In honour of the WW1 soldiers named on the Keyworth Memorial on Nottingham Road - the 3 new housing estates Keyworth Rise, Nicker Hill and Spinners Croft all take their street names from the soldiers who gave thier lives in World War One. These caches are placed in honour of their memories - the fallen soldiers are all local to Keyworth in some way. Many of these families were long established in the small community of Keyworth (787 total population made up of 372 males and 415 female - as in 1911 census summary books).
GEORGE ASTILL - George was born in Keyworth in 1895 to Joseph & Sarah (nee Pike), who were both born in Keyworth being recorded living there on the 1871 and 1881 census records as youngsters. They married in 1885. They lived in Hathersage, Derbyshire for a short period before coming back to Keyworth and are listed on the 1901 census on Plumtree Road (now Nottingham Road). George is aged 6 on this. His six siblings were Arthur, Violet, Joseph, Lizzie, Fred and Grace. His Fathers parents were John & Ann Astill (nee Marsh). His Mothers parents were James & Elizabeth Pike (nee Miles).
By 1911 his parents had moved to Radford Road Nottingham. His brother Arthur is recorded in 1921 at Mapperley Plains, Nottingham with his wife Gwendoline (occupation as Music Hall Artistes). Also listed on the same household page are his widowed mother Sarah, and brothers Fred, Joseph (crossed out) and sister Grace. Address in 1920 when mother Sarah applied for a war pension for George was "Gwenarth", Mapperley Plains.
George's brothers Joseph and Fred served in WW1 and survived.
GEORGE ASTILL - Lance Corporal 11193 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys) Regiment. He was a professional soldier having enlisted on 4th August 1909 at Nottingham. He served in the East Indies from September 1911 to October 1914. He was appointed Lance Corporal 3rd November 1914, went to France 4th November 1914 and was killed in action, 27th December 1914, whilst serving in the trenches near Richebourg, France aged 19 years. George stated he was a General Labourer when he enlisted. He was awarded the British & Victory medals and the 1914 Star and these were sent to his Mother.
Astill Close is named in his honour at the new housing estate at Keyworth Rise off Bunny Lane.
The Cache - This is a straight forward cache placed near to the cottages on "Plumtree Road" (Nottingham Road) where George lived in 1901. Originally there were 3 rows of cottages along Nottingham Road and only 2 rows of these remain.
