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Amanda Durrant
16-09-2007, 5:06 PM
I understand my grandad's brother served in the army. He was born in 1896 and his name was Jack Good (his father was Harry) so would of served in World War 1. Is there any one who could look him up for me on the national roll please?

Amanda Durrant (nee Good)

Geoffers
16-09-2007, 7:58 PM
The 'National Roll' in spite of its name, is not complete.

Do you have his medals from WW1 which would help to identify in which regiment he served?

Have you tried Documents online to see if you can spot him from the four hits for 'Jack Good'
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/default.asp
(look to the left of the screen, select 'Family History' and then the 'WW1 Campaign Medals' link)

Did he definitely serve in the army as opposed to RN, etc?

Was Jack his proper name, or a nickname, would be have been recorded under another forename?

Did he survive WW1? Have you checked the CWGC web-site?
http://www.cwgc.org/ There are a few John and J Goods there

Geoffers

Forrest Anderson
17-09-2007, 4:09 PM
I understand my grandad's brother served in the army. He was born in 1896 and his name was Jack Good (his father was Harry) so would of served in World War 1. Is there any one who could look him up for me on the national roll please?

Amanda Durrant (nee Good)

The Index to the National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918 has only one J Good, and he is in the Luton volume (Vol 5). Unfortunately, this is a volume that I don't have, so unless someone else has a copy, you might have to look it up yourself on-line at military-genealogy which is a pay-per-view site.

Don't raise your hopes too much though - as Geoffers says, this publication (which originally came out in 14 volumes) is neither complete nor geographically comprehensive, and generally concentrated on larges towns and cities in England (eg London, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester etc). I would suggest that if your J Good is connected with Luton, then there is a reasonable chance that the soldier listed is your man, but if your relative has no known connections with the town, then it's very unlikely to be him.

Forrest

Amanda Durrant
17-09-2007, 7:40 PM
Hi Geoffers,
I do not know if Jack had any medals. I have seen a picture of him in his army uniform. Jack was his actual name and I understand he survived the war. Jack and his brother Edward (my grandad who was in the RN) sadly had a trivial disagreement and lost touch when they were young men, I would like to try and find Jack as this is a side of the family tree we never knew. It is sad to think he did his bit for his country and for my generation, and I never knew what he did.
Thank you for your support!
Amanda

Amanda Durrant
17-09-2007, 7:43 PM
Hi Forrest,
Thank you for that information, I shall give it a try.
Thank you for your help!

Amanda

Amanda Durrant
17-09-2007, 7:54 PM
I looked up the National Roll and it wasn't him as my Jack survived the war.

Geoffers
17-09-2007, 9:31 PM
I have seen a picture of him in his army uniform.

Do you still have access to that photo and if so are any insignia visible by which his regiment could be identified?


Jack and his brother Edward (my grandad who was in the RN) sadly had a trivial disagreement and lost touch when they were young

They may not have kept in touch, but did their dad still communicate with them both? If so, did he leave a will in which he either mentions them, or his grandchildren?

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
18-09-2007, 3:26 PM
Hi Geoffers,
Jack's father Harry died relatively young.

I am looking at the photo now, Jack is very young around 18 -20yrs. His uniform is very plain, two patch breast pockets and two patch pockets lower down,no fancy decorations in this picture, must be early on in his career.
From Amanda.

Geoffers
19-09-2007, 11:18 AM
Jack's father Harry died relatively young.

Most inconsiderate of him! Okay, another tack - was Jack married before the brothers lost contact?

Did Jack's mum live any longer and leave a will?


I am looking at the photo now, Jack is very young around 18 -20yrs. His uniform is very plain, two patch breast pockets and two patch pockets lower down

He's not being very helpful is he? Is he holding a cap/helmet with a badge on it? Are there any badges on his collar?

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
19-09-2007, 6:17 PM
I am onto it and busy researching into who jack was married too!

