Missing death index and certificate [Brickwall]

[River Tyne Lass]

Hi battista, Sophie & Clan. Here are some more workhouse records which you might like to have as part of your family history records.  These relate to James.  I haven't seen anything to indicate if he did actually migrate to New Zealand as he wished to do (see below in the last excerpt).

TYNEMOUTH UNION MINUTES - 1926

Page 181

'At a Meeting of the House Sub-Committee (Works), held at the Poor Law Institution, North Shields, on Wednesday  the 13th day of January, 1926, at 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon. ..

JAMES BATTISTA  (26)
The Clerk also reported that (in accordance with authority given at last meeting) he had made arrangements for James Battista to be admitted to the Farm Training Colony, Wallingford, on a month's trial, at a charge of 3/- per day.'

Page 563

'At the Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Guardians of the Tynemouth Union held in the Guardians' Hall, North Shields on Thursday, the 28th day of January 1926 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.  ..

JAMES BATTISTA
Arising out of the Minutes of the House Committee it was reported that James Battista (26) had absconded from the Farm Training Colony, Wallingford, and authority was given to the Clerk to take legal proceedings against him for absconding with the clothing provided for him at the expense of the Union.'

Page 598

'At a Meeting of the House Committee, held at the Poor Law Institution, North Shields, on  Thursday, the 11 February, 1926, at 3.45 o'clock in the afternoon.  ...

JAMES BATTISTA
The Committee interviewed James Battista with regard to his action in absconding from the Farm Training Colony, Wallingford, to which he had been sent by the Guardians, and on his agreeing to return to that Institution the Committee decided that his train fare be paid again.'

Page 645

'At a Meeting of the House Committee, held at the Poor Law Institution, North Shields, on Thursday, the 11th day of March, 1926, at 3.45 o'clock in the afternoon.

JAMES BATTISTA
The Clerk reported that, in accordance with the authority given at last meeting, James Battista had returned to the Farm Training Colony at Wallingford on the 17th February last.'

TYNEMOUTH UNION MINUTES - 26-27

Page 181

'At a Meeting of the House Sub-Committee (Stocktaking), held at the Poor Law Institution, North Shields, on Thursday, the 1st day of July 1926, at 10.30 o'clock in the forenoon.

JAMES BATTISTA
The Committee had before them a letter from the Superintendant of the Wallingford Farm Training Colony, asking whether the Guardians would contribute the sum of 10/- towards the cost of sending James Battista to the Summer Camp.
Resolved:- "That the Guardians contribute the sum of 10s/- towards the expenses incurred in sending James Battista to the summer camp.'

Page 336

'At a Meeting of the Home Sub-Committee (Stocktaking), held at the Poor Law Institution, North Shields, on Thursday, the 30th day of September, at 9.45 o'clock in the forenoon.

JAMES BATTISTA
The Committee had before them a letter from James Battista, at present being maintained by the Guardians of the Wallingford Farm Training Colony, asking to be allowed to migrate to New Zealand.
Resolved:- "That, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health, the Clerk be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the migration of James Battista.

[battista]

I've ordered the Out of Italy book, probably be here next month.

Very interesting about James Battista, it'd be amazing if he did move to New Zealand.

[battista]

Seems like this article in the New Zealand Herald is about him: https://i.imgur.com/0feDSoa.gif

NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME LXXIV, ISSUE 22909, 11 DECEMBER 1937 (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19371211.2.233.22?query=James%20Battista&phrase=2&snippet=true)

Although, it does appear to be a report from the UK? Around about the right age, right location.

[River Tyne Lass]

I think as there seem to me more records of James in the newspapers that this may have fallen through or perhaps he changed his mind/ or went and came back to this area.

I have been looking again at the 'Out of Italy' book. - just to clarify the author relates that Giovanni and Vincenzo 'helped' Giambattista Lertoria with his pioneering ice cream business and not that they helped in setting up.  This is my error in communication - sorry about this. 

The book shows photos of Lertoria and his wife so you will be able to see photos of these - your ancestors' friends too when the book arrives.  According to the book Antonio seems to have been the last brother to arrive here. 

[River Tyne Lass]

I have just seen your post after mine.  Fancy that making the news all the way to New Zealand!

I have seen a similar article over here but it does not provide as much detail - that he was told to keep his mouth shut in court and the English newspaper did not name his bride.

[River Tyne Lass]

Northern Mail - Wednesday 20th October 1937

'Didn't Know Wife Was Alive
Newcastle Man Acquitted on Bigamy Charges
James Battista, 41 year old labourer, of Westmorland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, who went through a form of marriage with a 17 year old girl while his wife was alive, was found not guilty of bigamy at Newcastle yesterday.
Mr Justice Atkinson instructing the jury to return a 'Not guilty' verdict said there was no evidence to show that Battista knew his wife was living when he 'married' for the second time.
Battista said he had been told in 1927 that his wife was dead, but had not made any further enquiries.'

Just to add - I believe that James' first wife reverted to her maiden name and that she died as Dorothy Playford on 10 September 1950 and was buried at Preston Cemetery, North Shields on 13 September 1950.

[JenB]

Seems like this article in the New Zealand Herald is about him: https://i.imgur.com/0feDSoa.gif

NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME LXXIV, ISSUE 22909, 11 DECEMBER 1937 (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19371211.2.233.22?query=James%20Battista&phrase=2&snippet=true)

Although, it does appear to be a report from the UK? Around about the right age, right location.

The article states that he 'married' Lily Macauley in October 1932.

If so he married as George J Battista.

Lily Macauley + George J Battista, 4th q. 1932, Newcastle on Tyne 10b, 202

Interesting! He was also using an alias! Lily Macauley + George J Matthews, 4th q. 1932, Newcastle on Tyne 10b, 202

[River Tyne Lass]

That's interesting Jen!  It seems a bit suspicious that he was using an alias.  Perhaps he knew he was marrying bigamously after all and wanted to cover his tracks.

There is a Lily Matthews whose death was registered in Sunderland in the June quarter of 1935.  She was age 20 which would fit her only being 17 when she married James.  I suppose even if this is her she may have been buried elsewhere.

I wonder if she did die then and if this somehow led to the marriage being discovered as bigamous.

[JenB]

I believe that James Battista 'reinvented' himself with the surname Mathews/Matthews.

We know from RTL's look up that he was born 18th August 1899.

St Cuthbert RC baptism
Jacobus Battista
Born 18 August 1899
Bapt 6 Sept 1899
Son of Joannis & Elizabethae (Helene?) olim Lawson
Grandparents Donatus Alvini & Jane Reid

Using the free search on the 1939 register I looked for the surname Matthews (with variants) in Newcastle upon Tyne with that birthdate. I didn't find anyone, but extending it to one year either side I found a Thomas G Matthews born 18th August 1898.

In the same household was a Lily Mathews born 1915 and a James V Matthews born 1939.

freeBMD shows a Lily Macauley born Newcastle upon Tyne 3rd q. 1915 and a quick check on the 1939 free index confirms Lily Mathews' month of birth as August.

free BMD shows James V Mathews born Newcastle upon Tyne, 3rd q. 1939 mother's maiden surname Macauley

There are three other Mathews births in Newcastle upon Tyne between 1933 and 1938 mother's maiden surname Macauley. Two of them have the middle initial 'B'.

We know that he married as George J. Battista alias George J. Matthews and it seems to me that by 1939 he's become Thomas G Matthews.