Background
His mother was Letitia born Manwell (1786–1861), sister-in-law to John Mowlem who was a struggling workman in London at the time of George"s birth. George grew up in Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.
Businessman Duke of Wellington
His mother was Letitia born Manwell (1786–1861), sister-in-law to John Mowlem who was a struggling workman in London at the time of George"s birth. George grew up in Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.
George"s father was Robert (1788–1847), a stone merchant, whose stone and coal business was located in Swanage High Street. George had five siblings, Elizabeth Letitia (1818–1889), Robert Henry (1821–1876), Charles (1823-?), Francis Alfred (1825-?) and Susannah Ann, ’Susy’ (1829–1871). Elizabeth Sophia (1843–1880), John Mowlem (1845–1894), Annie (1846–1918), Emma Rust (1849–1910) and George (1851-?).
Upon taking over the Mowlem"s company, Burt substantially expanded the firm"s operations.
The porch is made of white Cornish granite, the mosaic floor is copied from the pavement in Queen Victoria Street, London and some of the tiles are from the Palace of Westminster.
The Swanage suburb of Durlston was conceived of and developed by Burt. However it was never completed, part of the land originally intended for the development is now Durlston Country Park.
Many architecturally interesting buildings and monuments were scavenged as a result of the company"s construction work on prestigious projects in London, and re-erected by Burt in Swanage and Durlston. The 1670 porch for the Mercers" Hall now adorns Swanage town hall, and a clock tower commemorating the Duke of Wellington which once stood at the Southwark end of London Bridge is now a feature of Swanage seafront.
More prosaically, many of Swanage"s cast iron bollards were originally made for London boroughs, and still carry their names.
George Burt was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery. Control of the company passed to his descendants Sir John Mowlem Burt (1845–1918) and Sir George Mowlem Burt (1884–1964).