Thomas William Goodbody - served * years in the Great War, died 1920
In loving memory
Of
THOMAS WILLIAM
The dearly loved husband of
MAY GOODBODY
Served 5(?-tbc) years in the Great War
Died Augst 16th 1920
Aged 38 years
Peace, Perfect Peace
No entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web-site.
1882 – Birth and Baptism
The baptism of a Thomas William Goodbody, born 25th September 1882, took place at St John the Evangelist, Ovington, on the 12th November 1882. His parents were Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. The family live in Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Other family baptisms
St John the Evangelist, Ovington.
Rose Goodbody, born 24th November 1884, baptised 6th September 1885. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Elizabeth Jubilee Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, baptised 7th August 1887. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Charles Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, baptised 27th October 1889. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Baptism of his future wife
The baptism of a Sarah May Hensley, no date of birth recorded, took place at St Mary, Watton, Norfolk on the 1st June 1884. Her parents were Charles, a Labourer, and Martha Ann. The family lived at Watton.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510ab63e93790f8ad...
1891 Census of England and Wales
The 8 year old Thomas W, born Ovington, Norfolk, was recorded living at a dwelling in the village of Ovington. This was the household of his widowed mother, Mary, (aged 32 and born Watton, Norfolk). As well as Thomas, her other children living with her are:-
Rosa…………aged 6…..born Ovington
Elizabeth J…..aged 3……born Ovington
Charles………aged 1…..born Ovington
A likely match for his future wife is the 7 year old Sarah Hensley, (mis-transcribed as “Hinsley” on the Genealogy site I use), who was born Watton, Norfolk. She was living at “Red Hill”, Watton. This was the household of his parents, Charles, (aged 33 and an Agricultural Labourer from Shropham, Norfolk) and Martha A, (aged 30 and from Watton) and 5 siblings.
1901 Census of England and Wales
Mary, (42), has remarried to a John Breeze, aged 28 and an Agricultural Labourer from Ovington. Her children, John’s step-children, who are living with them are Thomas W, (18, Agricultural Labourer), Elizabeth, (13) and Charles, (11). The couples own children are Emma, (3) and Walter, (7 months), - both born Ovington.
His future wife, Sarah M Hensley, aged 16 and born Watton was recorded as a live in servant at a dwelling on Thetford Road, Watton. This was the household of a Solicitor, Fred Robinson and his wife Kate.
1903 – Possible Marriage
According to the 1911 census, (see below), Thomas had been married 8 years by the time the census was taken at the start of April. So assuming that value is correct and they married in England or Wales, then we would be looking for a marriage circa 1902 \ Q1 1903.
A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Marriages for England and Wales looking at a period 1902 +/- 2 years produces only one marriage of a Thomas Goodbody in the whole of both countries. This was a Thomas Goodbody, (no middle initial), who married in the Wayland District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter of 1903.
For the period prior to 1911 the marriage index was not cross-referenced. Each page of the civil register usually contained at least two marriages, and sometimes more. As the index only gives page numbers it should be possible to identify the names of all those involved but not who married who. Thus the female names identified on the same page as Thomas are a Sarah Mary Hensley and an Eleanor Bertha Hall.
However as we have seen on the previous censuses, Sarah was of the right age and place of birth, and the first names tie up with the baptism details below of daughter May. May and Mary seemed to have been used interchangeably in the life of this woman, so even her appearance as “May”, the wife of Thomas, on the 1911 census is understandable.
Birth and baptism of daughter May
The baptism of a May Elizabeth Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, took place at St John the Evangelist, Ovington on the 14th February 1904. Parents were Thomas William, a Labourer, and Sarah May.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baebe937907e5f...
1911 Census of England and Wales
The 28 year old Thomas Goodbody, a Cowman on Farm from Ovington, Norfolk, is recorded as the married head of household at a dwelling “Near the White House”, Little Cressingham, Norfolk. He lives there with his wife of 8 years, May, aged 26 and born Watton, Norfolk, and their two children. These are:-
May……….aged 7…….born Ovington
George……aged 4……..born Little Cressingham
Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth to also record the mothers maiden name. A check of the general Registrars Office Index of births for England and Wales does not have any match for a child registered with the surname Goodbody, mothers maiden name Hensley.
War Service
There is no match on CWGC for a T Goodbody so any individuals identified with that name are likely to have survived the war, (or died after discharge from non-war wounds causes).
The only medal index card for a Thomas Goodbody is that for a Driver 84792 Thomas W Goodbody, Royal Engineers, which is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/8/56336
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D2365177
That soldier appears on the Service Rolls twice – a likely indicator that he qualified for both the British War Medal and Victory Medal, (one Roll) but also the 1914/15 star, (a separate Roll).
His Service records do not appear to have survived the Blitz.
There are no “T” Goodbodys with a Medal Index Card. (Note:, if Thomas served in the UK only then very unlikely he had a Medal Index Card).
No likely matches in the Royal Marines Other Ranks Service Records.
No match in Royal Naval Division service records.
There is a Thomas Goodbody who served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve but he was born 10th October 1897 and served 1915-1918.
There is a Thomas Goodbody who served in the Royal Navy but he was born Haggerston, London on the 3rd October 1882 and he enlisted in 1898.
On the day
The death of a Thomas W Goodbody, aged 38, was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the July to September, (Q3), of 1920.
There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.
Postscript
It may be a co-incidence but the marriage of a Sarah M Goodbody to a Horace Adcock was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1922.
