Afternoon heywood,
They are the same man, despite the confusion in his records. His dad was a cod fisherman by trade, so it’s almost certain that young George might have picked up a brief skill working with his dad, though not skilled enough for the navy. It’s all conjecture from what we can read between the lines, a bit like why he deserted the army and then reenlisted again.
His occupation as a seaman might explain why he’s difficult to pick up in Hull, and for that matter, how long did he live here and did he die there, or at sea on his way home?
There are many unanswered questions like yours, like why apply in England for his pension unless he became strained from his family back home.
My friend Michael is waiting to access the pension records in the states, as he believes it might give us a date of death for George and tell us if he died in England or elsewhere.
Maurice
