EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
EDGOOSE, George Albert
1915 - 2015 (100 years) Has 50 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
1880 - 1943 (63 years)-
Name EDGOOSE, George Albert Birth 11 Mar 1915 Croft Avenue, Sunderland, County Durham, England 
Gender Male Death 5 Apr 2015 Stockton On Tees, County Durham, England Person ID I309 Edgoose Last Modified 11 Feb 2026
Father EDGOOSE, John Holborn, b. 28 Jan 1877, Penshaw, County Durham, England d. 10 Apr 1960, Easington, County Durham, England (Age 83 years) Mother STERLING, Sarah Annie, b. 19 Oct 1880, Sunderland, County Durham, England d. 22 Dec 1943, Easington, County Durham, England (Age 63 years) Marriage 28 Jul 1902 Sunderland, County Durham, England Family ID F196 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family KEELEY, Greta, b. 2 Jul 1918, Easington Registration District, County Durham d. 20 Sep 1998, Sedgefield, County Durham, England (Age 80 years) Marriage 20 Apr 1942 Easington, County Durham, England Family ID F200 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Biographies 
EDGOOSE, George Albert (1915-2015)
George Albert EDGOOSE was born at 23 Croft Avenue, Sunderland, County Durham, on 11 March 1915, son of John Holborn EDGOOSE, journeyman engine fitter, and his wife Sarah Annie EDGOOSE formerly STERLING. The informant on 16 April 1915 was his mother S. A. EDGOOSE of 23 Croft Avenue, Sunderland.
(GRO June Q 1915 Sunderland 10a 1316)
(Birth Certificate)
John Holborn EDGOOSE had married Sarah Annie STERLING on 28 July 1902.
From the 1921 census of 23 Croft Avenue, Sunderland West, County Durham:
John H. EDGOOSE, head, 44 years 6 months, married, born in Durham, Sunderland, Ist Classs Sea-Going Engineer,
Employer: Messrs. S. P. Austins Ship and Engine Repairers (Out of Work), Sunderland.
Sarah A. EDGOOSE, Wife, 40 years 10 months, Married, born in Durham, Sunderland, Home Duties.
Martha EDGOOSE, Mother, 79 years 1 month, Widow, Born in Lincolnshire, Sutton Bridge, Home Duties.
John H. EDGOOSE, Son, 18 years 3 Months, Single, born in Durham, Sunderland, Market Gardener,
Employer: James LAWSON, Hope Nurseries, Silksworth Lane, Near Sunderland.
James H. EDGOOSE, Son, 15 years 8 months, Single, born in Durham, Sunderland, Posting Clerk.
Employer: Newcastle Breweries Ltd, Royal Building, Sunderland.
*George A. EDGOOSE, Son, 6 years 3 months, Parents Both Alive, Durham, Sunderland, Whole Time education.
In 1922 the family moved to Paradise Farm, Easington, County Durham, and constructed a timber bungalow, stables and greenhouses. George carried out all the work on the land, ploughing with horses and honing his skills in farming and growing. As a 12 year old he used to knock on doors in Easington Village on his way home from school on Fridays soliciting orders for vegetables which he and his brother John Holborn EDGOOSE would deliver on Saturdays. His son John Samuel EDGOOSE remembers: "I think Uncle John did the colliery rounds with the horse and cart during the week. When Dad left school he must have helped Uncle John as that was when the cart ran over his foot and his brother told him not to take his boot off otherwise hhis foot would swell. Dad told that tale to all the nurses who came to dress his sore toes over the last couple of years! Later he got his own horse and 'flat' [2-wheeled flat cart] and built up his own 'rounds'. He told me he thought that he waas delivering to about 1000 when the 'rounds' were at their height. It may have been when both he and uncle John were delivering by horse and cart during the war but I assumed the 1000 was later when he had the tractor and trailer and only he did the 'rounds'.)
(Visit to Sedgefield 30 January 1999)
(Email from John Samuel EDGOOSE, 13 April 2015)
When war was declared in 1939 he was exempt from military service. The production of food was vital and a farming was reserved occupation. He met his future wife Greta KEELEY, an auxiliary nurse, when they were introduced on the market garden by a friend of Greta's who lived in Easington and must have known the EDGOOSE family. The two had walked to the market garden and met George working there. They were both church goers (George was in the church choir) and according to their son John Samuel they just "clicked". John remembers: "Dad had certain 'theories' about where he may have seen or have had connections to Mum before they met. One was when he was younger at either Seaham or Easington Agricultural Show where he had seen a girl putting her finger in the milking machine teat cup to feel the suction going on and off, as many people have done. He always thought it must have been her he saw! He also told the tale of them both watching the total eclipse in 1927 on neighbouring hills between Easington and Seaham. I think he had an idea that their meeting was pre-destined!"
(Email from John Samuel EDGOOSE 13 April 2015)
From the 1939 Register of The Bungalow, Paradise Garden, Easington R.D., Durham:
John H. EDGOOSE, born 28 January 1876, married, nurseryman and market gardener
Sarah A. EDGOOSE, born 19 October 1980, married, domestic duties
*George A. EDGOOSE, born 11 March 1915, single, market gardener and retailer asst father
(RG101/2854A/018/25)
Durham Records Online note that the name EDGOOSE occurs in the record of William FRANKLIN's marriage in 1941. In December 2023 John Samuel EDGOOSE remembers: "Dad was good friends with Bill FRANKLIN and he may have been his best man. It vaguely rings a bell."
They married on 20 April 1942.
