John Joseph Godfrey b.circa 1850 - Walkern/Hertford - any help, please!

[Emsworthy]

Hello all,

I've recently discovered this person, who married a distant cousin of mine.

John Joseph Godfrey married Julia Selina Grimmett on 20th January 1895 at Old St Pancras, London.  Father's name was Thomas Godfrey (deceased), Farm Bailiff. Witnesses were both Julia's sisters.


In 1891, he was married to his first wife Mary:

2 John Campbell (I think) Road, Hackney, London

John Godfrey, Head, 41, Coachman, Hertford Herts
Mary Godfrey, Wife, 37, Billinghurst, Sussex
Frank Godfrey, Son, 7, Chelsea London   (St Pancras in 1901)
Ernest Godfrey, Son, 2, Chelsea London   (Camden Town in 1901)
Unnamed Godfrey, Daughter, 1 month, Chelsea London

RG12/187 F 118 P 15


On the 1901 census, John says he was born in Walkern, Hertfordshire.  He was widowed again by this time.

I'd like to find out about John's parentage, as I have another line of Godfreys in my tree and am wondering if there could be a link.

Any help would be gratefully received!

Many thanks,
Emma

[Milliepede]

Have you found a birth registration for him?  That should give his mothers maiden name to enable you to look for the marriage of his parents Thomas Godfrey and his bride.

[Emsworthy]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply...no I haven't.  He is a really tricky one.  I'm starting to wonder whether he was born out of wedlock and then adopted the Godfrey name?

There is a Joseph John Godfrey, born Q Sep 1852 Vol 03A Page 173, mmn. Alleson, district Royston and Buntingford.  I'm not sure on this one and haven't yet found a marriage to match. Edit: William Godfrey married Mary Alleson in 1838 in Buntingford &c. (Royston).

[jonw65]

Or have you found a marriage to his first wife Mary?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:3RJL-9N2

John Godfrey, 41, Coachman, born Hertford Herts
Mary Godfrey, 37, born Billingshurst Sussex
Are the children's birth places correct?
Best I can come up with from birth registrations have mother's maiden name Reeves.

In 1881 the John Godfrey I could find in London who was a coachman (there are similar occupations I know) was in Paddington. Age 33, born Suffolk Bury St Edmunds, unmarried coachman.

Also in 1881 there is a Mary Reeves, 26, born Sussex Loxwood (close to Billingshurst), a ladys maid, again in Paddington. They are one ED and a couple of dozen folios from each other in piece number 15.
Coincidence? (Well, possibly!)
Another Mary Reeves, 27, born Chichester, in Pancras, a barmaid.

[Emsworthy]

Thanks for your reply.

The children's birth places are sketchy - by 1901, Frank is listed as St Pancras, Ernest is Camden Town.

[jonw65]

Hi
It doesn't help when they do that, does it!
There was a Thomas Godfrey in Walkern, an ag lab, and married to Frances. Had one or two children there, they are in Little Amwell by 1851.
Was he the Thomas Godfrey who was killed in a brawl outside a pub in Hertford Heath in 1855? Age 40.
Frances remarried to Henry Brace in 1858.
But no sign of a son John so far.

[Emsworthy]

Ooh...that's intriguing!  What happened there?


Some people have got his first wife as Mary Jane Daughtrey.  There is one born in Thakeham Union in Q Mar 1855, Vol 02B Vol 266, mmn. Wase.   Not right for Billingshurst, but in the right county at least.

There is a marriage in Pancras district Q June 1884 of Mary Jane Daughtrey - there is a John Godfrey on the same page.  Vol 1b Page 272.

[jonw65]

An argument in the pub about who was the best workman, it seems to have got a bit out of hand.
George Kiff carried on with it outside the pub and struck Godfrey again, who suffered a fractured skull.
It went to the assizes I think (not sure what the outcome was)

The tree people are right that Mary Jane Daughtrey married John Godfrey in 1884. Don't think it's online.
But I think they might be in St Giles in 1891, with Mary Jane born Rackham, Sussex.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QWJC-62M

[jonw65]

She looks to have married again soon after! Her husband John was rather older than her in 1891.
27 August 1893, St Luke Chelsea
Allen Kelley, 25
+
Mary Jane Godfrey, 39, widow, father Richard Daughtry (dead), Farm Labourer

So going for a younger man this time!