George GOODMAN

[bgoodman]

I discovered that my great grand father had enlisted in the army on the 10th of May 1871 at Westminister. His age was 22 years born in Rickmansworth. I guess his year of birth would be 1848 or 1849. He died at age 39 in 1888 that I do know including where he is buried. I have not known his reg before and this is the second mention that he was born in Rickmansworth. However there is no national or otherwise registration of his birth. I have tried e-mailing the person who owns the site about the 34th foot although the e-mail address does not appear to be valid. I wonder if anyone knows what the number 1951 before Private Goodman George means. Also if anyone could please point me in the right direction from here.

[bgoodman]

I discovered that my great grand father had enlisted in the army on the 10th of May 1871 at Westminister. His age was 22 years born in Rickmansworth. I guess his year of birth would be 1848 or 1849. He died at age 39 in 1888 that I do know including where he is buried. I have not known his reg before and this is the second mention that he was born in Rickmansworth. However there is no national or otherwise registration of his birth. I have tried e-mailing the person who owns the site about the 34th foot although the e-mail address does not appear to be valid. I wonder if anyone knows what the number 1951 before Private Goodman George means. Also if anyone could please point me in the right direction from here.

I was unable to find my own way with searching regiment details on the national archives site although I am very pleased to say that the site owner did some research for me with positive results. He managed to get me the pay muster details of my great grandfather including his whereabouts from 1871 to 1877. George Goodman appears to have done the minimum time in the army. His enlistment details which were very few and did not really give me much in the way of new info. I was hoping for religion and next akin which would have helped me to eliminate some goodman families. Still unable to find any registered birth at rickmansworth. Sadly there does not appear to be any more info available from the military side as apparently the records for persons who did not receive a pension were burned. Nice to have had a little breakthrough

[bgoodman]

Not sure that I am writing on this site properly therefore please excuse my poor computer skills. I have recently obtained the DNA result from my 84 year old father's swabs. He is the grandson of George Goodman from Rickmansworth. I was somewhat disappointed as I expected the results to be more informative relating directly to my family. However I am now part of the Goodman project and there is the option of paying for more checks. Hopefully more people will partake in this form of research increasing the chances of finding matches. Also I was advised to try a site called Lost Cousins which again works on this principle the more people offer information the better.

[[Ray]]

Hi

George Goodman
Birth Date:    abt 1842
Christening Date:    11 Nov 1842
Christening Place:    Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, England
Father's Name:    John Goodman
Mother's Name:    Ann

[bgoodman]

Thank you Ray for your effort. I know that my dad's grandfather George listed his father's name as James on his marriage cert. The birth year makes the person that you mentioned too old. I know that there was a James Goodman, who was a Blacksmith, with a son George also living in Rickmansworth. However, that George was born in 1844 also. My George is almost certain to be born between 1848/50 by his death cert, the 1881 census and his age at enlistment into the army. I know that there was a lodger George aged 15 years at The Bear pub in Rickmansworth in 1861 which would make that George born about 1846. I realize people were not always truthful about their age inaddition to human error and guess work. Well Ray thank you again and for now the search goes on.

[Maddie]

Hi

I was drawn to your Goodman post as I also have Rickmansworth Goodman's albeit by marriage, although I don't think there is any link as mine originate in Chesham Bucks.

Just a thought, have you considered looking at the children of James & Sarah Goodman in 1851 who are living in Batchworth, I realise you have been put off their son George because of his birth date being 1844 but he does seem to be the most likely candidate for your George & ages are only as good as the people who gave them, as I have found with my research.

As you know this George is living at the Bear public house in 1861, his father James is in Watford Union Workhouse & his mother has died. The daughter of James & Sarah, Louisa, marries John Thackham  24 Dec 1859 in Ricky & they can be found in Batchworth on the census. The thing that has struck me is that most of the children from this family can be found living in the area of Batchworth & Harefield in 1881 along with your returning George & wife Mary.

All seems to much of a coincidence to ignore completely.

Best of luck with your research.

Maddie

[bgoodman]

Thank you Maddie for your comments. I agree about the coincidence I searched the blacksmith James Goodman and his family right back through the parish records etc. Unfortunatley he does not appear to be my George's father. There is a birth cert at watford registry office for that George born in 1844 which does tie in exactly with the census. There were other Goodman families around the batchworth area also at that time. Maybe there is a connection re cousins or something who knows.

[bgoodman]

Please has anyone any information on a house 58 Queen's Road, Watford in 1891. George Joseph Goodman son of George Goodman, my great grandfather, was also born in Rickmansworth July,1881. Not sure if it is him in Watford in the 1891 Census (RG12/118) at 58 Queens Road living as a Boarder. He would have been only 9, as his birthday was after the census date, although in the census his age may have been rounded up to 10. The household head, Catherine Sullivan, is a Milliner which I believe is a hat maker. I have looked at 58 Queens Road and it appears to be a large house now if the numbering is still applicable. In 1891 there were several young boys, two as young as 3, living there and from all different birth places. I spoke to Hertford Archives and they were unaware of any places for example related to the workhouse. The genealogist site has transcribed the road incorrectly as Luccouse Road. Ancestry has transcribed his name as Dooman. I did look at the census myself and I know the area well therefore I recognised the errors. Presumably he was living there following the death of his father in 1888. His mother Mary Goodman (nee McCarthy) may have already returned to Ireland as she was there in latter years for certain. In 1891 there is another family living in their previous home, bury farm cottage in Batchworth, Rickmansworth. My grand father Hubert Goodman (his brother) believed George to be still living in the London area when Hubert mentioned George on army papers. I know my grand father in later years tried putting advertisements etc in newspapers but he was unable to find out what happened to his brother. I know all the other children in their family were dead by 1911.

[bgoodman]

Sadly time has run out for me re informing my dad of the details of his grandfather's family. John Goodman my dad died on the 7th of Feb 2012 in Ireland. He was aged 85 years, the last person in his family. However I will still keep searching for information re George Joseph Goodman, his grandfather who was buried in Chorleywood Road Cemetery Rickmansworth in 1888.