(GRO June Q 1942 Durham E 10a 1197)
"WED AT EASINGTON
The wedding took place at St. Mary's Church, Easington Village, yesterday, of Mr. George A. EDGOOSE, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. EDGOOSE, Paradise Gardens, Easington Colliery, formerly of Sunderland, and Miss Greta KEELEY, only daughter of Councillor S. KEELEY and the late Mrs. KEELEY, of Maureen Terrace, Seaham Harbour. The bridegroom is a lay reader at St. Mary's, and the bride was a Sunday school teacher at St. John's, Seaham Harbour.
The Rev. G. A. WEST officiated at a choral service, with Councillor J. T. BROWN at the organ. The bride, given away by her father, wore a dress of white lace with georgette trimmings ands embroidered veil to match, and carried a bouquet of pink roses. She was attended by Miss Eleanor EDGOOSE (niece of bridegroom), with Mrs. A. PROUD as matron of honour. Mr. J. H. EDGOOSE (brother of bridegroom) was best man, and Mr. W. WOOD was groomsman."
(Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 21 April 1942)
Their son John Samuel EDGOOSE was born on 2 November 1944.
"Sunderland Agent's Marriage
The wedding took place at the Old Methodist Church, Philaelphia, today, of Mr James Henry EDGOOSE, of Easington, and Miss Olive May Green, elder daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas GREEN, of Philadelphia. Mr Ian MALCOLM, Newcastle, officiated.
The bridegroom, whose father is well known in horticultural circles, is Sunderland agent for Newcastle Breweries. He is secretary and organist of the Church of Ascension, Sunderland.
The bride's father is head clerk of Philadelphia Engine Works.
The bride was a staff nurse at Newcastle General Hospital, and was attended by Miss Jean H. BRYAN, of Annfield, a colleague nurse. Mr. George A. EDGOOSE, Seaham, was best man."
(Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, 5 January 1946)
Later he bought Todds House Farm in Sedgefield, County Durham, determined to be his own master and helped by Greta's inheritance from her father, a successful insurance broker, who died in 1953. The 55 acre farm is still owned by the family. "It got to the stage where my father was overworked. They decided to give up the cows and find something else to do on the farm. Very luckily they were approached by Buxtead Chickens for land for a broiler unit. They sold them 4 acres and sold the cows. That meant they could pay off their mortgage and come to our wedding! Dad then managed the Buxtead broiler unit until he retired in 1978. Judith and I came back and took over the farm as tenants in 1977 and we bought it from Dad and Mum in 1986 when we gave up the cows. The farm is still ours of course. When he retired he was still helping me on the farm. He then went back to growing flowers and vegetables - supplying more than we could eat! He was growing well into his 90s. Eventually he could no longer kneel down to deal with the plants but he continued doing the watering, tottering on two sticks trailing the garden hose behind him. He only consented to have a walking frame so that he could go on watering the flowers! A very determined man!!"
(Email from John Samuel EDGOOSE 13.04.2015)
He celebrated his 100th birthday at Stockton Lodge Nursing Home, Harrowgate Lane, on Wednesday 11 March 2015. He told the Stockton Gazette's reporter Mike BLACKBURN: "It's wonderful to get to this age. I've had a busy life."
He died there a few weeks later on Sunday 5 April 2015.
"George EDGOOSE toasts turning 100 - with help from a miniature pony called Wish
The retired market gardener told the Gazette: 'It's wonderful to get to this age. Ive had a busy life.'
A lifetime spent working on the land has seen George EDGOOSE reach the ripe old age of 100.
And yesterday the retired market gardener was joined by his family, friends and staff - as well as a small pony - at Stockton Lodge Nursing Home to celibrate his milestone birthday.
George was born in 1915 in Sunderland where his father John was a shipbuilder during the First World War.
In the early 1920s the family moved to Easington and started making a life for themselves on Paradise Farm - building a bungalow, stables and greenhouses all from wood.
George carried out all the land work, honing his skills in farming and growing, ploughing the land with horses.
George and his family started a retail trade in fruit and vegetables around Easington Village and Easington Colliery.
George's son and only child, John, said: "They had a hard time through the Depression. My dad got his own round with a horse and cart."
When the Second World War came George was exempt from service as a food producer.
But it was during the war that he met his future wife Greta, an auxiliary nurse, at a market day.
"They were both church goers - dad was in the church choir - and it just clicked," said John.
The couple married in 1942, and 12 years later moved to Easington and then a farm outside Sedgefield, where until a just a few months recently George still lived.
John said the 55 acre farm is still owned by the family. "It got to the stage where my father was overworked. When he retired he was still helping me on the farm. He then went back to growing flowers and vegetables - supplying more than we could eat! He was growing well into his 90s."
George, who lost his wife around 15 years ago, has two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He told the Gazette: "It's wonderful to get to this age. I've had a busy life."
The miniature pony, called Wish, is a regular visitor to Stockton Lodge, on Harrogate Lane, as a respite pony, explained activities coordinator Irene Morris.
And despite trying to scoff a piece of George's 100th birthday cake, the Centenarian was very welcoming to his little furry friend."
(Mike Blackburn, TeessideGazette, 12 March 2015, https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teeside-news/george-edgoose-toasts-turning-100-8822328 and Ann.Dixon@njcmedia.co.uk)
The death of George Albert EDGOOSE was registered in 2015. His date of birth was recorded as 1915.
(GRO June Q 2015 Stockton-on-Tees 350-1A EN 511848487)
(revised 09.02.2026)