George Kenny
George Kenny was born on 9th September 1894 to George and Harriet Kenny of 9 Blyth Street, Hylton, he was the youngest of their seven children. George Sr had been born in Glasgow where presumably he’s learnt his trade; he was employed by Osborne, Graham and Co. as a ‘Holder-up in the Shipyard’ at North Hylton. A holder-up worked with a riveter, he held the setting punch for the rivet. Harriet had been born in Sunderland and had married George in 1883, sadly she died in April 1895, leaving George with seven children, aged between twelve and the eight month old George. George married Sarah Jane in 1897, bringing with her four more children. In 1908 the family moved to Barrow in Furness where George Sr died in 1912. George took on his father’s trade of boilermaker, he was employed as a plater by Vickers, Sons and Maxim at the Barrow shipyard.
On 24th February 1914 George enlisted into the 6th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and as part of the 51st (Highland) Division was on the Western Front in May 1915 where the Division repelled the German attack at the Second Battle of Ypres. At the Battle of the Somme the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders distinguished themselves attacking High Wood on 26th July 1916 and the fortress village of Beaumont-Hamel in November 1916. On 23rd January 1917 George was transferred into the Royal Engineers where his skill as a plater could be employed. He was with this unit for just over six months before he was discharged from the army and returned home.
On 17th July 1918 he joined the United Society Of Boilermakers & Iron Shipbuilders Union in Sunderland as an apprentice member. On 23rd March 1924 George transferred his Boilermakers Union membership to Birkenhead, because he was living at 19 St Mary’s Avenue, Birkenhead. George joined the Communist Party and in 1926 he becomes Branch secretary for the Boilermakers union and in 1931 the district secretary. George was a member of the National Unemployed Workers Movement (NUWM), which was headed by Joe Rawlings, who himself had been born in County Durham. George was active during in the 1932 Birkenhead riots and was part of the Lancashire contingent on the 1934 National Hunger March, led my Joe Rawlings.
George Kenny travelled to Spain with Joe Rawlings, they were both enlisted into the British Battalion on 23rd January 1937. George was assigned to Bert Overton’s No.4 Company as a section leader. On 12th February 1937, the first days of the Battle of Jarama, whilst defending the White House, George was seriously wounded. After a few months in hospital George was repatriated on 4th May 1937, returning to Birkenhead, and to his wife Annie and children Edna and Gordon.
Compiled by Tony Fox
Solidarity Park 