Thomas William Goodbody - served * years in the Great War, died 1920
In loving memory
Of
THOMAS WILLIAM
The dearly loved husband of
MAY GOODBODY
Served 5(?-tbc) years in the Great War
Died Augst 16th 1920
Aged 38 years
Peace, Perfect Peace
No entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web-site.
1882 – Birth and Baptism
The baptism of a Thomas William Goodbody, born 25th September 1882, took place at St John the Evangelist, Ovington, on the 12th November 1882. His parents were Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. The family live in Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Other family baptisms
St John the Evangelist, Ovington.
Rose Goodbody, born 24th November 1884, baptised 6th September 1885. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Elizabeth Jubilee Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, baptised 7th August 1887. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Charles Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, baptised 27th October 1889. Parents Charles, a Labourer, and Mary. Family live at Ovington.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baeae937907e5f...
Baptism of his future wife
The baptism of a Sarah May Hensley, no date of birth recorded, took place at St Mary, Watton, Norfolk on the 1st June 1884. Her parents were Charles, a Labourer, and Martha Ann. The family lived at Watton.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510ab63e93790f8ad...
1891 Census of England and Wales
The 8 year old Thomas W, born Ovington, Norfolk, was recorded living at a dwelling in the village of Ovington. This was the household of his widowed mother, Mary, (aged 32 and born Watton, Norfolk). As well as Thomas, her other children living with her are:-
Rosa…………aged 6…..born Ovington
Elizabeth J…..aged 3……born Ovington
Charles………aged 1…..born Ovington
A likely match for his future wife is the 7 year old Sarah Hensley, (mis-transcribed as “Hinsley” on the Genealogy site I use), who was born Watton, Norfolk. She was living at “Red Hill”, Watton. This was the household of his parents, Charles, (aged 33 and an Agricultural Labourer from Shropham, Norfolk) and Martha A, (aged 30 and from Watton) and 5 siblings.
1901 Census of England and Wales
Mary, (42), has remarried to a John Breeze, aged 28 and an Agricultural Labourer from Ovington. Her children, John’s step-children, who are living with them are Thomas W, (18, Agricultural Labourer), Elizabeth, (13) and Charles, (11). The couples own children are Emma, (3) and Walter, (7 months), - both born Ovington.
His future wife, Sarah M Hensley, aged 16 and born Watton was recorded as a live in servant at a dwelling on Thetford Road, Watton. This was the household of a Solicitor, Fred Robinson and his wife Kate.
1903 – Possible Marriage
According to the 1911 census, (see below), Thomas had been married 8 years by the time the census was taken at the start of April. So assuming that value is correct and they married in England or Wales, then we would be looking for a marriage circa 1902 \ Q1 1903.
A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Marriages for England and Wales looking at a period 1902 +/- 2 years produces only one marriage of a Thomas Goodbody in the whole of both countries. This was a Thomas Goodbody, (no middle initial), who married in the Wayland District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter of 1903.
For the period prior to 1911 the marriage index was not cross-referenced. Each page of the civil register usually contained at least two marriages, and sometimes more. As the index only gives page numbers it should be possible to identify the names of all those involved but not who married who. Thus the female names identified on the same page as Thomas are a Sarah Mary Hensley and an Eleanor Bertha Hall.
However as we have seen on the previous censuses, Sarah was of the right age and place of birth, and the first names tie up with the baptism details below of daughter May. May and Mary seemed to have been used interchangeably in the life of this woman, so even her appearance as “May”, the wife of Thomas, on the 1911 census is understandable.
Birth and baptism of daughter May
The baptism of a May Elizabeth Goodbody, no date of birth recorded, took place at St John the Evangelist, Ovington on the 14th February 1904. Parents were Thomas William, a Labourer, and Sarah May.
freereg2.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5510baebe937907e5f...
1911 Census of England and Wales
The 28 year old Thomas Goodbody, a Cowman on Farm from Ovington, Norfolk, is recorded as the married head of household at a dwelling “Near the White House”, Little Cressingham, Norfolk. He lives there with his wife of 8 years, May, aged 26 and born Watton, Norfolk, and their two children. These are:-
May……….aged 7…….born Ovington
George……aged 4……..born Little Cressingham
Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth to also record the mothers maiden name. A check of the general Registrars Office Index of births for England and Wales does not have any match for a child registered with the surname Goodbody, mothers maiden name Hensley.
War Service
There is no match on CWGC for a T Goodbody so any individuals identified with that name are likely to have survived the war, (or died after discharge from non-war wounds causes).
The only medal index card for a Thomas Goodbody is that for a Driver 84792 Thomas W Goodbody, Royal Engineers, which is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/8/56336
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D2365177
That soldier appears on the Service Rolls twice – a likely indicator that he qualified for both the British War Medal and Victory Medal, (one Roll) but also the 1914/15 star, (a separate Roll).
His Service records do not appear to have survived the Blitz.
There are no “T” Goodbodys with a Medal Index Card. (Note:, if Thomas served in the UK only then very unlikely he had a Medal Index Card).
No likely matches in the Royal Marines Other Ranks Service Records.
No match in Royal Naval Division service records.
There is a Thomas Goodbody who served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve but he was born 10th October 1897 and served 1915-1918.
There is a Thomas Goodbody who served in the Royal Navy but he was born Haggerston, London on the 3rd October 1882 and he enlisted in 1898.
On the day
The death of a Thomas W Goodbody, aged 38, was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the July to September, (Q3), of 1920.
There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.
Postscript
It may be a co-incidence but the marriage of a Sarah M Goodbody to a Horace Adcock was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1922.