Name
John Goldsmith
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
The Parish Magazine of June 1917 records John Goldsmith (Senior) as enlisting after August 1915 and before March 2nd 1916, serving in the 3rd London Royal Fusiliers.
Parish and census records suggest two possible men:
The first was baptised on October 6th 1878, the son of Henry and Ann Goldsmith (née Baynes or perhaps Baines), so he would have been about thirty-seven at the time of his enlistment. Baptism records list fourteen children: Elizabeth (bapt 1864), Frederick (bapt 1865), Abigail (bapt 1867), Martha (bapt 1868), Alice Elizabeth (bapt 1870), Peggy (bapt 1871), Albert (bapt 1973), James (bapt 1874), Frank (bapt 1875), Charles (bapt 1876), John (bapt 1878), Arthur (b 1880), Peter William (b 1882) and Rosetta Mary (bapt 1891).
If this is the John who served then he was married and a father when he went to war. His brother Arthur also served and survived the war.
The second was born on December 20th 1887 to William and Emma Goldsmith (née Walker), so he would have been about twenty-eight at the time of his enlistment. Baptism and census records list twelve children, but by 1911 two had died. At this time, only ten can be identified with certainty; they are Frederick Goldsmith Walker (b July 1879 – William and Emma married in October 1879), George (b 1881, d 1883 aged two), Mary Jane (b 1883, Jane Mary in the 1901 census), William Charles (b 1885, d 1912), John (b 1887), Bertie (b 1890), Susan (b 1892), Sidney (b 1894), Edward (b 1896), Alice Mabel (b 1898) and Emily Elizabeth (b 1901). One of the unknown children could be Harry (b1904, died at two months), which would leave one unnamed. If this John is our man then his brothers, Sidney and Edward, both served and survived.
By 1911, John had been married to Mary for a year. Her maiden name may have been Baines, as the census records Rose and Lily Baines as relatives and being in the house. However, another possibility, perhaps more likely, is that they were cousins, as John’s mother’s maiden name was Baines. They had a daughter, Doris Mary (b c1900), and were living near Little Green. In 1911 John was working as a railway labourer.
Ordinarily, it would seem more likely that the latter would be the man who served. However, because the Parish Magazine refers to John Goldsmith ‘senior’, perhaps the former is more likely. Unfortunately, at this time, it is not known which, if either, is the relevant John Goldsmith.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission.
