| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Although the caption to the photograph names T J Goodwin, this is most likely to be John George, younger son of Henry Goodwin who lived at 16 Wood Lane, Beverley.
Henry was born in Lincolnshire and worked as a footman and then a butler before becoming head waiter at the Beverley Arms, a position he held for over 30 years until his retirement. Henry and his wife Hannah had 11 children, John George being the youngest born in 1880. According to the 1911 Census, six of the children died and only John and his brother James, 10 years older and already a widower, were living at home. John George’s occupation was given as grocer, warehouseman.
There is no record of a T J Goodwin serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers but John George Goodwin appears on the Medal Roll being awarded the British and Victory medals. It notes that he originally enlisted with 4th Northumberland Fusiliers, who recruited in Hull. When his photograph was printed in the Beverley Guardian at the beginning of May 1917, John George was attached to 20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and he would recently have seen action in the Battle of the Scarpe, part of the Arras offensive. Perhaps this was where he was wounded. John George remained with the Northumberland Fusiliers until the end of the war after which he returned to Beverley and the family home at 16 Wood Lane.
The 1939 Register gives his occupation as labourer, oil miller. He never married but lived for a number of years with his widowed brother-in-law, John Greenwood who was a sub-editor of the Snapper magazine, the monthly journal of the East Yorkshire Regiment. John George died on 8 Dec 1961 at the age of 81 whilst living at 52 Wood Lane and is buried at Queensgate Cemetery Beverley.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |