Chaplain 4th Class, the Reverend George Harvey Ranking of the Army Chaplains Department, attached to 4th Corps, Heavy Artillery, was born at St George, Hanover Square in 1871 and was baptised on the 6th of June at St Margaret, Westminster, the son of Harvey Ranking and Margaret Blake-Humfrey.

The 1891 census records him with his family at Delamere Terrace, Paddington. Harvey (senior) aged 58 was a foreign merchant and banker born at Clapham. Margaret aged 50 was born at Swaffield, Norfolk. Children recorded are Geraldine aged 27 born at Paddington as was George aged 19, employed as a banker’s clerk. The family’s three servants were Ernest Robinson aged 23, born at Pimlico, widow Eliza Bland aged 56 born at Chipping Norton and Elizabeth Fairchild aged 35 born at Nazeing, Essex.

In 1901, George was boarding at the Oxford House University Settlement, in Derbyshire Street, Mape Street, Bethnal Green. His occupation is given as a secretary (Oxford House). Headmaster of the settlement was clerk in holy orders, Bernard Wilson.

On the 27th of November 1906 he married Violet Evelyn Paget, the daughter of Lt Colonel Patrick Lewis Cole Paget and Frances Garth.

The 1911 census finds the couple at 135 Lambeth Road, Lambeth. George is now a clerk in holy orders. Violet is aged 45 and was born at Farnham, Surrey. The couple are childless, but have a servant, Alice Preston aged 20 born at Guildford.

George enlisted as an Army Chaplain whilst the vicar of Fernhurst. He was killed in action in the Battle of Cambrai, at Bourlon Wood on the 20th of November 1917 aged 46. He was interred at Hermies British Cemetery and is remembered in Fernhurst Church, Sussex .

Harvey had attended Rugby School and after his death, the school newsletter “The Meteor” for the 10th of December announced his death, with the approximate date of the 20th of November and noted the following….

"Nov. 20. Rev. G. H. Ranking, C.F., Army Chaplains' Department ... ... ... ... ... Michell (*) The Reverend George Harvey Ranking entered the School in 1885 and left in 1888. He then spent several years in business and devoted his leisure to the School Mission at Notting Hill, to the work of Secretary of Oxford House, Bethnal Green, and to the Working Men's Club near Waterloo Station He was also for some years a keen member of the Inns of Court Volunteers. Having decided at the age of thirty-two to take Orders, he went up to New College, Oxford, and in 1904 was ordained. After serving as curate at Farnham and at Lambeth, he went to a living at Woodlands, near Adwick-le-Street, in Yorkshire, which he left in 1915 for Fernhurst in Sussex. In March, 1917, he joined the Army as a Chaplain, and was attached to the Heavy Artillery. He was killed by a shell while searching for wounded men during the attack on the Hindenburg Line in France." (*) “Michell” refers to his school house.

His probate records him as of The Vicarage, Fernhurst. His estate of £6,586-6-5d was administered to the public trustee. Violet died in 1946.