John Henry Godson
in the 1911 census he is a bricklayer
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John Henry Godson was the son of Edwin and Mary Jane Godson (née Staniland) of Weston village, Nottinghamshire.
His father Edwin Godson was born in 1853 at Weston and his mother Mary Jane Staniland was born in 1863 at Egmanton, Nottinghamshire. They were married in 1882 (reg. Nottingham) and went on to have 10 children, sadly three were to die in infancy or early childhood. The surviving children were John Henry b1883, George b1885, Alice b1887, Richard b1889, Levina b1893, Herbert b1897 and Emily b1899. All were born in Weston.
In the 1911 census his parents were living in Weston village and shown as Edwin 58 yrs a bricklayer, his wife Mary Jane 48 yrs and their daughter Emily 12 yrs.
John Henry married Annie Eliza Robinson (born 26th Septemebr 1887) they were married on 14th September 1908 at All Saints Church, Misterton, they lived near the church at Misterton, they had the following children, Doris Vera born 30th May 1909, Arthur Edwin born 10th August 1910 and Bertha Gladys Emil born 16th March 1915,
In the 1911 census he is a baorder living at Gringley on the Hill, he is shown as being 28 yrs married and a bricklayer he is living Maria Woofitt 76 yrs a widowed inn keeper and her daughter Maria Woofitt 17 yrs of age.
In the same 1911 census , his wife Ann Godson 23 yrs married is living at Church View, Misterton, she is living with Emily Robinson, her mother and her brother Percy Godson 19 yrs and sister Bertha 12 yrs of age, she is living with her daughter Doris 1 year and her son Arthur Godson 4 months old.
Commencing 9th October 1916 his widow was awarded a pension of 21 shillings a week.
Corporal John Henry Godson enlisted at Pontefract, initially served with the service number 15828 York and Lancaster Regiment, he later served with the 14th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers he died of wounds on 23 March 1916 at No 2 casualty clearing station and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France (grave ref. II. B. 19).
CWGC - History of Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (extract): 'Bailleul was occupied on 14 October 1914 by the 19th Brigade and the 4th Division. It became an important railhead, air depot and hospital centre, with the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 11th, 53rd, 1st Canadian and 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Stations quartered in it for considerable periods. It was a Corps headquarters until July 1917, when it was severely bombed and shelled, and after the Battle of Bailleul (13-15 April 1918), it fell into German hands and was not retaken until 30 August 1918. The earliest Commonwealth burials at Bailleul were made at the east end of the communal cemetery and in April 1915, when the space available had been filled, the extension was opened on the east side of the cemetery. The extension was used until April 1918, and again in September, and after the Armistice graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and the following burial grounds [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Three of his brothers served and returned.
additional research and information Peter Gillings
John Henry Godson
Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone marking his grave in Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Nord. Photograph courtesy of Murray Biddle