There was no will it is thought.

I now have one more photo, Jack looks one or two years older now. No hat but there is a small badge (unclear) on his right arm which isnt on his sleeve in the earlier picture, the badge is wide and relatively narrow but does not look like stripes. There are straps on his shoulders and a fastner (metal button?) on the strap close to the neck. On the later picture Jack also has something shiny towards the shoulder end of the strap. The collar is plain. In the later photo he is standing behind his parents which does not help.

I think this is going to be uphill all the way Geoffers.
regards
Amanda

Geoffers
19-09-2007, 9:43 PM
There was no will it is thought.

Unless you check, you will never know - even if there was a will, he may have been granted Letters of Administration (Admon) which would include his address and so give you a starting point.

Did the brothers have any other siblings?

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
24-09-2007, 7:26 AM
I will go into the will further.
Jack had a sister May which I am checking out at the moment.
Thank you Geoffers,

from amanda

Amanda Durrant
27-09-2007, 7:39 PM
Hi Geoffers,
There has been a development. I recieved Jack's marriage certificate (he married at 23yrs in croydon). He is described as a male nurse living in Woodmansterne (no street address which I thought was strange). Woodmansterne was close to Banstead Asylum hospital so he might have worked there. Some ww1 vets were there. How long did national service last? any ideas?:confused:

from amanda

Geoffers
28-09-2007, 11:51 AM
There has been a development. I recieved Jack's marriage certificate (he married at 23yrs in croydon). He is described as a male nurse living in Woodmansterne (no street address which I thought was strange).

When did he marry - during or after the war?

Not having a full address in a marriage certificate is not unusual - does he (or any other Goods) turn up in local directories?

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
30-09-2007, 5:06 PM
Hi Geoffers,
Jack married Jan 18th 1920. His brother was a witness so I know it is him. This means he was a male nurse at the age of 23 (the army is not mentioned on the certificate just that he is a male nurse). That doesn't leave much time for a career in the army....I have also found out that his sister was a nurse and her husband was too at an asylum (no where near Jack though). I guess there would always be a career in hospitals with so many injured and shell shocked by the war. Still wonder what Jack would have done in the army...

From Amanda

Geoffers
30-09-2007, 8:01 PM
Okedoke - this is a series of big IFs and it could all easily fall apart.

IF your couple married in Jan 1920, the entry in the GRO index for Jack GOOD gives a bride's surname of DAVIES. There is a corresponding entry for Ellen F DAVIES and they married in Croydon RD.

IF the couple stayed around Croydon, there is conveniently a male child shown in the GRO index:

Dec 1922, Croydon - GOOD, Ronald J. Vo.2a, Page 620

IF that is their son, there is conveniently a death in the GRO index:

1991, Kings Lynn - GOOD, Ronald Jack - born 16 Oct 1922 Vol.10, Page 1637, Reg.191

The date of birth given matches the GRO index birth, the second name conveniently matches your chap. My view is that this would be worth following up, if only to eliminate him. I would suggest the following:

1) Check what I have found in case I have made a mistake
2) If correct, get Ronald's birth certificate to make sure he is Jack's son.
3) If Ronald was Jack's son, get his death certificate
4) If it is his death, who was the informant?
5) If it is his death, did he leave a will?

Directories and telephone books may also help

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
01-10-2007, 6:19 PM
Hi Geoffers,
Wow!the details you give are those on Jack's wedding certificate! His wife was indeed Ellen Florence Davies. Can you tell me Geoffers, are there any more children that could be a possibility for Jack's children? I will apply for Ronalds birth certificate to check his parentage, but it does look promising.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Amanda

Geoffers
01-10-2007, 7:17 PM
Can you tell me Geoffers, are there any more children that could be a possibility for Jack's children? I will apply for Ronalds birth certificate to check his parentage, but it does look promising.


I don't know of more children, I just searched the GRO index of births until I found one likely male match. By a bit of good fortune, I was able to identify a death which may be connected.

