George Albert Wooff
30 June 1907 to 18 February 1977
George was born on the 30 June 1907 at 13 Wright Street, Horwich, Lancashire. George lived at Wright Street at least until his sister Eleanor was born on the 9 May 1909. The family then moved to 48 Catherine Street East between May 1909 and December 1910 and George would live here until his marriage in 1930.
On the 20 September 1930, George married Olive Hartley at the Holy Trinity Church, Horwich. George's brother, Ernest Wilfred Wooff and Olive's sister, Ivy Hartley were the marriage witnesses. At the time of the wedding, George was working as a motor lorry driver.
Daughter Grace Wooff, Olive and George's second child, was born prematurely at home at 3 Mount Pleasant, Blackrod on the 22 May 1933. Sadly, Grace only lived for 13 hours and died at home the following day.
Derek Wooff, their third child was born at home on the 22 August 1935 at 25 Dickinson Street East, Horwich.
By 1943, George and Olive had moved across the road to 24 Dickinson Street East, where James Albert Wooff was born on the 12 June 1943. Presumably the houses on this side of the street were a little larger and could accomodate the growing family.
Another 3 children followed, to take the total to 8 and the Wooff family was complete.
George worked as a lorry driver at least from 1930, when he and Olive were married to 1943 when son James was born.
George and Olive lived for many years at 101 Stocks Park Drive, Horwich. George, a keen gardener, kept a well tended rose garden at the front of the house and lawns, flower beds and a vegetable garden at the back of the house. If George, wasn't in the house and you couldn't see him in the garden, you could bet he'd be in his garden shed, creating his own "flies" for his other past-time, fly-fishing.
George died at Bolton General Hospital, Farnworth, Lancashire on the 18 February 1977.
George's funeral service was held at Holy Trinity Parish Church, Horwich and he was buried at Ridgmont Cemetery, Horwich.
Quite a few of George's grandchildren, myself included, were considered to be too young to go to his funeral. So we were all coralled at Aunt B's home (which by a bizarre twist of fate would later become my family's home) with curtains drawn and left to watch Columbo and play that original tv/computer game "Pong" - the one with two "paddles" and a virtual ping-pong ball [square] that you had to prevent from getting in your "goal".
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