John Willie Gothard 1879-1914

John Willie Gothard (photo from his grandson Kevin Gothard)

Born:
13 March 1879 at 20 George Street, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England

Parents:
Father:    Wilfred Gothard (1847 – 1887)  Born Pilley, Yorkshire.  Colliery Lamp Keeper.
Mother:    Sarah Ann Harper (1849 – 1913) Born Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Wilfred and Sarah were married in St George’s Church, Barnsley on 2 April 1866.
Sarah remarried to Joseph Horton Q3 1888 in Barnsley RD (9c 197)

Siblings:
1. John Harper Gothard.  Born 1874, died as an infant.
2. James Wilfred Gothard.  Born 1877.  Died 1941.  Coal miner, hewer.  WW1 Service in 27th Durham Light Infantry from 1915 to 1917.  Married Mary Jane Green.
3. John Willie Gothard Born 1879, died 1914  WW1 Killed
4. Frank Gothard.  Born 1881.  Coal miner hewer. Married Bertha Charlesworth.
5. Eliza Gothard.  Born 1883.  Married Joseph Hurley.
6. Wilfred Gothard.  Born 1887.  Died 1970.  Married Jessie Rawson.
7. George Horton (half brother).  Born 1890.
8. Albert Horton (half brother).  Born 1891.

Home Addresses:
1879  20 George Street, Barnsley
1881  Carlton Terrace, Carlton
1891  5 Shaw Lane, Carlton aged 12
1901  39 Allott St, Hoyland Nether aged 22, a Coal Miner Hewer
1903  The Barracks, Pontefract
1909  18 Central St, Hoyland Common
1911  18 Central Street, Hoyland Common aged 32, a Coal Miner
1913  5 New St Eythorne

Marital Status:
Married Martha Fritchley Trout in St Giles Church, Pontefract, Yorkshire on 26th December 1906.  Martha was the daughter of John and Annie Trout of Bentley, Yorkshire.

Children:
Wilfred Gothard.  Born 29 August 1908.  Died 1995.  Married Margaret Bardon.
Lina Gothard.  Born 2 September 1911.  Died 2003.  Married Robert Finlay
Vera Gothard.  Born 28 March 1913.  Died 1986.  Married Adam Robertson Marshall.

Occupations:
1893 - 1903    Coal Miner Hewer
1903 – 1909    Bandsman, 2nd Btn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry stationed at Pontefract, Yorkshire.
1909 – 1914    Coal Miner Hewer + Reservist, 2nd Btn KOYLI

Military Service:
Enlisted in the 2nd Btn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 2nd March 1903 (Private 7323) as a bandsman.
Transferred to the Reserve List on 22nd September 1909.
Joined his regiment in Dublin on 10th August 1914 following mobilisation.
Arrived in France on 18th August and fought at Mons on 23rd August 1914.
Took part in the retreat from Mons 24th and 25th August 1914.
Awards: 1914 Star and Bar, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Death:     26 August 1914 aged 35 (Listed as Presumed Dead)
CWGC Remembered: Le-Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France

Remembered:
War Memorial, Eythorne, Kent
Memorial Panels, St Peter's Church, Hoyland Common
Hoyland War Memorial, West Street and Kirk Balk, Hoyland

There is some information about John Willie on the Hoyland War Memorial site.

Notes: 
Martha and the three children remained in Eythorne until late 1921 when she decided to take her family to Australia.  She set up house in Newcastle, New South Wales.  She died in 1929, aged 45 years.

John Willie Gothard's Medal Card showing a Clasp was awarded
this would have been for serving under fire between 5 Aug and 22 Nov 1914
(from Ancestry)

Thank you to Kevin Gothard in Australia for sending us this information about his grandfather.