James GOATER NZ Army WWI

[miriamkinga]

Morning all,

I've found a record on the NZ Archives for a James GOATER who was a member of the 9th Reinforcements Wellington Infantry Battalion, B Company.

His next of kin is listed as his mother, Mrs M Goater of Park Row, Nottingham. I have this family as part of my wider Goater family tree and believe this to be Maria Goater (nee Goodson) who was living at 25 Park Row, Nottingham at the time of the 1911 census with her daughter Henrietta.

I'm a bit mystified as I've never come across a James in the family. The only member unaccounted for is an Alfred Percy George Goater born 1871 in Nottingham who I am struggling to find on any census.

I've checked passenger lists and there is a Jas Goater, age unknown leaving London on the Athenic for NZ on 22/7/1910. He is listed as single & a farmer - which would perhaps tie in with his occupation of bushman on the army record? This doesn't tie in with the rest of his english family though (if he is the mysterious Alf PG) as they were all printers.

Can anyone advise how I find out more about James?

Many thanks

Maria 

[Thamesite2017]

1900 James Goater on electoral roll at Wanganui
a labourer at Westmere

Bye
Althea

1911 there is a George Henry charles Goater at Westmere
**1891** Uk census a man with this name is with parents maria and Henry at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

[Janette]

A marriage for

1925/1440 Elizabeth Jane  Satchwell to George Henry Charles  Goater 

Cheers Janette

[alamar]

Hi Maria, If the military James and unaccounted for Alfred have 1871 birthdates then they might be the same man...or twins! Do you have a copy of his military papers? If not you should request that they be digitised for reading online. It was not uncommon for names to change. My 2xgt grandfather was registered as Albert at birth but in every document thereafter he was Jesse.

Alan

[miriamkinga]

Dear Althea, Janette & Alan

Thanks so much for your input.

Althea - thanks for the electoral roll details.

Janette - thanks for the marriage details - is that the date 1925? I have him marrying in England to an Ada M Barrett in 1918 so that's a bit confusing. Thinking about it though he'd be 50 so it would make sense that it was a second marriage?

Alan - great idea re the military records. Any idea how I get them digitised? I agree about the names - my lot do it all the time!!

Thanks so much for all your interest.

Best wishes

Maria 

[minniehaha]

Hello,

You could try making contact with possible descendants through the 'New Zealand White Pages'.

There are only 8 listings for Goater for the whole of New Zealand.

Minniehaha. 

[miriamkinga]

Thanks Minnie, what a great idea. 

best wishes

Maria

[spades]

Hi Maria,

I have arranged for the personnel file for James GOATER to be digitised.

Look for it on Archway http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ in about ten days.

Spades

[Janette]

Hi again Maria

Janette - thanks for the marriage details - is that the date 1925? I have him marrying in England to an Ada M Barrett in 1918 so that's a bit confusing. Thinking about it though he'd be 50 so it would make sense that it was a second marriage?

FreeBDM's have this Goater marriage
Marriages Mar 1918   

Surname  First name(s)  Spouse  District  Vol  Page 
Barrett  Ada E  Goater  Christchurch  2b 1520   
Goater  George H C  Barrett  Christchurch  2b 1520   

 The district Christchurch is in the county of Hampshire

I don't see a marriage for a James Goater to Ada Barrett

Cheers Janette