In 1911 George Harvey was the station master at (Old) Sawley Station. By 1911, George and his wife Mary had 10 surviving children:
- Charles Reginald 1893
- George Vincent 1895
- Norman Victor 1896
- Wilfred Ellis 1898
- Elizabeth Adeline 1900
- Arthur St Clair 1901
- Alexis Llewellyn 1903
- Catherine Sylvia 1905
- Raymond Roderick Roy 1908
- Ernest Ivor 1909
The family had moved around with the railway work. The two eldest were born in Bulwell, the next 4 in Old Normanton, Derby. Alexis was born in Desford, Leicesteshire. They moved to Sawley in about 1904.
In 1911 Charles was working as a painter’s assistant for the railway. George (age 16) was a porter and Norman (15) was a lace worker in Victoria Mills, Draycott. On leaving school Wilfred became a number taker for the Midland Railway.
During the Great War, Charles became a sergeant in the Royal Engineers and was awarded the meritorious service medal. The station master’s sister, Acting Matron Margaret Harvey served in France and Belgium and then with the First Serbian Hospital Corps.
Norman became a sergeant major in 16th Battalion, the Rifle Brigade. He was killed in action in Belgium between 31 Jul and 3 Aug 1917 during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the start of the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).
George Vincent and Wilfred also served on the front line during the Great War, the latter with the Manchester Regiment.
George (senior) retired to a house on Tamworth Road in Old Sawley.
