George William Hugo Price 1894-1979

He actually went by the name of Hugo - sometimes referred to as Hughie

Aged 16: Student for school teacher

Captain in the Salvation Army by 1915, or earlier: ,

1894. George William H Price was born 19/12/1894 to Edward Price & Catherine Ellen Heany Weymouth Mar 1895

His father was a railway Inspector at Weymouth but also a fervent Salvationist , so his whole life would have revolved around the Salvation Army

1901C. George W H Price, 6, was living 57 Brownlow St, Weymouth with his parents & 2 siblings

He first attended St John's Primary School from which he won a scholarship to Weymouth Grammar School.

Hugo is in the second row - second from the left (as you look at the photo).  Meryl knows that is him because he has written some names on the back, including his own.

A photo of him aged about 14 , with his parents and 2 sisters, is on Children of Edward Price page

A FMP Newspaper article claims he had matriculated with 1st class honours

1911C. George William Hugo Price, 16, student for school teaching, was living 57 Brownlow St, Weymouth with his parents and a sister . His parents had been married 20 years and had 3 children, all still alive. They were living in 6 rooms

'Unlike his father, Dad was given the opportunity of a first-class education.  He first attended St John's Primary School from which he won a scholarship to Weymouth Grammar School.  When he took the senior Oxford Exams (the equivalent of matriculation) he came 17th in all England overall, and 4th in Mathematics.  His final year of schooling was at Weymouth Pupil Teachers' College.  He applied for entrance to Bristol University and was granted a place.  Suddenly, however, he decided he ought to volunteer for training as an officer in the Salvation Army.  He was accepted and at the age of 18 - 1913- started his training at the College, then situated in Clapton Congress Hall.  It was there that he met Gladys Blundell, his wife-to-be, and where Grandma Blundell, at that time, was a leading member of the teaching staff.  However, they were not married until after the war.   Dad volunteered for military service after being commissioned as an Officer in the Salvation Army.  He chose the Royal Army Medical Corps as this meant that, after the war, he would be able to retain his rank as a Captain in the Salvation Army.  Apparently, that was one of the rules of the S.A. at that time.'- from his son's, Gordon's, autobiography

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Clapton Congress Hall, Hackney Closed 1978 , now demolished ( A modern Citadel seemingly stands on part of the site)

When it opened in 1882, the former London orphan Asylum was the largest building owned by The Salvation ArmytThey demolished the chapel there, and excavated and roofed over the quadrangle, creating a hall that could seat 4,700 people , , as an 1896 guide to London reported. It was the site of the organisation's huge International Congresses, which began in 1886. Before William Booth College opened in Camberwell in 1929, Clapton Congress Hall also housed the training college for Salvation Army officers (ministers).

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'Training College Sergeants Session 1914-15'.  George William Hugo Price is in the second row - second from the left (as you look at the photo).

30/4/1915 Captain Hugo Price was conducting a Salvation Army service in Bodmin when one of their band collapsed and died - FMP Newspapers

1915. George William Hugo Price, teacher Salvation Army Officer, of 57 Brownlow St., Weymouth, enlisted for the RAMC in October 1915 in Weymouth . Went to France in May 1916 with the field ambulances and then to Italy , in sanitation duties, until Jan 1919. Got the Victory and British War medals . His army number was 66912. Initially a private, then a Cpl, and an acting Sgt without pay for a while, before reverting to Cpl. His Army Record - Ancestry Military records

1916. He was in Twezeldown Camp, Farnham. He sent this postcard on 3/4/1916 to: Captain G. Blundell,  S.A. Bridge St, Bungay, Suffolk Postmark says Twezeldown Camp, Farnham PM 3rd April 16.

1917. He was posted to Arquata Scrivia, at the foot of the Apennines, on 7/11/1917 . B section of the 51st Stationary Hospital ( sections A & C were in Genoa) was located in a disused wine factory there

https://topographicalart.wordpress.com/2018/10/23/martin-hardie-in-arquata-scrivia-first-world-war/

David's comment: the hats here are unusual, not usually handed out for soldiers in Europe. He feels more likely an Italian colony, but nothing to support the fact that Hugo was posted outside Europe

1918. His address in February was : 66912 Sergt. H. Price, No 4 Sanitary Sect, A.P.O. S.101, B.E.F. Italy ( from a postcard Gladys sent to her sister, Lillie)

1918. His mother died of spanish flu in December

At the end of the war, Staff Captain Hugo Price commanded Corps at Tamworth, Nuneaton, Marylebone and Felixstow

1919. George W H Price married Chrissie G Blundell on 21/5/1919 Tamworth Jun 1919

. . .

1919-1920. He was Commanding Officer of the Tamworth Corps- this from 1967 newspaper article on his brother in law, Harold Gray, husband of his sister, Ivy May Price, 1893

1920. Hugo Gordon Emanuel Price was born 23/2/1920 Tamworth Mar 1920. Always known as Gordon

More details of his life, 1920-1938, are to be found in the Autobiography that his son Gordon wrote

1921C. Hugo Price, 26 , Salvation Army Officer, working for the Salvation Army H Q 101 Victoria St London was living 22 Shakespeare Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire with his wife, Gladys, and son Gordon,1.

