ventral hernia.

In September 1916 he was transferred to the 29th Provisional Battalion (formed from the Territorial Force Battalions of the Sherwood Foresters in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex under the command of 7th Provisional Brigade). In January 1917 the battalion became the 21st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters.

He embarked at Folkestone on 12 January 1917, disembarking in Calais, France, joining his unit in the field on 18 January 1917. He was sent to hospital sick on 24 January 1917, rejoining for duty on 27 January 1917. Whilst on active service in Coin, France, he was admitted to hospital on 8 February 1917 for swelling related to his ventral hernia, and whilst there he was also diagnosed with diphtheria on 24 February 1917. He was transferred back to England on 11 March 1917, spending a total of 40 days in hospital at Hellsby Auxiliary Military Hospital and then Carrington, Nottingham. He was also diagnosed with “slight photophobia” as a result of the diphtheria.

In June 1917 he was again admitted to hospital in Ripon with ventral hernia complications, spending another two months there. He was thus posted to the 5th Reserve Battalion, Saltfleet in September 1917. On 10 November 1917 he was discharged “no longer physically fit for war service“, after appearing before the Board in Ripon in October 1917 and found to be “permanently unfit invalid 30% disability“; he received his Silver War Badge on 22 November 1917.

His character during the war was judged as “very good“; for his services he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

After his discharge, he returned to Nottingham, living with his family at Tavistock Avenue, Mapperley Park. He married Gladys Wyvill in Nottingham in 1920; we currently cannot find any children of this marriage. By 1931 Norman and Gladys were living in Mansfield Road, Forest Ward, Nottingham.

The ‘Nottingham Journal‘ on 15 March 1938 reported “The tendency to turn large houses the old part of Mapperley Park, Nottingham, into flats was mentioned during the hearing a successful application by Norman George Anstey for a beer, cider, wine and spirits off-licence in respect of 363 Mansfield-road…“

In 1944 “Emma Elizabeth Wyvill widow and Gladys Anstey (wife of Norman George Anstey)” were grantees of the will of William Wyvill of Nottinghamshire.

He died in 1961 at the City Hospital, Nottingham – he was a wine and spirit retailer living in Lucknow Avenue, Mapperley Park at the time of his death. His wife Gladys had predeceased him a few months earlier – they were both cremated.

Norman’s name formed part of the Roll of Honour read out by the Durham Light Infantry Association at their Cathedral Service in August 2013.

Anybody who would like to add anything to this biography, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com.