There are other GOOD entries in the GRO index where the mother's maiden name is DAVI(E)S , but none of them fitted with Croydon - a couple in Islington and one in (I think) Sunderland.

The problem is that the further away from a marriage that you get, the harder it becomes to identify possible children - families moved - but if you have half an hour to spare, you could run through the GRO index for yourself to try and find entries that may match.

I suggest starting off with R.J.Good and see were that leads you. If it isn't connected then it will mean trying something else. But whatever happens, do keep the forums updated on how you get on, apart from being plain nosy, these threads can be a useful learning experience forother new researchers.

Geoffers

Geoffers
01-10-2007, 7:59 PM
PS - I just throw these in as million to one shots that they may be connected..........

The GRO index of marriages has a Ronald F J GOOD marrying in Surrey Mid.E in Mar 1942 - there's one initial too many, but could he be your chap getting spliced at a young age?

You mentioned that Jack aged 23 (so born about 1897) married Ellen Florence in 1920 - the GRO death index has a Florence Ellen GOOD born 21 Nov 1898, died Surrey Mid.E in Mar 1972.......how old was Ellen when she married??

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
02-10-2007, 7:15 PM
Hi Geoffers,
Jack married in Jan 1920 and was 24 the month after. Ellen was 21 when she married Jack.
I have no idea how to access the GRO index so shall look into that tonight. Thank you for your help Geoffers! this has all been so interesting.
Regards Amanda

Geoffers
02-10-2007, 7:52 PM
The General Register Office (GRO) index has been copied onto microfiches and can be seen at most County Record Offices.

It is also online, there is a project to transcribe it and make it free for everyone - very laudable, but it does contain errors, however, it's a good place to start
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl
Note though that it is not complete and does cotain transcription errors

Geoffers

Geoffers
02-10-2007, 8:04 PM
Part 2.......


Ellen was 21 when she married Jack.


My million to one shot is looking a bit more hopeful then. 21 in 1920 gives a birth year of about 1899-ish.

We know her maiden name was DAVIES.

The GRO index gives a death in 1972 and shows a birth date of 21 Nov 1898........now if only there might be a birth for a Ellen Florence or Florence Ellen DAVIES in the GRO index that ties in.....well.......

Remember that people are allowed 6 weeks to register a birth, so a birth at the end of November in one year might appear in the returns for the following Quarter)

GRO index of births
March 1899 - DAVIES, Florence Ellen - Guildford - Vol. 2a, Page 97

I like a good puzzle to work on.

Geoffers

Amanda Durrant
06-10-2007, 3:45 PM
Hi Geoffers,
Still looking into Ronald. With the post strike will have to wait a bit longer I guess..If Ronald is our man then I guess the informant on the certificate could be a close member of the family this could be interesting.

Have a good weekend!
from amanda

Geoffers
06-10-2007, 4:26 PM
Still looking into Ronald. With the post strike will have to wait a bit longer I guess..

They pick their moments, don't they? Don't they know you're waiting for the certificate and it's important. Until you know, you can't update this thread and let us know.......

Impatient and curious of Charlbury

Amanda Durrant
18-10-2007, 3:24 PM
Hi Geoffers,
I have Ronald's birth certificate! It is Jack's son! So to date, now I know that Jack was in the army (this could of been in croydon) for a short while. When Jack came out of the army he worked as a psychiatric nurse, which was the same profession as his sister. He married Ellen Florence Davies and they had a child Ronald Jack, he was born 16 oct 1922 at 12 Kingswood Rd Woodmansterne.
The next stage for me is.... I know something of my grandfathers genealogy,and some of his sisters, but I know of no relative of Jack and there is a big gap of family history at this point. I would like to find a/some of Jack/Ronald's descendents to see what happened to that side of the family tree. This should be interesting! What a wonderful turn of events Geoffers|biggrin|,


Amanda