1923 Eric D G Price born 6/4/1923 in Clapton Hackney Jun 1923.

1925. Geo.Wm. Hugo Price, a Salvation Army staff, officer,of Norwich, was fined £1 for not having a rear light on his motor bike - FMP Newspapers

1926 approx. Hugo Price was Territorial Organizer for Life Saving Scouts

The above article includes information about George William Hugo Price's military service and various Salvation Army appointments. Likely written about 1926 as his eldest son had already attended his 1st camp

Hugo Price and Chrissie Gladys Price with their 2 sons - Eric Price sat on the table and Gordon Price stood up.

  Under the photo it says 'R. Rawlings, 70 High Rd, Streatham, S.W. 16'. The year of this photo is probably 1926.

1927. Staff Captain Hugo Price was in Gloucester at a visit by Brigadier Booth 2/9/1927 - bad photo FMP Newspapers

1927, Marjorie C C Price was born 20/5/1927 Wandsworth

Soon after this birth, his wife, Gladys. became ill and she entered an institution, likely the City of London mental hospital in Stone, Dartford. Marjorie was sent to live with her maternal Grandmother, Christiana Blundell and her maternal aunt, Lilly . Eric went to live with his paternal aunt , Ivy, and her husband Harold Gray in Tamworth.  Gordon went to live in Weymouth with his grandfather, Edward Hugo Price, and his second wife Jane Kate Russell Price and their daughter Lillian Price.

1928 Staff Captain Hugo Price of International Headquarters London was in Falkirk for the inauguration of a new branch, with 16 members

1929. Despite his efforts to get his wife, Gladys, the best medical attention, she was sectioned in 1929

1929. Late November .A service commenced on Saturday at the Barracks- in Central Road, Llanhilleth, when Staff-Captain Hugo Price, of the National Headquarters, London, delivered an interesting address on "Italy." During the Greet War the lecturer was attached to the RAMC and spent a considerable time in the country- FMP Newspapers . Still Need to search FMP Newspapers 1930 onwards

1930 Prior to March, he had been Territorial Scout Leader for GB. By March he was appointed Young People's Assistant Secretary for GB. Maybe this based his work primarily in London and he decided to reunite his sons under his own roof in Leyton

1930., Carrie, Mrs Commandant Richards, was at Abertillery on 15/3/1930 when her brother, Major Hugo Price, visited her unit as Young People's Assistant Secretary for GB.

Early 1930 . Hugo Price set up home in Leyton, Essex and his 2 sons went to live with him. There was a housekeeper called Kate Pullen

1932.

1934. The family unit of father and 2 sons moved to 55 Blacklands Road, Catford, London

Catford is just south of Lewisham

1938. Major Hugo Price led the Services in Sevenoaks n 14/1/1938

Between Janiary 1938 and October 1939 , Hugo Price is promoted from Major to Brigadier

1939 Register . George William H Price, married, Salvation Army Officer, born 19/12/1894. was living 22 Victoria Park Road, Leicester, in a house with 4 other Salvation Army Officers

He was obviously just visiting around this Registration day, 4/9/1939, day: he was living in Catford with his 2 sons, Gordon and Eric.  His sister Caroline Mary Richards and her husband Benjamin Richards also lived there some of the time during the War but were not there on the date of the 1939 Register.  Eric would have still been at school at the time.  Gordon (Hugo Gordon Emanuel Price), however, enrolled with the Territorial Army in 1939 and then at the end of August formed part of an Advance Party to prepare for General Mobilisation, so was then living away from home ( and Chris cannot locate him in the 1939 register) .

His 12 yr old daughter, Marjorie, was on holiday with Hugo's father in Weymouth, where Hugo decided to leave her as war broke out

His wife, Chrissie G Price, born 1895, married, unpaid domestic work, was at Bow Arrow lane Stone, Kent, seemingly the City of London Mental hospital . She died in 1962

After only about 20 years as an officer, he is promoted from Major to Brigadier ( the literature says one became a Captain after 5 years; a Major after 15 years; a Brigadier after 35 years- obviously not in his case 80 years ago! )

1939. October. Brigadier Hugo Price, who is the Field Training Officer for the ' Men Cadets of the William Booth Training College, London' , was to conduct the 51st Anniversary Service of the Nuneaton Corps on 4/11/1939

1943. Brigadier Hugo Price officiated at a Salvation Army wedding in Merthyr at the start of January

By March 1943 he had resigned from being a Salvation Army Officer because of his proposed second marriage.  At that time , it is thought, Salvation Army Officers could not marry non Officers: the same rule still seem to apply in 2022 .  The fact that he was getting divorced would also have been a factor. 

to me

There is no date or location marked on this photo. Likely 1961/2?, so whose garden was it??

It must have been taken when Gordon was visiting from New Guinea