Hammond Johnson what happened to him

[hartryyrtrah]

My Grandfather never new his father.  I'm not quiet sure when his dad(Hammond) left but he never new what happened or where his father went.  My grandfather was born in 24 Sep 1909 in Goudhurst and grew up in Rock ave Gillingham. (I know his dad lived in Gillingham for a while.)

Hammond was born in Goudhurst Mar 1880 he is listed as a Saddler when he married Ellen Caroline Wyatt 12 Dec 1908 in Gillingham. 
I have a medal believed to have been his with the following inscription
   South African War Campaign Medal from 1901
          J.Johnson 4549 Saddler
          53 Company Imperial Yeomanry
          Wittibergen, Cape Colony, Transvaal

His dad James Johnson lived in Marden and was also a saddler.  They also had connections to New Romney and Ninfield in Sussex.

I seem to know a lot about him I even have a couple of photos but I don't know what happened to him. 

Can anybody help?

[Dave Francis]

Hi there - and a warm welcome to RootsChat!

The "Court Circular" in The Times, 27 June 1918, listed those officers who had been presented with their medals by the King on the previous morning. Among those who had been awarded The Military Cross was one Captain Hammond Johnson of the Canadian Field Artillery.

A long shot, I know, but maybe worth investigating?

Dave

[hartryyrtrah]

Thanks

I've tried looking this Hammond up on a Canadian Web sit and although he is mentioned there is no date or Place of birth. 

I hadn't thought about him emigrateing so maybe I'll follow this individual and thegeneral idea up.

Paul

[bicker]

Hi there

I do not think that the Hammond Johnson you are looking for is the one that lived in Canada. He was living with his family at Prince Edward Island  Charlottestown at the time of the 1911 census in Canada, a student aged 19. He passed through New York on his way back to P E I Charlottestown on the 19 July 1918 aged 26 years 3 months, no doubt on his return from the medal presentation as he was listed as a soldier. This Hammond Johnson's parents were Harry and Erina although Harry and all his children were English and Erina was Scottish.

Rehards Heather

[Dave Francis]

Hi Heather - thanks for that! It's useful to narrow down the possibilities.

Paul - I hate to suggest it, but the logical step would be to trawl through the GRO Deaths Indexes from c1909 to see if you find him. Another idea would be to search the electoral registers for the local area from around the same date. If Hammond abandoned his wife and family for some reason, he might not have strayed far. No doubt you are looking forward to the 1911 Census becoming available!

Dave

[hartryyrtrah]

Thanks

I think he might still be with them in 1911.  I did wonder about spending £45 checking the address I believe they would have been living at.  What I realy want is the 1921 Census to find out if he was still alive and in England after the War.

Paul

[bicker]

This is a possible death for Hammond

Hammond Johnson
January Quarter 1948 Wandsworth Registration District
Ref 5d 712
aged 70 years

From the GRO deaths

[Dave Francis]

Wow - well done Heather! - that certainly looks like our man. The name 'Hammond Johnson' is pretty uncommon and although the age is a little bit wonky (he should have been a year or two younger) it's well within an acceptable margin of error. FreeBMD indicates only one birth registration in the relevant period - Hammond's birth in 1880!

Paul - Needless to say you should get a copy of this death certificate! It will tell you where he was living at the time and therefore give you a point of reference for any electoral register searches. Hopefully, the informant will have been a relative so you may be able to take back-bearings from that as well.

Best wishes
Dave

[hartryyrtrah]

Yes thank you

Heather

I will certainly be getting a copy of that certificate.  At least 1 of the interesting things will be seeing who registered the death.  Can I ask how you traced it, do you have a CD or was this from an online site.

Also Dave you mention checking the electoral registers are they available online or via some other route?

Paul